After missing out on St. Patrick's Day celebrations two years in a row due to COVID concerns, Tommy Sullivan's made a week out of the holiday in 2022, with whiskey promotions, bagpipe . Then we used the west wing for the dance floor and the east wing for the buffet and dessert tables. Truth is, Connecticut has so much to offer in this department, that you cant go wrong when finding a venue that fits your style and story best! This flexibility allowed us to have exactly the wedding we wanted. the biggest tip i can give is don't overdo it! *Chefs kiss*. My wife went to where to start oh Gosh. We had our wedding reception at the Branford House in November 2022, and it was absolutely stunning!! In the previous photo, you can see two of the three lighthouses (Avery Point on the left and New London Ledge on right, way off in the distance) which are viewable from Avery Point. The house is so elegant and beautiful it needed little decoration. Required fields are marked *. Maura & Eamonn's winter beach engagement session at Weekapaug. Would we have chosen to use them? The Common Man Inn & Restaurant in Claremont would be honored to plan and host your special day. The Warehouse at FTC is particularly hearty in size, granting the opportunity for gatherings large and small. who know the space and you wont have any issues. Basically you are getting the space and need to bring in everything else. While winter drags its feet and keeps Connecticut residents bundled in coats and blankets, the Nutmeg State has plenty of authors penning new books to keep you distracted.. Embrace the Season. Big thanks to Catering by Christine, Flowers from the Farm - Schulze Farm and Mike Orzell as the second photographer for all their great work! It seemed to work fine for us as we used one room for the dance floor and band and the other two for our tables. Take advantage of this space during your wedding! Theres nothing better on a cold day than that perfect glass of red wine, and Jonathan Edwards has plenty to boot! I highly recommend working with a coordinator and a caterer who are familiar with the BH due to its crazy layout and kitchen situation. We had an outdoor ceremony overlooking the water and an indoor reception. They do an excellent job, but they have a preset selection for beer and wine, and you need to pay extra if you want to add any additional beers and wines. We are still very happy that we found this place to have the wedding, even with it's challenges it was awesome. A tent can also be set up on the grass, offering shelter from the weather while still allowing you to enjoy the stunning waterfront views. We took warm summer colors of mauve, blush, and plum and added in pops of serenity and navy, to honor the sea. Although they provided excellent service, it did add on quite a bit to our budget. As couples and their wedding party draw nearer, its architectural brick beauty becomes clearer. You have to pay to use their wooden chairs if you decide that you'd rather use those instead of the free plastic ones. The interior of Branford House consists of three rooms (PDF warning) on the first floor. I will forever have an emotional attachment to my cinderella castle. It flowed perfectly and the venue was the perfect size for our 135 person wedding. Find wedding inspiration that fits your style with photos from real couples, Sit back and relax with travel info + exclusive deals for the hottest honeymoon destinations. The Branford House Mansion comfortable accommodates for parties of no more than 200 guests. Bethany & Bailey were fabulous to work with! This regal house was built in the nineteenth century in the style of the famous Newport mansions. They have a requirement that you hire UConn Catering for any alcohol, and their service is very overpriced and lacking in selection. T: (860)552.2054, The White Dress by the Shore 2023 All Rights Reserved. Should you opt to celebrate with a few more loved ones (around 100), then one room is perfect for cocktail hour and dancing while the other two comfortably seat your guest tables! Traditionally, ceremonies are held outdoors. ests inside comfortably. Alex and liane had a brisk winter day as the setting for their long awaited wedding. Katie & Steve's Beach Engagement Session at Napatree Point. Ashley and Dylan's story was held at the incredible Branford House in Groton, CT. Your email address will not be published. Oct 31, 2021. Branford House forces you to book a bar through UConn Catering. One of the best industrial venues Ive come across and its right here in our own state! A winter Branford House wedding in Groton, Connecticut. Tucked back in the woods a bit, this venue sits beside you guessed it the Silvermine River, offering a tranquil escape from your day-to-day. The house itself is relatively inexpensive but they do require you to contract UConn Bar for alcohol which can drive up the price a bit. Beautiful place, over looking the Long Island Sounds.couln't ask for a better place, not to mention the scenery is amazing. Another interesting fact is that a Cartier store now resides in Mortons former New York City mansion on Fifth Avenue. Harlakenden sat on a bluff overlooking the Connecticut River. wedding photographer, wedding photography, wedding planning, yale university, winter wedding, december bride, yale winter wedding, yale university vows, yale graduate club, yale courtyard . If your budget allows, looking into a custom frame tent that will warm guests for dancing and cocktail hour. The mansion is gorgeous inside and out and my guests were blown away. Equipped to host up to 200 guests, there are separate spaces for your cocktail hour and reception with plenty of churches or unique venues (check out the Old State House here) to host your ceremony! Branford House Wedding Tips. We had our wedding here in July, the ceremony was outside and the scenery is absolutely amazing. Claim Your Profile. In addition to many of images youve already seen throughout this post, here are some more of my favorite photos from Kristin and Robs beautiful Branford House wedding. Liane wore a gorgeous silk crepe Hayley Paige wedding gown. Oh, and dont forget to choose your caterer. From our elegant Sugar River Ballroom, to our intimate Woven Label room to our outdoor, riverside Sullivan Green, we have many spaces to create the day of your dreams. The Lake House. Some other options that couples can avail of at The Branford House Mansion include: Wedding of our dreams at the Branford House! 5.0 out of 5 rating. they're correct. The Branford House is located in Groton, Connecticut on the campus of UConn Avery Point, which rents it out for events. i don't know what i was worrying about. Instead of flowers, foliage make such a statement at a winter wedding and a hanging display is incredibly theatrical. The venue is BEAUTIFUL! Mortons architect wife, Nellie, designed the mansion, which was actually named after Branford, Connecticut. Maternity ; Newborns ; Press ; About ; Contact ; April 10, 2020. ides have mentioned. This venue does have it's challenges, as it's a broken up space and not an open ballroom type setting. This boutique hotel is equipped with a healthy list of hotel rooms ranging in all sizes and styles. Katherine was great to work with from start to finish. We were able to fit 100 guests in the main room; 10 round tables that were 5', and a 16' rectangular table as the head table. I requested one bar to be outside the entire night since I wanted to encourage people to move inside and outside of the venue throughout the night. As normal you will enjoy cocktail hour in the tasting room, overlooking the dinner scene hugged by actual walls of real wine barrels. Romantic Branford House Wedding in Groton, CT. However, the Branford House is incredibly difficult to work with, and the complaints I have are not unique to me; I've seen other brides complain of Branford House's inflexibility, and it's something that I would encourage any bride to seriously consider before booking. The property around the house was just perfect for our outdoor ceremony and all of our our pictures. Connecticut is home to a list of notable vineyards, and Chamard in Clinton is one of the best. The woodwork is incredibly intricate too, which makes for exceptional photo opportunities. THE BRANFORD HOUSE The Branford House at UConn Avery Point was built in the 19th century, modeled after the famous Newport mansions, and offers an elegant location on the Connecticut shore that creates the . Hosted on the coast at the Branford House in Groton, Connecticut, we constructed a tent on what started out as the rainiest day of the month. The reception was held at the Branford House, also in Groton. This venue has four rooms within the mansion, suitable for hosting 85- 100 guests if you were to have your cocktail hour in the grand foyer. It is not a banquet hall or standard wedding mill, you have to get your own catering/florist/planner etc. Check out my gear. The painting was stolen from the Ward family's Indianapolis, Indiana, home in the mid-1950s, and his descendants seek its return. Ashley and Dylan celebrated their beautiful wedding day at the gorgeous Brandford House in Groton, CT. decided to go for a winter wonderland wedding and, even if it was freezing cold outside (think arctic cold, to get a feel of . I think this venue truly is a hidden gem in CT and such a timeless location for a wedding. I was told that they would not allow me to book any rehearsal time at the venue until 14 days before the wedding. I do recommend calling her with most needs and then following up with an email if it is urgent and you are unable to get in touch. It would have been also good to bring some lamps, as the lighting was very poor. on the patio and lawn. The staff is very knowledgeable and was very helpful. This venue is absolutely beautiful, and the ocean-side views are amazing is you are so lucky to have the weather cooperate for you to have your wedding outdoors on the law After tons of research I stumbled upon this hidden gem in CT! The elegant manor offers plenty of room for you and some of your loved ones to stay, directly at the manor and in their Cottage House, set back in its own world so this becomes your home away from home for your full wedding weekend! ve to use the UConn liquor catering. Shooting Bridget and Thomas's weddingin the gothic Branford House Mansion was a lot of fun. Outside vendors are welcome at the Branford House, allowing you to choose the flowers, caterer, and music that best fit your vision for the day. Branford House was built in 1902 for Morton Freeman Plant, a local financier and philanthropist, as his summer home; he named it after his hometown of Branford, Connecticut. Plus, there are plenty of venues throughout Connecticut to host your day! i'm sorry but it's a castle.. built in 1901 with gigantic marble fireplaces and wood walls carved by Italian artisans. After Mortons death in 1918, the mansion passed through his children to the State of Connecticut. My husband and I almost canceled the meeting but luckily we didn't. One of our favorite parts about helping brides prepare for winter weddings is helping keep them warm and stylish! They acted as venue coordinators pretty much (Dave was AWESOME!) Its easy to want to stay cozy in any of these rooms, especially once you see the bathtubs some of them boast. I liked this idea because we could customize the wedding to fit our style and didn't have to stick with only certain approved/favored vendors. The only downside is you much use UConn catering for the bar. This awesome wedding venue is on the University of Connecticut Avery Point campus in Groton, Connecticut just minutes from Mystic and I-95. The lower level of the house is home to a catering kitchen for your vendors to use. Lord Thompson Manor is no exception as it provides its couples with multiple locations for your ceremony, cocktail hour, and dancing as the evening wears on. I loved the view of the ocean and the sunset. Hotels near Branford House include Hilton Garden Inn Mystic/Groton, Hilton Mystic, Holiday Inn Express Mystic-Groton, Mystic Marriott, and Inn at Mystic. A picturesque cocktail hour and reception meal can be held on the stone patio and adjacent grass, perfect for those who have envisioned a waterfront mansion wedding. The Avery Point Lighthouse Society Site ( AveryPointLight.Com) has pictures of the restoration of the Lighthouse. Indoor use of furniture is included, but extra and/or outdoor use of furniture costs extra. n. We were lucky and the weather was absolutely perfect! I was not disappointed having heard so many great things about this Newport mansion wedding venue. From the patio of a historic mansion, you can enjoy a panoramic ocean view, sailboats drifting past, and sparkling lawns. Lastly is the West Room, an 860-square foot rectangle with several large windows. See more ideas about branford, house, wedding. This place went with our Fairy-tale, Ocean-Side theme wedding perfectly! Branford House was originally a 31-room mansion that rivaled those found in Newport. I have only seen a few pictures from my wedding so far as it was almost only 3 weeks ago but they are amazing thanks to this beautiful property inside and out! However, they swiftly broke it down after cocktail hour. Winter may secretly be our favorite season for the perfect venue setting! The low cost of the venue allowed us to use the remainder of our budget on dressing up the venue. They do mandate that you use UConn Catering bar services, which was frustrating at times. Realistically, this venue can really only comfortably accommodate weddings up to 100 people, any more than this and it's tight and challenging. bride, CT, groom, photographer, Portraits, Tent, Tent Wedding, wedding, weddings. Branford House. The guests loved it and most importantly so did we!! We ended up using the bridal suite for many pictures, which came out so well. Ready to start the conversation about your own wedding at Branford House? Please visit my Harkness Memorial State Park Weddings Page for more information and more pictures. The Grand Ballroom and East and West Wing rooms can accommodate up to 200 guests. THE BRANFORD HOUSEGroton, CT. David Alan Hospitality Group is a preferred caterer at the Branford House. The Branford House Mansion is a stunning building that captivates attention from afar. During prime wedding season (i.e. However, I really did not have any issues with the venue itself. Although it was more expensive for our May wedding, it was well worth it for such a beautiful and memorable place. Jubilee's Top 10 Winter Wedding Venues in Connecticut! Sign up on The Knot to reach more couples and book more weddings! It provided the perfect back drop for our ceremony. Here are some more factors to consider about your potential Branford House wedding: While planning your wedding, here are some Branford House financial factors to consider: Groton, Connecticut is a great town with plenty of nearby hotels for visitors. For larger wedding events, a tent on the lawn provides a beautiful outdoor venue with great water views. We We got married outside on the back lawn of the Branford House at the Uconn Avery Point campus, with our reception to follow inside. The only minor inconvenience was the bar. If you get a good day as far as weather, which we did, it makes for the most gorgeous and relaxing wedding experience you can imagine. A quintessential winter wedding is cozy, warm (on the inside), and hopefully embraced by an enjoyable amount of snow. It poured on our wedding day, but guests loved the venue and we received so many compliments on how gorgeous it was. Interested in the equipment I use? Everything else can truly be customized at the venue making it work this minor inconvenience. So, you know the wine will never run out! Tables and chairs are provided for celebrations with up to 200 guests, while the piano is free to be used by a professional pianist. It was gorgeous and so many of our guests commented on what an amazing venue it was. I could not be happier with the venue! Apart from all the glitter, the day was a roller coaster of emotions filled with happy tears, especially for Bridgets dad (watching their father daughter dance photos brings it all to mind again). October 5, 2018 BrianAmbrosePhoto. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. g room got hot fast with only twenty people, but that being said, everyone said it was one of the most beautiful weddings they'd been to. Imagine a magical experience, enhanced by a unique ceremony and reception on the beautiful grounds of WoodWinds. We had our wedding at Branford House in May and it was absolutely beautiful! No. Embrace Fireplaces. The sun was shining and there was a light breeze floating through the air - perfect weather for a wedding down by the water! Even with all the people, your occasion will be stress-free with the attention of the trustworthy . Read on for more Branford House wedding details and photos. See more ideas about branford, wedding, house. Katherine was incredibly accommodating to our quirky needs for the ceremony and reception. We had the ceremony outside on the lawn by the water, cocktail hour on the patio, and dinner and dancing inside.