Local Reviews (LONG): The Pelham House, Casual Gourmet, Shoreshotz, Trolleys by Tes, Gina Joubert, B

GBroc22 · July 2011

2011 Reviews
We had our wedding at the end of June, and we couldn’t be happier with the way things turned out! The reviews on The Knot helped me a lot with my planning, so I hope these help other brides out there. We have a mixture of CT and MA vendors (and some that are willing to travel), so I’ve posted on both boards. If you have any questions about any of these, or would like to see pictures, I’d be happy to give you more info (gina1035@hotmail.com).

Venue: The Pelham House, Grade A
We loved the Pelham from the second we saw it, but it was completely booked for the summer we wanted to get married. We had the idea to do a Sunday wedding, and although they had never done that before…they were willing to give it a try! The cost of the grounds is not cheap, and you still have to bring in your own tent/caterer/chairs/tables/etc. They provide the bar, and there are a number of options for what to have available. We were able to use glassware (through our caterer), although The Pelham prefers not to. The bartenders and staff there were very nice and friendly. One side note, if I had known, I would have asked that cans of beer were poured into glasses, rather than given out. The planning process had a few blips (i.e. guests being charged more than quoted, and room confusion between our wedding guests and the day before’s). We were also able to have a beach bonfire after on their private beach, and breakfast the next morning. Neither was extravagant, but definitely added to our celebration. We were very pleased with The Pelham overall.

Caterer: The Casual Gourmet, Grade B+
At first glance, this grade seems harsh, but I think because the cost of the caterer was so expensive, we were more disappointed with the small glitches than we might have been if we hadn’t had a premium priced caterer. For the most part, the food was excellent, and the cake was delicious and absolutely beautiful. They also did a wonderful job of putting together our creative add-ons on site (ie. centerpieces, favor table, table runners, etc.). Our grade slipped for them for a few reasons. We did hear that a number of plates had raw potatoes served on them. We also were disappointed that after asking for the cake to be served, then the extra pieces be put on a buffet, we didn’t see the cake being served. They were quick to respond by serving some…but I still heard many guests say they didn’t know cake was out, and they never got a piece. We're probably nick-picking here, but we didn’t get any special service as the bride and groom. I’ve seen many weddings where the bride and groom are brought appetizers while they take their formals and miss cocktail hour, but this wasn’t the case. Also, when we sat down for our toast…our toasting flutes were set out, but empty. I had to discreetly hand my class to my cousin to fill it with something from the bar. We didn’t get to eat our meals (no fault of theirs!), but when we asked to have our meals wrapped, they were surprised. At many of our family members’ weddings, not only did the bride and groom take “doggy bags” back to their room with dinner, but they also had the extra cake boxed and sent back. We didn’t see a slice, and assume there must’ve been some because so many guests mentioned they didn’t get any.

Tent/Rentals: Undercover Tent, Grade A-
The tent, tables, lanterns, and dance floor were beautiful, and people raved all night about how great it all looked. One thing that lowered this grade a touch, was that we were never consulted as to whether we wanted the sides of the tent up or down. It wasn’t raining during our day, so it could’ve gone either way. The sides were mostly up, but during the night it got incredibly hot. We wished we could’ve taken some off. Other than this, they were very nice to work with.

Band: Boston Common, Grade A+
We can’t say enough about this band!! They were reasonably priced, included a DJ (DJ Josh Boogz was awesome!), and also provided cocktail hour music. We had some fun/creative requests, and they were so accommodating.

Photographer: Shoreshotz, Grade A+
We had Amanda from Shoreshotz at our wedding, and we couldn't be happier. She spent so much time with us at our engagement shoot, and was so creative and fun, we knew we'd made the right decision. Throughout the plannign process, she was always readily available via email or facebook, or even a phone call. She touched base even when I didn't, which really calmed my nerves. On the day of the wedding, Amanda was so confident, and in charge. I was able to go to her for anything, even trying to pull up the tent sides because people were sweating too much on the dance floor! She was more like a friend as we worked to get all the pictures I'd hoped for! I cannot say enough great things about her, and her work!

Videographer: McElroy Films, Grade A?
We haven’t seen our video yet, but dealing with them was exceptional and painless! They were so easy to email, and had a thorough wedding form that allowed us to make music selections and choices. They came with 2 videographers, both of who were so sweet, quiet, and very unobtrusive. We can’t wait to see the video.

Transportation: Trolleys By Tes, Grade A
Tes was great, so easy to work with, and her trolley is clean and pretty

She showed up on time, and even helped catch my cockapoo when she ran after the trolley and jumped on board! She let the dog stay on for pictures, and was so sweet and reassuring. She even came off of the trolley and helped me fluff my train seconds before I walked down the aisle. The only thing that kept this from an A+ was that the best man had to help give her directions to our photo site, something I would have thought she would have gotten prior. Other than that, this was a no brainer! She’s awesome!

Hair: Gina Joubert, Grade A+
Gina was amazing! She works in MA, and travels to your location. She did such a great job on all of my bridesmaids and me. She was so sweet, and fun to have around during the morning of. She’s very patient, and her work is excellent. Even after a full 12 hours of Cape Cod wind, fog, and a bonfire on the beach, my hair was still intact! J
Make Up: Ivette Wellman, Grade A+
Ivette is a CT makeup artist, who traveled to us to do our makeup. She did my sister’s wedding 4 years ago, and even after all that time, I still remembered how beautiful she made me feel. She is so patient, and does both airbrush and traditional makeup. Her work is beautiful, and again…it lasted! (12 hours, wind, fog, and a beach bonfire, and I was still loving how it looked!).

Flowers: Flowers By Fancy, A+
Meredith was so easy to work with, and her flowers were beautiful. She quoted us the most affordable of all the flower vendors we contacted, and the bouquets were huge! She was very mindful of our budget, and steered us to the most affordable options. She had multiple meetings with us, and we never felt like we were rushed or pushed into anything. She was great, and her husband is super-nice as well! I can’t say enough good things!

Dress: Mariella’s Attic, Grade A-
I got my designer dress at Mariella’s Attic in CT. It was a less than ¼ of what it would cost retail. The alterations that were done through Mariella’s real store were what kept this A+ dress at an A- score. The alterations must be done during their “off season” which kept me worried about gaining or losing weight during the 3 months that it was sitting in my basement. Also, the alterations seemed a bit pricey (nearly matching the cost of the actual dress). Despite this, I was very happy with it!

Shoes: NoraKaren on Etsy, Grade A
I got my shoes on Etsy, and they were so unique and special. I had them hand painted with my husband and my names, and our wedding date. We also had seashells on them to go with our theme! I loved how they came out. The only thing that surprised me was that the shoes were actually from David’s Bridal. When I saw this, I questioned the price a bit (seemed a little steep for dying and painting), but again…I loved them!

Cake Topper: Enchanted You on Etsy, Grade A
We got a custom cake topper on Etsy, and I loved it! We gave pictures and details of our wedding, and it turned out exactly how I wanted it…we had us, with our pup, and some extra details that were special to us. The only thing that kept this A from an A+, is that it took a very long time to come. This was ok, because I ordered it early; but it was delayed a few weeks past the date that was given to us. Again, totally ok because the wait was worth it!

Honeymoon: The Crane in Barbados, Grade A-
We had an amazing time on our honeymoon, and took excursions to a local fish fry, horseback riding, and an amazing restaurant (The Cliff). The reason I give it an A-, instead of an A+ is because we’re staying at a 5 star resort, which in the United States would not probably meet this standard. The restaurants are great, the beach and pool areas are beautiful, and our room is amazing…2 bathrooms, fine wood and marble, Jacuzzi tub, etc…the downsides are that the air conditioning doesn’t work, the breakfast buffet is served in a small, hot room (which leads me to question the freshness), and the amenities on the resort (market, gym, spa) are very small and not what I would expect at such a large resort. Once we settled into this more island feel, we’ve really fallen for this honeymoon spot. It’s the perfect place to unwind and just enjoy each other!

lewisc2002 · July 2011

Thanks for such honest reviews! i really liked that you took the time to explain why you downgraded some vendors.

awebber1234 · March 2012

How far in advance did you have to book The Pelham House? I am looking for places to get married on the Cape in the Summer of 2013 and wondering when I need to make a decision....

jenniferd8 · July 2012

THANK YOU! I am getting married at the Pelham House in Sept 2013 and this review was very helpful! Any other inside scoops about the place, please let me know! Thanks again.

Local Reviews (LONG): The Pelham House, Casual Gourmet, Shoreshotz, Trolleys by Tes, Gina Joubert, B

Re: Local Reviews (LONG): The Pelham House, Casual Gourmet, Shoreshotz, Trolleys by Tes, Gina Joubert, B

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