Hoping this information can help other brides. We were married 11/14/14 at the Inn at Middletown and everything was wonderful! I do not have pictures back yet from our photographer so I am going to hold off on that review for now.
Ceremony and Reception: Inn at Middletown, Middletown CT. A+++. Our sales manager Katelin was top-notch. She quickly answered all of my e-mails and all we had to do was drop off all of our stuff (favors, table numbers, etc.) at our final walk-through and she and her team handled everything else. The venue itself is beautiful and everyone we encountered there was friendly and happy to help us. Danielle the banquet manager also deserves a shout-out. She was incredible and kept the event moving smoothly. The pricing was also very reasonable and we all had a TON of great food. Our guests partied the night away after the reception at the bar downstairs. I can't say enough great things about the Inn and the staff.
Officiant: Drew Cucuzza, Justice of the Peace, A+++. Drew was super attentive and very helpful in making our ceremony perfect for us (we wanted it short and sweet and to exchange some brief personal vows and he was happy to put that together). He answered e-mails promptly and I highly recommend him to anyone needing an officiant.
DJ: Hollywood Enterprises, A+++. Angelo and his team were great. They had our guests (including my 86 year old grandfather who uses a cane and my mother who had a broken foot) out on the dance floor all night long. The dance floor was never empty and the music was always appropriate and never cheesy. His announcements and commentary were great in keeping the event flowing and keeping guests involved. It was so fun to come home from our honeymoon and see that his team had taken some great photos and videos of the reception. It was a really nice unexpected treat and we appreciate it. Angelo and his team were easy to work with, enthusiastic, and nothing we asked for was ever a problem or a challenge. When our ceremony ran way shorter than expected he was right on top of it with the recessional music because Angelo and his team are always on their game. Highly recommend (and the pricing is almost too good to be true!).
Hair and Makeup, L'Elegance Salon in Hamden. A+++. I was originally going to DIY hair and makeup and decided 3 weeks before the wedding to let someone else deal with it. Trisha and the team at L'Elegance didn't try to force me into a trial (that I didn't have time for), and they were so excited when I asked if they could get myself, my mother, and 2 bridesmaids in for the wedding on such short notice. They accommodated us and made it such a fun morning for all of us. We looked fantastic- my hair and makeup held up all night with zero retouching. I love, love, love this salon and now they are my go-to for all services.
Cake, Sweet Harmony, Middletown. A+++. By far the BEST wedding cake I have ever tasted. Guests came up to us to say the same. We had a simple white cake with buttercream frosting and a layer of chocolate ganache. I am still thinking about it over a week later. Sweet Harmony's cake was included with our package at the venue. They were helpful and we met with Tran the baker who promised if we could dream it, she could bake it. Cake wasn't a hugely important decision to us, so I showed her one or two pictures and she said "okay so you want dots." That was good enough for us and we didn't give it another thought until the cake arrived. We were having pictures as they walked in to deliver the cake and it was so perfect I actually gasped. It was simple, with dots, and exactly what I imagined. Tran and the Sweet Harmony Bakery might just have a magic crystal ball.