Connecticut

Is it possible to do rustic theme at banquet hall?

Hey everyone.  I'm having some internal issues with the possible location for upcoming wedding in October.  My fiance and I are looking at Villa Bianca in Seymour this weekend.  We are looking at doing the ceremony in their chapel and the reception in The Pavilion.  My issues are that banquet style is not me.  I'm not trying to say it isn't nice or a great fit for another bride.  But I'm a Kansas girl. Country girl at heart and my ultimate would be to have ceremony in open field with all the fall trees around and then reception in barn.  Or something rustic like that.  We have a tight budget.  Around 10,000 for everything.  We have friends and family who are prof photog and cake maker so those are covered.  We are wanting to keep it small.  We only have around 80 people but we are wanting to do a sit down dinner as well but I'd like it to have a southern influence to it.  I asked bout doing a different cocktail hour than the standard with a sliders bar, mac and cheese bar, and a few soups with artisan breads and cut up veggies and dip and she said they could do that.

My question is, can i do a rustic style wedding at an Italian banquet hall?  The chapel and pavilion both have the wood ceilings and to me that says rustic.  I wouldn't have even considered if they weren't available.  I'm posting a couple pics of them here and just to cover my tush "these photos do not belong to me"  If you are the awesome photographer that photographed them "great job";)  

I am also slightly concerned bout them because I have read some mixed reviews on them.  About them having other functions going on as well and it making their service slow or unorganized.  I asked the person I spoke with when I scheduled appt bout that and she said that they had a change in workers and have resolved all those issues.  That the Pavilion is in a private area of the property and we would have our own bathrooms and bar so their will not be anyone running into other parties or confusion.  She also said the only other ceremony in the chapel is at 11.  I'm planning on doing ours at 3.  But she did say their are 2 other weddings and a sweet 16 that nite as well...

Another question:), am I crazy for having my reception in an open pavilion/pergola in middle October?  It has dropped down vinyl sides with windows like the tents that you can rent have.  and she said they have outdoor heaters that they bring out as well if it gets chilly.  Do you think it'll still be to cold?  Anyone been to a wedding in a tent in mid October in Connecticut?  How was it?  Freezing?

Hoping to run into someone that can ease my mind.  I think it would be a nice place if I could maybe put my personal touch in it.  Would like to to a small photobooth with an app that I have on my ipad mini called wedding booth and a small personal printer that hooks up to it.  But wondering if that is possible in the space.  Would like to bring in handmade desserts for dessert table with little pies, cake pops, yummy cinnamon rolls, and a smores bar.  But not sure if that is possible.  We looked at Tarrywile mansion and thought that was the place till we saw the inside.  Rooms are just too choppy and can't see renting a tent for additional money but still paying for mansion.  The grounds are beautiful and I've thought about doing ceremony there and reception at villa bianca.  We live in stratford and at boothe park they have a large house that has 2 rooms available for rent.  Very inexpensive and thought that maybe I could have draping company come in and drape ceiling and walls to make it look cool but the ceilings are too low for that and each floor only hold 70 peole seated and no room for dance floor.  Anyone know of any parks that have something like that?  That may look outdated but could be transformed with draping and staging?  

Sorry for the long post.  Lots of questions.  Any help would be great.

Thanks Ladies

Re: Is it possible to do rustic theme at banquet hall?

  • Forgot to post these of space we are looking at Villa Bianca
  • I am not sure where you are located but the Webb Barn in Wethersfield is a great rustic venue. You rent the facility and hire your own caterer, this can keep the cost down. You can also decorate and bring in your own food 
  • I went to a wedding a year or two ago in the Pavillion, and it was beautiful. I think you can definitely have a rustic themed wedding in that space! The wood makes is feel rustic already, and you are basically outside, even with the sides down. Have you thought about a BBQ menu? That is what we had and it definitely went with our rustic vibe. Then add some mason jars and burlap and you have yourself a pretty rustic wedding!
  • I did check out Webb Barn.  Pretty much my ultimate wedding but it was way out of our budget.  Thanks for reassurance Corkey450.  We are doing southern style cocktail hour but still debating what to ask for on dinner menu at our meeting on Saturday.  She said they could do pretty much anything.  I like alot of the seclections from Webb Barns Autumn Menu they have listed on their website.  Might see if they would be up for that.  So when you went to the Pavilion wedding, what time of year was it?  Were there any issues? Did the bride do her own theme? Thanks for reply!  I love this site:))
  • Corkey is that profile pic from you wedding?  It is GORGEOUS!!
  • I wish! It was a photo I found before we got married, but I did have a similar looking ceremony at the Webb Barn. We served pulled pork and BBQ chicken with mac n' cheese, cornbread, and family style sides at our wedding. The guests really liked it! 

    The wedding I went to was in the summer, so they were concerned with thunderstorms, rain, and the heat. The day ended up being perfect, but by the evening it was a bit cool and they put the sides down, which was fine. I liked that they were clear, so it didn't feel closed in. 

    The wedding was great, the dance floor was awesome because all of the guests could see it from their "spokes" off of it. Does that make sense, because you know the layout? I don't think the bride had a theme... but I remember green and blue colors. haha. Goes to show how far all the hard work goes brides put in! All I remember is the food was good, we danced a lot, and there was blue and green. 

    Hope this helps!
  • I think so. I went to a wedding at the pavilion last June and they pulled off a rustic theme. It's all in the decorations (centerpieces, etc.) 
  • It looks pretty duable there.  Did you look at Grassy Hill Lodge in Derby?  It's pretty affordable and definitely rustic looking inside.

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  • I would look into The Pavilion on Crystal Lake, that's where I am getting married. They include pretty much everything and its beautiful and rustic (I am also having a rustic wedding), and sits on a lake. It's very affordable and you can probably find a better deal than I did because of your time of year.
  • This is just my opinion but I have heard it from some of my customers- the food at Villa Bianca is not good!
  • Did you look at Wickham Park?  That is where I got married and we got married May 1st.  It was cool once the sun went down but they have heaters.  There is a catering company out of MA (Log Rolling/Delaney House) that does packages with them and they are pretty reasonable and the food was EXCELLENT.  Also if you do a late season wedding like that the prices are usually lower, especially if you do a Sunday.  We had a super rustic, tree and flower themed wedding.
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  • If you are looking to do a rustic themed wedding on a tight budget check out Capellaro's Grove in Bethel, CT- specifically their Garden Room. They are quite inexpensive as it is, but I am definite that they will work with any budget. This was the first place we went to see and the people there were great, and we know they would have let us be as creative as we wanted there. (The second place we went to see was Villa Biance and we did not care for it at all, we felt like they were a wedding factory. We went with the beach wedding at Anthony's Oceanview and it was beautiful- but it was between that, or the rustic wedding at Capellaro's Grove- and Bethel was just too far for us.) Definitelly check them out- ill bet they could be what you are lookin for!
  • you want a barn wedding go to http://www.mycountrywedding.com/ wood acre farm in terryville its a unique country wedding venue. they can fit up to 150 people and you bring in your own food dj etc you rent the grounds from them.  the photo ops for this place are amazing wrap around porch large grounds amazing place i wanted to book with them but after going over finances we ended up with an italian banquet hall beacuse they included dj cake and centerpeices with my package.



  • also are you doing white western boots under your dress? i am doing them for my reception shoes but having a hard time finding some a few western stores i went to didnt have them. 

     i am also a country girl at heart and going to combine country line dancing at my wedding have the dj play a few songs 
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