Delaware

new to boards!!! wedding reception at winterthur!

hello everyone! we booked out wedding reception at wintthur in delaware, at the visitors center. ecstatic is putting it mildly! does anyone have any tips or advice? in your opnion or experience, did we book a good place? also, our ceremony is at 1 pm in west chester, pa. so........ anyone know of a CHEAP place (park??) that we could go to in between?

thanks knotties!

Re: new to boards!!! wedding reception at winterthur!

  • edited December 2011
    I toured Winterthur in hopes of booking it for my wedding, but wanted it outside and with a tent, mobile kitchen, mobile bathroom, flooring - everything required, it was like $10,000 just for that stuff!  Way too much money.  I didnt like the Visitor Center enough to book that, and I think that was too much too.  Catering was also more money that the catering I have booked.   I ended up finding Rockwood Park in DE which is the only place I have found that I LOVE the interior of!  But Winterthur is BEAUTIFUL!  Couldn't your guests walk around Winterthur for an hour, have cocktails in a certain spot before reception?  Also the Brandywine State Park has a pavillion near a vollyball net, beautiful fields and trails through the woods if that is something you are looking for your guests to do.  Parking is a few dollars but thats it.  There is also a small park with picinic tables, swings, and a slide in Centreville - right down the road from Winterthur.  
  • edited December 2011
    Hey there and welcome!  This board is awesome and they will help you out as quickly, thuroughly, and honestly as possible!  I suggest reading the sticky posts at the top of the board for some helpful hints!

    Tiki0318 had her wedding there this past year.  Page her for more  help!

    In terms of parks, there are several.  Valley Garden Park (I believe that's the one PP (Previous Post) was talking about) has many awesome elements to it, and there are many girls who go there for both engagement and wedding pics.

    Also, there is Gibraltar further down the road on Rt 52- you have to pay a small donation fee to use it for pictures, but depending on what time of year and time of day, that may suit your needs as well.

    PP is right, aren't the guests able to roam about the gardens at Winterthur?  I would check on that, as the gardens there are quite lovely.

    Let us know what else you are looking for (vendors, ideas, anything!), and we will help as much as possible!
  • may37may37 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I went to a wedding at the visitor center this past summer and they let everyone even tour some of the different exhibits inside. I'm not sure if they did this as a courtesy since it poured and no one could walk outside or not, but it was a neat idea! Good Luck!
    image
  • edited December 2011
    Beautiful place! I wanted to check it out, but it was out of our price range.
  • BluLilac13BluLilac13 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    everyone thank you so so much! i am looking forward to reading the articles and posting!  yep! my guests get free passes to the gardens and museums the afternoon o the reception, which will be excellent. its just a shame that the exhibits close at 530, then we will all have an hour til reception.

    so..... now its time for some planning! i will look into those parks... thank you. we just bought a car and those negotiations took alot out of us. .. but we did get a great deal!  we're ready.....

    wil be updating my profile and webiste soon. wish i had all day to wedding plan..
  • edited December 2011
    Valley Garden Park is beautiful and right down the road from Winterthur.  It's on Campbell Road, before you get to Centerville Road. 

    Congrats on your engagement and welcome to the DE board!  I'm an old married knottie now (was married on 10/11/09) and if you need any help, the DE knotties are the best!
    image
  • edited December 2011
    Hello!  I had my wedding at Winterthur this past June! I just happen to check the board and saw your post.  I can't rave enough about havinf the wedding there. We had our ceremony and drinks at the reflecting pool and then moved to the visitors center for the reception.  Would it be an option to have a drinks and apps at the pool or the patio prior to the reception?  If you have any other questions let me know!
  • BluLilac13BluLilac13 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    yes, we can use the patio outside the visitors center.... the reflecting pool costs more money though..  apparently each "venue" there costs a rental fee. ugh!! im already paying for the vis. cntr!! nicole said we could get pictures there if there is no afternoon wedding... so we'll see. would love to though.. ti would be nice if they threw me a bone (wishful thinking, i know i know.. im half kidding. ;)  )

    worried about cocktail hour if it rains. might have to rent that tent over the patio in case it rains. sorry for the 20 ?s Tiki, but can i ask you:
    - did you feel that the visitors center needed additional curtains and lighting and if you used the lighting vendor, did you feel it was worth it?

    thanks so much everyone! i am enjoying this already. i feel so glad i can come to this board and be myself and ask questions. boy, was i lost before. :)

    @ Mrs.LuraT- i heard great things about that park and i think that is a perfect place to picnic/freshen before  we get to DE reception.
  • edited December 2011
    Blu - Send me an e-mail at vsteen at gmail dot com.  I can answer whatever questions you haave there! 
  • edited December 2011
    oops I mean vsteen1011 at gmail dot com!
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