Eolia Mansion vs Branford House

ASHLEY2303

Hey girls, if anyone has some insight about either venue I would love some input.  I'm considering both of these venues, would like to know pros and cons to help make my decision.  Thanks!

calindi

I'm considering both, too.  The main issue for me is Eolia Mansion has a cap of 150 people, whereas you can have more at Branford House.

Eolia Mansion
$4,450 for 5 hour rental (vendors can start 2 hours before, and clean up 1/2 hour after)
$875 for ceremony on site

Pros:
Water view
Beautiful Gardens
Tented area
Plentiful parking
All tables & chairs included (including Chavari chairs)

Cons:
Capped at 150 guests
Has to start no earlier than 5:00pm


Branford House
$4,000 for 10 hour rental (including set-up)
$250 for a rehearsal, no additional charge for set-up

Pros:
Waterview
Lighthouse
Gorgeous mansion
Gorgeous lawn
Tables & white folding chairs included

Cons:
Have to rent tent separately if you want one (extra fee for more than 1600 sq ft tent).
Chairs are ugly - need to rent reception chairs (in my opinion)
Limited parking - we'd have a shuttle to the hotel to encourage people to stay there and keep them from driving anyway after a few drinks.
No decorations can be attached to the woodwork inside, so it limits your interior decorations.

ASHLEY2303

You can get married in the ampitheater at Eolia for no additional charge.  You do have to pay an additional rental fee for the pergola.  With Branford, I think you have to hire a cop for $500 to patrol grounds and party whereas at Eolia, the staff is there free of charge.  Still don't know what to do.

weddingfairyct

Branford House is more private Eolia Mansion can have a lot of activity around it from track meets to kite flying tounaments etc etc

calindi

Didn't know that - thanks!  I do think the Chavari chairs is a huge savings, since renting them would be around $2,000 for 160 people.  I'm just wondering if I could possibly trim my list that much.  I have 160 to be invited, and I know it's likely that 10 won't come, but I don't feel like I can count on that!  I suppose I could talk to them about it, since it's not THAT much more!

ASHLEY2303

Actually I think the police officier is for 300 or more.  I'm not sure.  I'll talk to the woman that runs the house and see what she says about that. 

That is true that Eolia is open to the public, and especially having my ceremony in the ampitheater with the picnic area near wouldn't be my ideal set up. 

timliz

Here's my imput, I am getting married at Eolia..but also looked at Branford House

Branford house is so dark, and even though both places have various rooms, I felt as though Branford House was more closed off- from one room to the next.  I also didn't like the fact that you have to drive through the whole Uconn campus, kinda ruined the wedding romantic feel for me. 

Both are open to the public.  With that said, yeah there is probably more of a chance of seeing strangers at Eolia, but people are pretty respectful..and no one is going to come up to the house, and from other weddings Ive been to/heard about they don't walk around the gardens either when there is an event.

I looked at the ampitheather for the ceremony, and if we could get married outside by a priest I would have done it there (we're having the ceremony up the road @ a church) and even though people may be at the park, that area is pretty closed off- it faces directly to the water.  If you've ever been to Water's Edge I think there, there are people around all the time- in the middle of the ceremony you have people walking by and on the beach right in front of it- THAT would bother me..it's not the same @ Harkness.

Either way, you'll pick whats right for you and have a great day, if you have any other questions you can msg me

monef

I looked at both too and eventually picked Branford House so I can give you my reasons why.

About the additional police ofiicer hire with Branford House: This is actually only necessaty if you have more than 300 guests or a tent. If you don't have either of these conditions, you don't have to worry.

On the day I went to see Eolia there were tons of people all over the place having barbeques etc and it felt like very little privacy. I preferd the privacy of Branford House for sure. On the plus side, Eolia had a much lighter feel to it and the included Chiavari chairs were lovely. I have to hire them at Branford house which is an additional $900 although since Branford House is a bit cheaper than Eolia, that cuts the fee in half. Eolia has no airconditioning which was a big no-no for me since I am getting married in July, but on the plus side it has a tent included which Branford House doesn't. It really comes down to what is most important to you.

I went with Branford House because the water views are much more dramatic (I was really looking for the New England vibe), the house is airconditioned, teh rental period is much longer and there is much more privacy.

calindi

monef, can you tell me where you got your Chavari chairs?  The prices I was seeing were closer to $7.50 per chair, which gets expensive VERY quickly!

Did they let you take the white chairs outside for a ceremony? 

ASHLEY2303

timliz, I sent you a private msg. 

Thank you everyone for your input.  This is a big help!  Hope more people give their insight....

miravita

Hi there!

I am currently trying make a final decision on Eolia mansion as the venue for both my ceremony and reception. I just went and toured the mansion last weekend. It was AMAZING even in the dead of winter. So far, this is what I have learned/observed:

1. If you are considering getting married on site at the amphitheater, which is no additional charge, it is not located immediately behind the mansion. It is a short 5 minute walk from the mansion. And although it is tucked off to the side, there are some picnic tables located on the side of the path you would take to walk down there. I guess this is something to consider, especially if having the wedding on the weekend. We are having ours on a Friday evening, with ceremony starting at 5:30pm, so I am hoping this will limit the number of people out having a picnic/hanging out.

2. The rental fee of $4450 includes the amphitheater if you choose to use it, if for 7 1/2 hours, with 5 hours being used for the reception, 2 hours of pre-reception set up and 1/2 breakdown and cleaning. If you wish to purchase additional time, it is $875 an hour. The curfew is midnight.

3. The rental includes the tent, tables and chairs, including those for the indoor dinner and outdoor cocktail tables. The outdoor chairs are white folding chairs and the indoor chairs are white chiavari chairs, and they are beautiful. No need to rent chairs or a tent, a big plus.

4. You must choose from 6 of their preferred caterers. While I have not chosen yet, most have been pretty responsive. It seems the gamut runs anywhere from $65 pp (simple buffet style) to $130 pp. Some companies are all inclusive (china, linens, open bar, etc.) and some are not. Some also provide the basic stuff, but of course, for additional fees, china, glassware, linens can be upgraded.

5. Consider your hotels. I have found very little in the way of NICE hotels in the surrounding area. There are a ton of your average basic hotel, but I want to stay somewhere very nice for my wedding. The closest I have found is the Marriott Mystic Hotel and Spa. There is also a Hyatt that looks pretty nice, but doesn't have a lot of amenities we were looking for. The Marriott has an Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa, Indoor Pool, an upscale steakhouse with louge/bar and a Starbucks inside of the hotel. It is also located immediately off 1-95.

Hope this helps! If anyone has any other info/hints/advice regarding their planning process at Eolia, I would love to hear it too, as I am still in the VERY early stages of planning myself!

kt&mike

Thought I'd jump in here - I'm getting married at Branford in September and briefly considered Eolia.  We are renting the Chivari chairs, not doing a tent (have a deposit on one in case of bad weather tho).  We are providing transportation to and from the venue to the Mystic Marriott, which really is the only full-service hotel with all the amenities in the area.  Trust me, I looked.  The Branford House staff has been great to work with, and I couldn't be more excited to get married there.  We are doing all floral decor, so not being able to attach things to the walls didn't bother me (the carved wood is so beautiful on its own!).  The separate rooms inside will work in my favor, I'm seating the older folks on the side near the office and having dancing on the side with the portico.  If the music gets too loud or annoying, there's lots of other places for guests to hang out! 

Good luck in your decision.  PS, we booked our Sept '11 wedding in April '10.  If you haven't solidified your date yet, I'd do so soon, since it seems Branford books up way way way in advance!  (We wanted a Saturday, there was only one left in summer '11 as of April '10.)

HTH

calindi

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_connecticut_eolia-mansion-vs-branford-house?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:65Discussion:90eddcc5-2c4a-4709-8827-6dcdd31c12aaPost:0ae693c0-46d2-4d91-bcd4-9fef9814cdd5">Re: Eolia Mansion vs Branford House</a>:
[QUOTE]PS, we booked our Sept '11 wedding in April '10.  If you haven't solidified your date yet, I'd do so soon, since it seems Branford books up way way way in advance!  (We wanted a Saturday, there was only one left in summer '11 as of April '10.) HTH
Posted by kt&mike[/QUOTE]

Ugh, that's what I'm afraid of!  We have a VERY tight window of time when we can get married, but I also can't get up to RI/CT to visit venues until May! 

ASHLEY2303

I think we are going with Eolia.  We made a pro/cons list of Eolia vs Branford and had more pros for Eolia.  Both venues are gorgeous so I would be happy with either.  We booked one of the last Sat. open in 2012 for Eolia...so anyone considering will probably end up with a fri or sun wedding.  I do love the ampitheater, but yes it is a walk.  I've seen pics from previous ceremonies and on a clear day with all the plants grown in it looks amazing.  I figure before and after the ceremony guests can walk around and tour the grounds while they head back to the house.

Thanks for the input girls!  You all were a major help.
 

calindi

I just emailed Katherine at Branford to see what dates they still have in September.  I'm nervous, since we don't have the luxury of pushing up or back our date (August 15-September 30th is really what we have to work with).  But we're not engaged yet, so we don't want to start putting down deposits and such!  Especially as I won't get up to look at either in person until May (by which time we'll hopefully be engaged, if not shortly thereafter).

Frustrated and nervous that I'm going to run out of time and it'll be all booked up.  I'm not opposed to a Friday wedding, but I think he'd much prefer a Saturday to make it easier for everyone to attend.

monef

calindi - I am only having 120 guests so at 7.50 per chair that comes to 900. I'm doing it through my caterer Coastal Gourmet, and yes, sthey said we were allowed to have the chairs outside for the ceremony, then they will 'flip' during the cocktail hour and set them up in the house for us.

calindi

In case anyone was wondering, Katherine of Branford House got back to me to say they still have all Saturdays in September available.  So I'm feeling very relieved!  I'll still probably have to book a date before I can get up and visit, which would be in May. 

erinkutz

did it take anyone else a long time to hear back from katherine at branford house? i emailed her last week and still haven't heard anything back. also, does anyone know of a less expensive, but still pretty alternaitve to Chiavari chairs?

calindi

I did end up booking Branford House, and I get to see it for the first time this Saturday!!!  And my guy did propose - two weeks ago, but almost a month after we booked.  We're super excited about the venue.

Katherine is the BEST, but she's not always on email.  She checks it twice a week approximately.  My Mom has her cell number, but I'd have to ask for it.  I can get it to you this Saturday if you haven't heard by then?  For what it's worth, my Mom plans events for a living and has said that she has complete faith in Katherine as our venue coordinator.  She and my father were both thrilled with Katherine when they met her a few months ago.  Yes, we booked the venue without me or my FI ever seeing it in person or meeting with Katherine.  And my parents aren't easily impressed, but they totally encouraged us to book sight-unseen after having visited themselves and met with Katherine!

And apparently they do now have "nicer" chairs to rent at $3 each, which is way cheaper than other companies.  I haven't seen them yet, but I'll take pictures for you this weekend!

katepiotrow

I know this forum is quite old, but I wanted to post on here anyways in the event that someone comes across this comparison, because I, too, was stuck between Eolia or the Branford House.

In the end, I decided to go with the Branford House, and I am completely overwhelmed and excited with this decision for the following reasons:

1. You can actually get married right up on the lawn, close to the water.  At Eolia, you have to get married at the amphitheater, which is quite rundown, or up by the gardens, which is not very close to the water.  In general, the water is MUCH closer to the Branford House than it is at Eolia.  I wanted a water-side wedding, so for me, this was personally a HUGE plus.

2. You can party/dance UNTIL midnight for no extra charge.  At Eolia, the party ends at 10pm and is $875 per extra hour up until midnight.  Additionally with the Branford House, caterers have more time to set up.  At Eolia, they are only allowed about 2 or 2 1/2 hours prior to your event.

3. At Branford, you can choose your own caterer.  We were not keen on the idea of choosing among only THREE catering options at Eolia.  Though I have heard these designated caterers are amazing, I didn't feel like I could breathe with my food options, and their menus were quite similar (except for Culinary Concerts - they looked different).

4. At the Branford, there's air conditioning.  For a summer wedding, this is a must in my book.  There is no AC in Eolia, except for the bridal suite (which definitely helps).

5. The inside of the Branford is much more ornate, there is a balcony overlooking the grand room, a baby grand piano, and the three rooms together have much more fluidity between them, whereas at Eolia, the three dining rooms were more like an L shape, or even a horseshoe shape.  At Eolia, we were struggling with where we, the bride and groom, would sit so that everyone in all three rooms could see us.  That's not a problem at the Branford House.

All in all, this decision was a no-brainer for me, but that's not to discount Eolia!  In all fairness, the gardens at the Branford House are non-existent, whereas at Eolia, there are beautiful flowers and manicured gardens.  In my opinion though, my guests were more likely to head to the cocktail hour than mosey around for 15 minutes on a hot summer day in heels through the gardens.  That's preference for me, though.  Eolia also has a more dramatic entrance, whereas the Branford House is tucked in the Uconn Groton campus, and is surrounded by other buildings.  I HAVE to say, though, once you are on the property of the Branford House, you can't see those buildings and you are completely set in a different place.  

Some don't like the fact that you have to rent a tent for Branford, whereas at Eolia, they have a tent set up for you.  However, in my opinion, the Eolia tent requires quite some decorating and planning to make it dressed up enough for a wedding.  At Branford, their stone patio serves as an excellent replacement for cocktail hour.

I'm not fully biased (I sound it, though, don't I? ) - I was actually BOOKED at Eolia, with a deposit, and switched to the Branford House for other unspoken personal dilemmas.  So, it was very difficult for me to make a switch when my vision had already been cast on Eolia's grounds for a number of months.  It's just..the Branford House is much more private, there are lighthouses in clear view everywhere, sailboats actually sail right by you - it's lovely.

With that said, Eolia is also quite breathtakingly beautiful and any bride would be more than happy to be married there! I almost did! It's all about preference, preference, preference.  What do you, the bride, want?  Is getting married by the water a huge plus, or is getting married among flowers and manicured gardens preferred?  Did you dream of a tent and don't want to spend extra money to rent one, or could you care less for a tent? Do you like ornate rooms and fireplaces, or clean and simple elegance of soft walls and soft colors?

Whatever you decide, it will be lovely.  As for me, I'm excited for my own wedding, as well!