We are so happy we attended the open house because we fell in love with the venue immediately. ion to detail ended up with a perfect day and incredible reception. They have Christmas lights wrapped around the beams on the ceiling and I loved the huge fireplace. The park setting with a fountain in the pond creates the perfect backdrop for your ceremony. I also didn't like the fact that the contract said the menu could change and the prices could go up later. This lovely day at the end of September was the perfect . We had the ceremony in front of the fireplace, so we flowed seamlessly from ceremony to the reception, which was very convenient. Diana was even there on our wedding day to ensure things went smoothly as well. !The Pond House wedding planner did a great job during the planning phases and the day of the wedding. Denise, a manager, was unsympathetic and didn't't care that I,her 68year old mother confirmed her age. We opted for the brunch wedding which was a perfect compliment to our small ceremony in the Rose Garden in Elizabeth Park. It was beautiful, reasonably priced, and the food was excellent, one of the best meals I've had in my life. The food was delicious and the venue-appointed cake vendor was lovely and the cake was perfect! Offering creative cuisine with a focus on fresh and local ingredients. nie was so helpful and thoughtful, and ensured that everything went as planned. The planner was not as available as I would have liked. Weve recommended the Pond House to our friends and are glad to recommend it publicly. We are so happy and recommend you to celebrate your wedding here too. It's hard to pass the reigns to someone else when you've been planning for almost three years, but I am so happy to have had the staff at the Pond House there to help my vision come to life. Leah and Kevin are absolute angels, and the love they have for one another was the sweetest thing to capture :). We were able to try apps and the cakes at 1 event. The decor was beautiful, the food was phenomenal and not your typical wedding food. My decorations were MINIMAL because of how spectacular the space already is and how much dcor is already on-site. (Thanks, El!!) Anything we asked for was immediately taken care of. Everything we needed to know was explained carefully and thoughtfully, and our day went off without a hitch. Pond House Caf - Elizabeth Park Due to covid-19, we ended up postponing our wedding twice! The costs for each bar options are as follows: Top Shelf Open Bar - $44.27; Classic Open Bar - $33.86 . I highly recommend searching for a "one-stop shop" to host your wedding. Its not quite the same without having you there in the room while we are answering your questions but hopes this will help until we are able to start hosting tours again on 4/25. d plan our event. The park setting with a fountain in the pond creates the perfect backdrop for your ceremony. You choose from two bakeries for your cake - we used Cakes by Donna. CHECK PRICING & AVAILABILITY Our guest raved about how beautiful everything was and how great the food was! The chef went above and beyond in creating little masterpieces. The Pond House hosted both our ceremony and reception, and it was the most wonderful experience. We 100% recommend the pond house for any of your events!! signature blended beef, buttery brioche bun, lettuce, tomato, and crispy onion strings. (Suggestion: do the plates dinners!). Our on-site ceremony location is on our terrace overlooking the pond. Excellent Food and Very Good Service!! - Pond House Cafe - Tripadvisor The food was excellent - we chose the buffet and were really happy with that decision. They said we can have it back if we spend a minimum of $6000 with them in the next 12 months which is absolutely ludicrous. Loved it, everything was so romantic;This place was wonderful, they were accomidating, it was so romantic. My guests shared that they felt the same way, longing for leftovers and future visits to Pond House to foray further into the cuisine, so I cant be far off. A beautiful space for a cocktail hour, ceremony, or pictures, this location can help a wedding vision come to life. She told me that I better book the place before even seeing it or else I'd los We had our wedding at the Pond House in late August. Every purchase at the Pond House supports the Elizabeth Park Conservancy and our beautiful park. Centerpieces & Decor Dances & Fun Fall Weddings On-Site Ceremonies Receptions Terrace Weddings Book A Tour Submit an Inquiry CONTACT US 1555 Asylum Avenue West Hartford, CT 06117 Phone: 860.231.8823 cafe@pondhousecafe.com CLICK HERE FOR CURRENT HOURS DIRECTIONS care of. 1,026 Followers, 447 Following, 63 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Pond House Weddings (@pondhouseweddings) The outdoor patio was amazing and was great extra space for an August night. From tasty hors doeuvre trays to ornate buffet tables and spectacular plated meals, the cuisine here is sure to impress. ssured that all went smoothly on the big day. The Pond House Cafe Wedding Photos - pjsphotography Totally recommend!! Tremendous thanks to all of the staff at the Pond House! After visiting the gardens surrounding the venue and finding out we could hold the ceremony in the park (done via the City of Hartford) I was sold! It was a beautiful and perfect day. She was fabulous! We have had the pleasure of hosting weddings for 21 years and have never experienced anything as devastating as this pandemic. I just knew she understood my vision and would make the room beautiful! A service charge of around 20% is also applied. From the very first inquiry they were super friendly and helpful, sharing their experience and expertise every step of the way. We had Susan as our coordinator and we loved her. The dramatic floor to ceiling windows, along with twinkling Christmas lights, a fireplace and seasonal decorations were exactly what we were looking for for our theme of "rustic elegance." A Winter Wedding at the Little Duck Pond Cafe - Goodreads Average base cost for an Equinox wedding is calculated by figuring a 90-person guest list for a Saturday ceremony and reception in the Pond Pavillion in June using $160/pp for food/beverage. They have theme nights now on Tuesdays, offering specific cuisines. The Pond House - West Hartford, CT - Party Venue The pond house was amazing! Thanks, Andrea! The staff was great initially but as we became closer to Susan at the Pond House was amazing. It was the perfect day for a Pond House wedding! sioned a fall theme, and the rustic ceiling with twinkle lights and the gorgeous florals created that feeling effortlessly. We wish all of our weddings that have chosen to not reschedule all the happiness in the world as they begin their lives together. Let's cut the wedding cake. k!). Every purchase at the Pond House supports the Elizabeth Park Conservancy and our beautiful park. The staff was calm, kind, and accommodating. The chef does a fantastic job with unique but very tasty creations. We just had our wedding in Jan 2022 in the hight of the omicron wave of COVID. Their info on their website says they can accommodate up to 200, but it would be extremely cramped. Pros: My guests said great things about the food! Excellent food, friendly staff (coordinator, bartenders and wait staff). The venue is simple, beautiful and elegant, and the food was really good. Leah + Kevin Wedding Hillary L Photography I chose the Pond House because when we walked into the banquet area, it looked just like a barn to me. Our reception was gorgeous, not only by our standards but also our guests. Today we present to you our new Pond Cafe project. The setting is gorgeous, and the food is outstanding. Their team puts a lot of time and money to replace the window sill flower boxes, swap out dcor for the buffet table etc depending on the time of year, even the outside of the venue gets decorated. 2022 Pricing: The ceremony fee is $1500 on Saturday evenings and $1000 all other times. The service was great! on with Pond House concerning the issues and fear COVID-19 was causing our family. They decorate the venue for each season, but you can easily add more to give it a personalized feel. We also had a great time at the food tasting. 5,500. Click here to make your reservation on OpenTable. I do have to admit that the venue is very beautiful, but the staff is lacking. I saw under age guests that never went to the bar drinking. The venue, the FOOD, the staff, everyone and everything was perfection! It exceeded all of our expectations. (Donna's cakes are to die for!- See that review as well!) The only thing that I'd suggest is sticking with a guest list no bigger than 130 if you decide on this venue. She listened with care and answered my hundreds of questions quickly. Step outside the side entrance of the Garden Room onto our private terrace overlooking the pond and the park! POND HOUSE CAFE - 467 Photos & 282 Reviews - Yelp We also had the chicken coq a vin (wonderful), salmon (amazing) and the vegetarian spinach and ricotta gnocchi (scrumptious). Friday - 125 minimum guests - $120++ pp. We set our first appointment for the walkthrough with Diana. They will see to every detail the day of the event from arranging the placecards and lighting candles to placing favors at each place setting. Please inquire for more details! so beautiful so you don't need a lot of decorations, and it really stands out against the typical hotel ballroom aesthetic that is so common. Nestled on the pond in historic Elizabeth Park the Pond House is surrounded by gardens & offers four seasons of charm with a menu to match. The Garden Room hall can hold 200 people for parties, weddings, and fundraisers. Well, his last name was Pond and his wifes name was Elizabeth. There were so many tears throughout the day, along with so much laughter! Highly recommend looking at this venue. In the end, there were no major errors and the wedding day was a success. She also took the time to sit down and review the menu and to go over any food allergies or diet restrictions any of our guests had and offered alternate solutions for them which was great. Click here to make your reservation on OpenTable. My husband had the short rib and he said it was delicious. We definitely recommend the braised short rib! Jamie & Colin's Intimate Wedding Ceremony at the Pond House Cafe If you want to find out how to stay on budget, take a look at our other articles for some of our top wedding saving tips. Pond House Cafe: Great dining experience - See 259 traveller reviews, 105 candid photos, and great deals for West Hartford, CT, at Tripadvisor. Everyone was so accommodating even until the moment we exited the building at the end of the night. Changed seasonally we offer eclectic comfort food that reflects the down to earth but playful spirit of our staff. They assign you a coordinator 6 months before wedding date which is really helpful in making sure you don't forget or overlook things. Oast House shop filled with gifts, homeware, toys, plants and local artisan products. Essex Station - The only wedding venue in the country that offers a The pond house was the first venue that my husband and I looked at. Our photographer was able to have bridal parties and people "practicing" in the park by announcing our permit time and inquiring to see theirs. Highly recommend for a wedding in any season. d so many compliments from our guests about their meals. My only complaint is that it is over! Second-hand bookshop stocked with pre-loved books. WEDDINGS | 1754 House She was so patient as I changed my final count and tweaked food choices what felt like a billion times in the weeks before the wedding. It is set among Elizabeth Park overlooking a pond. bride, CT, groom, photographer, Pond House Cafe, Portraits, rustic wedding, wedding, weddings. The factor that really made our wedding planning smooth and painless was our coordinator, Nicole. gifted to the City of Hartford by a wealthy banker in 1894, oldest city-owned rose garden in the country, his last name was Pond and his wifes name was Elizabeth, Courtyard by Marriott Hartford Farmington, Candlewood Inn Weddings | CT Lakeside Wedding Bliss, New Haven Banquet Hall Wedding | Elisabetta and Warren, The Towers Narragansett | Historic Waterside RI Wedding Venue, Indoor/outdoor ceremonies, flower garden, pond, banquet hall. For more information and to contact our sales department at www.pondhousecafe.com! We can set up 30 chairs in front of the fireplace for immediate family and any older guests with all other guests gathered around. A Pond House Wedding Coordinator will guide you through planning your entire reception and will be there to answer all your questions along the way. It was the only venue my husband and I looked at, because when we walked in, we knew right away it was the one. The food on the wedding day was perfect and we have had a lot of compliments - one of family members said it was the best wedding food she had ever had. Pond House Cafe 1555 Asylum Ave, West Hartford, CT 06117-2804 +1 860-231-8823 Website E-mail Improve this listing Ranked #15 of 193 Restaurants in West Hartford 259 Reviews Price range: $14 - $35 Cuisines: American, International More restaurant details CTFireman Connecticut 25 25 Reviewed January 22, 2020 Fantastic Wedding Venue! Get Our Wedding Planner App On Your Mobile Device. YAAY! It was surprisingly affordable and we were thrilled with the '"flow" of the entire day. Susan was so accomodating with everything! Our wedding was at the end of June, when the roses in Elizabeth Park are in full bloom which made for the most amazing pictures! The gazebo leads right onto the brick walkway used for the ceremony. The venue itself is GORGEOUS. Theyre extremely knowledgeable, professional, dedicated and you can tell they want your wedding to go as smoothly as you do. Monday - Thursday - 506. History of Elizabeth Park and Pond House Caf. I would highly recommend this venue to anyone looking for a rustic, intimate experience in the CT area! Venue itself is bea Getting married at The Pond House was a romantic dream. We want to answer some of the most common questions we are asked when we are giving our personalized wedding tours. They can even include your wedding cake. We got so many compliments and questions about how we found such a beautiful venue. Because the details had changed so often due to lack of communication the total bill for the wedding wasn't "as planned" so it tuned out that we still owed around $200 the night of our wedding. It was just turned into all five-hour options.) They also valued keeping our guests and their employees safe, which was important to us. They have theme nights now on Tuesdays, offering specific cuisines. Supplied with an in-house wedding coordinator, couples hosting at Pond House Cafe will have the guidance they need from day one. Conveniently, your booking includes pretty much everything for the reception, from furniture to linens to a mac and cheese bar after dinner. It was purely magical!! On the day of our wedding, which was a morning wedding, all of our guests complimented us on how amazing the food was and how incredible the grounds were. Our coordinator, Brittany, hel We are thrilled with our wedding at Pond House! Your chosen venue will advise you of their fees separately. A garden ceremony-only wedding is available and will cost $600 for up to 50 people. This also prevented my photographers from getting into the room and taking pictures prior to the guests arrival. These minimums change based on the month, day and time of day of the event. Since I have Celiac Disease I had to keep asking if things were gluten free, but they came back to me with the answers so quickly. have to add much for decorations. Its very romantic. The pictures of this venue speaks for itself -absolutely stunning. KARA & DEVON Services The only wedding venue in the country that offers a steam train to boat connection Discover Our expert in-house team of wedding coordinators is available to help you plan the perfect day. The pond house was a little more pricey than we set out to spend, but the excellent food, the service, beautiful setting, and the peace of mind was worth it. The food was also top notch. If you want to be treated like absolute royalty and have an amazing event go with the Pond House Cafe! Sitting right on the Hartford West Hartford line is the popular Elizabeth Park. When you inquire with the venue, theyll talk to you about the minimum Pond House Caf wedding cost based on food and beverage. Our field stone fireplace creates the perfect backdrop for your late fall and winter weddings. The damage was done. Leslie and Diana didn't stop moving the entire evening, ensuring all of our needs and guest needs were met. utiful so you really don't need much in terms of decor. What an amazing experience! Served with a small house salad. Even though I love eating in the cafe, I wouldn't recommend this venue for a wedding, unless they add more staff. In other words, there is no minimum guest count, but a minimum spend on in-house catering (the venue is a restaurant, after all). EVERYONE at my wedding said that it was the best wedding they'd been to, and I think in addition to my DJ (Aaron Topfer, USE HIM) - this venue was the reason. Molly and Mike - The Pond House Cafe - West Hartford CT Wedding The food was delicious - all of our guests complimented us and said that it was the best wedding meal they've ever had. We did have another coordinator that was hard to get a hold of and not as easy to work with, but once Maxine stepped in, I was at ease! She was very knowledgable and answered all of my questions and concerns very promptly! Nothing got past her. Pangdean Old Barn Wedding venue | Bridebook 8 oz. 80. My only complaint is that the sirloin did not live up to the other meals. Here is a peek at their garden wedding at Elizabeth Park and the Pond House Cafe in West Hartford, CT. It was beautifully decorated for the Christmas season, the fire was blazing in the fire place, the food was SPECTACULAR! After my daughter returned this woman couldn't stop offering her wine. Other than that unfortunately theres not much more I can say about this venue in a positive way. Our couples get ready at home or the hotel and then come to us for the ceremony. Ceremony: Elizabeth Park, West Hartford CT. cafe@pondhousecafe.com. Another thing to note is that its possible to have a wedding in Elizabeth Park without booking the Caf. Enter dates to see prices. Our guests were very impressed with the beautiful grounds, the room and especially blown away by the delicious food. She even came out the day of the wedding to make sure I was happy with all of the food. band and I only had to provide centerpieces. We had our wedding ceremony and cocktail hour on the beautiful patio, which was breathtaking. We got tons of compliments from family members and friends about the Pond House and are so happy with our choice! ives great advise, is open to suggestions and is always on top of everything. Although Susan was now my main contact, Diana was still always available and willing to help with whatever I needed. Naturally then, you may want to look into accommodations nearby for the two of your and all of your guests. We had the best time, and our guests are still reaching out to us to say that they did too! Pond House Cafe Restaurant - West Hartford, CT | OpenTable We put a deposit down that day and quickly viewed about 8 other venues in 1 week and none of them compared. Everyone was talking about the appetizers and the meal. Our coordinator Beth was also amazing and kept the flow of the wedding organic but also asked the groom and I for our input throughout the night. Wow! When you reserve the Pond House for your special day you become part of the Pond House family and we will look forward to your amazing celebration! Food platings and some menu items were changed without notification when compared to the initial tasting presentation 3. We initially wanted the rustic barn style wedding, but after researching more, I realized we needed something a bit more hands off. There are so many great menu options that allow you to break the mold of traditional wedding food. iling windows along two walls, and there is so much decor already, that all you really need are centerpieces. es. The Pond House Cafe- stylish, fun & playful. She is so knowledgeable and gave us so much valuable advice. The Pond House Cafe | Elizabeth Park, Hartford | Weddings | Banquet Below you'll find a complete wedding budget breakdown, based on the average total costs of UK wedding suppliers. Absolutely loved the pond house! #itsLowetime perfect Keith & Deana Lowe. The cafe itself looks quite casual from the outside but the venue room is gorgeous. The windows are from floor to ceiling, the exposed beams have small twinkle lights that add a romantic feel and along with window tea lights that are on for the whole reception. The Pond House Caf opened as a public restaurant and banquet center in 1998. Unfortunately, we didnt get to eat too much. Most other venues that JUST do weddings and functions did not allow you to try the food at all until you were booked and had forked over a substantial amount of money, which made me uncomfortable.