Tagged with " hartford"
10 Feb
2009
Posted in: Reception Sites
By Candice    4 Comments

Reception Venue Spotlight: The Society Room

I know I’ve said this before, but Connecticut brides are so BLESSED to have such amazing and unique venue spaces to choose from! One of my absolute favorite spaces is the historic The Society Room in downtown Hartford on Pratt Street. Let me tell you, if you’re looking for a space that is truly unique with a presence all its own, than The Society Room is a must view. It is SPECTACULAR inside and it has presence unlike any venue I’ve seen. You’ll know exactly what I mean the first time you walk through the GIANT doors on Pratt Street and see the unique space for yourself!

Prior to being an amazing location for weddings and soirees, it was a functioning bank that serviced the city of Hartford for generations. The interior is just amazing, full of custom details and original artwork that you just can’t find anywhere else. The craftsmanship and the beauty is really unmatched in any venue I can think of in the state. The windows themselves are MASSIVE, framed by some amazing drapes which stream in beautiful unfiltered light. There is a lot of opportunity here for separation of space (which my brides know I love!). Here is the description of the space and service, from the Society Room’s website:

The Society Room will provide a dramatic and unforgettable backdrop for your special occasion. In the glorious Society Ballroom, you have a room of grand marble columns soaring to an exquisitely muraled ceiling, some thirty five feet above the dance floor.

The sweeping staircase flows down from the 3,000 square floor balcony, providing a dramatic focal point for grand entrances and photographic opportunities. Marble, limestone, brass and bronze accents adorn the opulent Ballroom in a setting right out of the Great Gatsby. Immediately adjacent to the Ballroom are three additional lounge or function spaces, each with their own special historic character, each with their own seating and full-service bar.

Needless to say, all of this grandeur is complemented by our own incomparable chef and banquet catering staff, ready to custom-tailor a food and beverage presentation which will fulfill the promise of a truly magical event for you and your guests. Please contact the Society Room today for a private tour and consultation, and let the dream begin. The Society Room: where Elegance Meets Excellence.

31 Jan
2009
Posted in: Food & Beverage
By Candice    2 Comments

Tales from a Tasting

It is still so surreal to me that I am planning my own wedding! I have to be honest – this doesn’t happen often in the wedding industry and it is mostly the other way around – bride turned planner. Yesterday, my fiancée and I along with his dad attended our tasting at the Gershon Fox Room in downtown Hartford. The chef from Marquee Catering was so generous to work with us on some additional menu choices in addition to their standard selections. Food is a huge deal for us and the one important detail that my fiancée has taken seriously (as most men do!), so we had high hopes and expectations for today. Can I just say it was so amazing for me to be on the opposite side of the tasting? I always attend tastings for my full service and partial planning clients so I know the routine – but it was just so special to be in the other team this time! The chef and staff behind Marquee Catering put out an amazing spread and everything was delicious.

We tasted three yummy salads (yeah… I totally forgot to take a picture so use your imagination!):
Baby greens with seasonal tomatoes, grilled asparagus, sliced romano cheese tossed with a balsamic honey vinaigrette
Endive salad with blue cheese vinaigrette, and
Baby arugula salad with cannellini beans and pancetta with a lemon vinaigrette

And there was some yummy homemade, warm bread:

Our entrees were:
Filet with a Pinot Noir buerre rouge, truffled parisian potatoes and asparagus

Truffle crusted filet mignon with sweet summer peas, whipped potatoes and grain mustard bordelaise.

Herb seared breast of chicken with sautéed spinach fingerling potatoes and wild mushroom jus

Chicken with pan fried gold potatoes, mustard pancetta jus, and baby squash

Salmon with lemon grappa glaze, toasted almond rice and grilled asparagus

So what did we choose? You’ll have to wait to find out! But everything was so super yummy and the decision was TOUGH. A big thank you to all the staff at the Gershon Fox room and Marquee for making our tasting amazing!

5 Nov
2008
Posted in: Announcements, Reception Sites
By Candice    No Comments

Historic Goodwin Hotel to Close

goodwin.jpgAs some of you may have heard, the historic Goodwin Hotel in downtown Hartford is closing at the end of this year. I’m so upset at the loss of the only boutique hotel in Hartford and hope that something will transpire between now and then to allow the hotel to remain open.

I just got off the phone with George, the event manager for the Goodwin. For couples who currently have a wedding booked with the hotel in 2008 — your event will continue as planned. As for 2009 couples, your wedding deposit(s) will be refunded completely but you will have to find a new location to host your celebration. I’m sure this is a very upsetting and emotional experience for 2009 couples who’ve planned a wedding at the Goodwin, so I want to offer my assistance in helping you find new location. There are a lot of beautiful, unique, and chic spaces in the Hartford area to host your wedding. Please give our office a call or shoot us an email and we’ll try to help as best we can. If you know a couple who has their wedding booked with the Goodwin in 2009, please pass along our contact information.

3 Sep
2008
Posted in: Connecticut Events, Reception Sites, Vendor Spotlight
By Candice    6 Comments

Ceremony & Reception Venue Spotlight: The Old State House

I had the opportunity to tour the Old State House in Hartford this past Saturday afternoon. Elisabeth from Blush Floral tipped me off to this special location a few weeks ago. It is an absolutely amazing venue that should be on your list of unique and interesting places for your wedding ceremony or reception. It is right smack dab in the middle of downtown on Main Street, only a stone’s throw away from some very popular Hartford wedding spots (a.k.a. the Goodwin Hotel, Wadsworth Museum, and Gershon Fox Room to name a few). They offer both indoor and outdoor ceremony options and you can rent out the state house for the reception!

oldstatehouse4.jpgFor indoor ceremonies the wedding would take place in the luminous court room on the main floor. Words cannot describe how beautiful this room is – and the light that floods the antique hardwood floors and white columns in truly amazing. The windows are two stories high and look out onto our beautiful capitol city. I love the acoustics in the room too – they are very pronounced and dramatic. Plus, look at that chandelier! It is four times bigger than it looks in person!

Outdoor ceremonies take place on the front lawn, overlooking the beautiful architecture of the state house. There is also an option for a tented reception on this beautiful lawn, which is enclosed by an antique wrought iron fence and gate. I especially loved the spiral staircase outside, which I unfortunately have no pictures of. But the staircase makes for beautiful bridal portraits and photographs.

The state house also has a few empty rooms that are on a smaller scale than the court room, but are equally beautiful. The front lobby would make for a beautiful cocktail area and I loved the dramatic staircases leading up to the second story and the checkered marble floors. The rooms to the left would be great for an afterhours lounge or photobooth. The court room is turned over after the ceremony for the reception. I believe it can seat 85 persons comfortably for a sit down dinner with 120 for a standing cocktail reception. What I love best is the historical significance that the Old State House provides to your wedding ceremony.

Many thanks to Carla for letting me use the beautiful photographs she took at a recent wedding at The Old State House!

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