Just got engaged on Feb 1st HELP!!!!!!

deanna5776

So very excited. I live in SC but am from CT originally and we will be getting married up there. I was home this past weekend for the CT Bridal Expo thank goodness.

I fell in love with "Jock in the Box" and was wondering if anyone has used them or been to an event they have done?????

Also Russell's Photographey works witht hem and I was also wondering if anyone has used them.

Thinking about either The Society Room in Hartford, Riverview in Simsbury or a brand new place thats not going to open until a month before the wedding which scares me to death

Any opinions or suggestions would be great!!!!!

Mandafly84

Congrats and welcome!  Have you set a date?  Setting a date and estimating a budget will really help to guide the rest of your decisions.

deanna5776

Set the budget and have narrowed it down to June 2013 or Sept 2013.....slowly but surely we are getting there lol

theholograms

I know someone getting married at the Society Room, it is gorgeous - but kind of expensive.  We are actually getting married at Riverview in SImsbury.  Me and the Mr. have been to so many weddings, we knew exactly what we wanted and this was the second place we had an appointment and put down a deposit that day! I don't know if you plan on having the ceremony there as well, but their ceremony location is beautiful (which is one of the reasons we chose it).  The room is big and you are not limited to a certain amt of people (although you need at least 150).  The dance floor is beautiful with huge windows!  I also liked that the bar area was separate and not just a cart like at some wedding (we have some drinkers coming to ours You also get a coordinator to help you with some things, we are actually meeting with ours soon to go over the menu.  

If you are looking at Sept 2013, I would definitely start looking around asap since according to many people I talked to, it seems to be the most popular month in CT to get married!

(After Hours DJ does about 20 weddings a year at Riverview, and is doing ours and even did our event coordinator's wedding so worth looking into)

Good luck!

calindi

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_connecticut_just-got-engaged-on-feb-1st-help?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:65Discussion:108fac2e-73ce-4e4f-80b1-82d95f25d234Post:6638a0e0-1dd9-47ea-b968-4d72e36cd1ed">Re: Just got engaged on Feb 1st HELP!!!!!!</a>:
[QUOTE]Set the budget and have narrowed it down to June 2013 or Sept 2013.....slowly but surely we are getting there lol
Posted by deanna5776[/QUOTE]

I got engaged last April and am getting married in September.  You have PLENTY of time!  Figure out a budget, then figure out a guest list, then work from there.  I wouldn't rush into any contracts yet because you have plenty of time to get the pick of the litter (I booked until June, and only got told by one person I contacted that they were already booked for our day) and you don't want to rush into something and regret it later.

These girls have LOTS of recommendations!  I wouldn't go exclusively by what you see at bridal shows - talk to real brides who have used them, check out Wedding Wire for reviews, and like you're doing ask these ladies.  But consider others, too.  Sometimes just because something is a package doesn't mean you're getting the best deal.  It might, but it's worth it to make sure!

rswan412

Welcome & congrats! I have not heard much about jock in the box- but I ditto PP- don't go off of just bridal shows, because some of the DJs I see at bridal shows (and other vendors) are ones I hear bad things about the most.

My mom and dad went to a wedding last Friday at the Society Room. They said it was BEAUTIFUL. Their only complaint was that the acoustics were awful, they couldnt understand the DJ or people giving speeches- not sure if this is a DJ thing or a venue thing.

amymaysa

We are getting married at the Riverview in November and that is when they start their pricebreak November 1, so the numbers and prices come down a bit.
We can't wait and have had nothing but positive experiences so far.

Good luck an dlet me know if you have any questions on the Riverview.

Whtara10

Sooo exciting! Congrats! I'm not using any of those but I've heard good things about jock in the box. I've seen pictures of the society room and its gorgeous. Plus I've never heard anything bad About it. Good luck!

Christine9866

Congrats and welcome to the board! I am not using those vendors so i am no help there, but i suggest you look them up on wedding wire website. I agree with PPs. Book your venue first before even looking into other vendors. We got engaged in November and went to look at venues a couple weeks after that. We bookied and are getting married in April 2013. As for vendors we starting right after that. It was kind of like we had first pick because majority of the vendors didn't have a lot booked in 2013 at that time. I would say now is a good time to begin  start looking because  people who are getting engaged now will be either booking late 2012 or 2013 weddings. The vendors that we spoke to also said early spring is when they will really start booking for 2013. HTH! Happy Planning!

winterwendy12

We used Todd with Jock in the Box and I absolutely LOVED him.

And our guests were raving about him as well. He stayed true to our do not play list and played lots of our more "obscure" music tastes, and found the appropriate times to play them. He also played all of our special request songs (for instance, we asked that he play our bridal parties wedding songs during cocktail hour - it was a really special touch).

I was otherwise unimpressed by Russells, we went with a different photographer. Although if you go with Russells, they integrate with the DJ and will make a slideshow/toast integration, which is pretty neat (you can see some of these on Todd's facebook page).

Congrats and good luck! Enjoy it

josephwedding

Congrats! We're using Russell's photography & LOVE them. Danielle is super fun & Michelle is really helpful. 

Unfamiliar with the DJ, but I've heard decent things from reading on here. Good luck! YOu have plenty of time =] 

mwheeler420

We're using both Jock in the Box and Russell's. They do amazing work together creating the slideshow/toasts. Todd was already booked for our wedding so we met with his nephew, Josh and he has the same awesome energy that Todd has! And we LOVE Danielle!!! She is so much fun! When we met with her we felt like we were hanging out with an old friend!! Congrats and good luck! :-)

deanna5776

Thank you so much everyone!!!!!! I know i have plenty of time but I just get ideas flowing and need to get moving lol. It is all so much but so fun at the same time. Narrowed down colors, our guest lists are just about set and my girls are set in stone just waiting on his final cut lol.

I myself have been in plenty of wedding and attended even more and I dont remember a single meal...all i remeber is the fun i either had or didnt have and I want my wedding to be a party not a 4 hour long dinner....that is my main concern

I also know my budget is going mostly to photo and venue!!!!!

But I am having a ball doing this!!!!!

deanna5776

I am now stuck on

Aria in Prospect Ct...to be build and finished in may 2013....scary!!!!!

Cascade in Hamden

Riverview in Simsbury

The Society Room in Hartford

Reading through menu's and sending my mother out to each place as soon as possible!!!!!!

kls114

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_connecticut_just-got-engaged-on-feb-1st-help?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:65Discussion:108fac2e-73ce-4e4f-80b1-82d95f25d234Post:78962bfb-de28-4b35-af8f-8ca8e138acd9">Re: Just got engaged on Feb 1st HELP!!!!!!</a>:
[QUOTE]I am now stuck on Aria in Prospect Ct...to be build and finished in may 2013....scary!!!!! <strong>Cascade in Hamden</strong> Riverview in Simsbury The Society Room in Hartford Reading through menu's and sending my mother out to each place as soon as possible!!!!!!
Posted by deanna5776[/QUOTE]

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!! Cannot say enough about this venue! They are amazing to work with & made our day even more than we could of expected!

HIGHLY rec them!!!

s_hazeleyes

Aria is scary...if you pick that one you are really living on the edge! lol!

I am trying to decide between The Society Room, The Riverview and The Gershon Fox Room (right around the corner from The Society Room). The Society Room may lose bc of the prices

I've looked at them all 2 weeks ago. The Society Room is the most expensive. Their cheapest rate is $99 pp. Only 1 wedding is held there at a time, you get a tasting, bridal sute, cake included...paking may be iffy. They only designate 1 spot for every 4 guests. People would need to car pool. I think it's a bit on the small side and I am only expecting 125 guests. It's dark in there and my FI jokingly calls it a man cave!  Not your typical venue which is why I fell in love with it.

2012 Price List

Ceremony Fee: $550 1/2 hour before reception.

Deposit is $2000

Add 20% service fee + 6.35% CT sales tax to all prices!

May 1- Oct. 1

Fri.-times open- 125 p min. $119 pp   2013- $125 pp

Sat. 11am-4pm -75 p min. $99 pp

Sat. 6pm or later- 150 min.$135 pp    2013- $139 pp

Sun.-times open- 125 p min. $109 pp 2013- $115 pp

Nov 1-Dec 31/ Apr. 1-30

Fri.-times open- 100 p min. $109 pp     2013-$115 pp

Sat.-times open- 125 p min. $125 pp    

Sun.-times open- 100 p min. $99 pp

Jan 1-March 31

Fri & Sun-times open- 75 p min. $99 pp

Sat.-times open- 100 p min. $109 pp   2013-$119 pp

The Riverview is your very typical ballroom/banquet hall but it is geogeous! They have at most 3 weddings around the same time (min. 2). They say it's never a problem. They do not do a tasting which makes me hesitant. They wont give you prices over the phone bc they want to get you in there. Here is the info I got from them during my visit:

Ceremony Fees: 1/2 hour - $500

                           1 hour- $875

Deposit is $1000.

They have an East and West Ballroom. The West Ballroom has a larger dance floor but otherwise they are identical. 

Sat. evening- 150 p min. 6pm-11pm or 7pm-12am

Oct. 2012-  $120 pp + 20% + 6.35%

Nov. 2012- $100 pp + 20% + 6.35%

Dec. 2012- $90 pp + 20% + 6.35%

Sun. (non-holiday)- 100 p min. Any 5 hours

Oct. 2012- $90 pp + 20% + 6.35%

Nov. 2012- $75 pp + 20% + 6.35%

Dec. 2012- $65 pp + 20% + 6.35%******** the lowest price they offer.

I didnt ask about Fri (I think they are the same price as Sun.) and I didnt ask about summer bc I knew it was out of our price range or 2013.

The Gerson Fox Room is amazing! It is NOT typical in anyway and much more affordable than the Society Room without loosing charm! What I love about it is that you can have your ceremony, cocktail hour and reception in 3 different areas. 

The ceremony takes place in the Atrium. The cocktail hour takes place in the Mezzaanine Lounge and the reception is in the Ballroom! They give you a complementary Honeymoon Suite. Their lowest price is $75 pp nad their highest price is $125 pp. There  is parking in a private garage for your guests. The deposit is $2500. The Marriott Residence Inn is connect to their facility.

We asked about Sun. in Nov. and Dec. which are $75 pp + 20% + 6.35%.

I hope this helps! PM me if you have anymore questions!

Congrats!

s_hazeleyes

Sorry, forgot the G. Fox link http://www.marquee-ct.com/gershonRoom.html

deanna5776

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!!!!!!!!

Ksahlberg

Is the new place Farmington Gardens? If so, my photographer took some pretty good pics at that place: (<CLICKY>)
I've been to many events at The Society Room in Hartford and it is beautiful, but the girls are correct, in that the acoustics are kind of off, make sure you use a DJ that's worked at that venue if you decide to have it there.
The Riverview in Simsbury is also nice, but I've heard some kind of bad things about the food and service, but I can't say for myself.
Congrats and Good luck!

deanna5776

no the new place is Aria in Prospect....the people who were at the villa rosa are openning it

Befrench

Congrats! I have not russels photography but I know the photographer I used did an awesome wedding shoot at the society room.. You should check it out on his blog.. It's annandalephotography.com Good luck, Bree