Massachusetts

salem cross inn?

Hi Ladies!

Has anyone ever had their wedding at the salem cross inn in the barn?

My fiance and I booked it for our wedding a few weeks ago and I am absolutely in love with the place. My only reservation is that the area for the dance floor may be a bit small. We have the option of moving the party down into the tavern room for dancing after dinner but I don't really like the idea of moving my guests.

Plus I am totally in love with the barn. Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks!

Re: salem cross inn?

  • My wedding is also at Salem Cross, in June 2013.  I'm concerned w/ the dance area also! They never mentioned moving guests downstairs to me.  How many guests are you having?  We will have approx 150.  I am also wary of not having an actual contract, I feel like I have so many little questions for Donna but my wedding is so far out that I hate to bother her all the time.  I think if there was a contract more things would be straightforward.
  • I attended there where they had to move guests for dancing...it was very uncomfortable as the tavern area was open to the public as well.  VERY odd and made for a very split up party. We ended up leaving (many of their guests did) as there was nothing else to do.

    On another note...no contract?!!  Not a good thing!
  • my guest list is 200. they said the barn could hold 225 but we have to guarantee them 150, which shouldnt be an issue. it may not be the tavern it may be the chesnut room. but its the room downstairs with the stone walls and open fire roaster. this is where our cocktail hour will be and they said that we could move the dance floor down there and just eat dinner in the barn if we wanted to.... but the barn is why i booked the place. i think it just may be a bit tight for dancing.

    i met donna briefly but we did everything with nancy. and I do have a contract so I would def ask about that. we gave $1000 deposit and got a copy of the contract. the contract wasn't very detailed...she said we would work out the details later. it was basically just securing my date and time.

    and i was also told that any rooms reserved for us would not be open to the public
  • I think the Chestnut room is the tavern, but it's not open on Saturday nights so if your wedding is on a Saturday then it should be all yours.  Maybe they didn't mention using downstairs for dancing to me since I will probably have around the minimum 150 guests.  I did ask her for a receipt for our deposit, which has the space, min guests, and room rental costs on it, and I have a list of their policies which I was given with the menu.  But no actual contract that was signed by myself or Donna.  I will have to ask her about that.... I haven't met with or talked to Nancy at all.  I absolutely love the venue but the lack of information that I have makes me nervous! 
    I have seen pictures of a tent attached to the barn w/ larger weddings.  That might give you a larger dance floor if you move some tables to the tent, and I believe the barn and tent would be connected so then if people don't want to dance they can sit at their tables but still be a part of the party. 
    Let me know what you end up choosing! I'm excited that there's another Salem Cross bride on here!!
  • I'm excited to! I love the venue as well. It was so perfect for the fall wedding that I want! And yes my wedding is on a Saturday night. I actually went up there for lunch last Sunday because I had never had the food before. No complaints, the food was fantastic and wasn't the service. Is your wedding during the day or the evening ?

    They didn't mention anything about a tent. My fiance and I are thinking about trimming down the guest list anyway. But I will have to ask Nancy. I see where you are coming from with the lack of information but my wedding is so far out that I just assumed it was normal until we needed to start getting into the details. It sounds like I got the same thing you did but Nancy referred to mine as a contract and I didn't have to ask for it.

    We will have to stay connected on the details. Are you planning on utilizing the upstairs portino of the barn at all?
  • Our wedding is in the evening also.  I think she told me that 125 is a comfortable max for the downstairs of the barn, so we will be using the loft.   I asked her how many tables there would be for approx 150 guests since the tables are different sizes and asked if she could send me a layout and she didn't send me one, she just told me to assume one centerpiece for every 6 guests. (6, 8, 10 person tables and I'm guessing the 10 person tables will have 2 centerpieces).  The day that I went to look at the venue there was an event going on in the barn so I wasn't able to go up into the loft.  She told me to contact her in November to come in for a tasting so hopefully I'll be able to take a better look at the barn then!
  • I think you're really going to like it. The upstairs has a section full of old antiques and stuff, it's so cool looking.

    You dont have to wait until November. The place is open to the public as long as there isn't an event going on. I went up there last Sunday with two of my bridesmaids. We had lunch and then walked around the entire place and I showed them the barn. There was an afternoon wedding going on in the tavern so they only go to peek in, but you can def just go for dinner or something and walk around.  Although you would probably have better luck with lunch and not having an event going on in the barn
  • Yes. I just had my wedding on Aug.19th, 2012. A couple of things that you should really know about those ladies at the Salem Inn; they have been doing this for years, and when they say something- they mean just that. The dance floor is plenty big the cake table will be removed after your cutting and sharing pics. Not everybody dances(at the same time)sometimes people don't dance at all. The food is all homemade and Donna is the most accommodating in getting your flavor and texture just right. Questions and doubts(as a bride) you will have, just write them down(not one of them will be silly) and make an .appt.to sit and ask your questions.  Good luck ladies and enjoy your day. It goes by soo fast.
  • Thanks midlife, that's very reassuring! SJM, thanks for the tip I will have to stop by for lunch. I might go to the one of the fireplace feasts too, they look like a lot of fun and good food!
  • I am also getting maried at the Salem Cross Inn, August 2013. We should all stay in touch in the coming year. Don't worry about asking questions, I have been asking them nonstop!

  • I'm also getting married at the Salem Cross Inn next August, and have a lot of little questions as well. Do you guys know where the DJ would set up? They were setting up for a wedding when I was there so the tour was a little rushed. As for the dancing, I was thinking that it may be possible to move a couple of the tables once the dancing really gets going, as I'm sure people won't remain at the tables right next to the dance floor.
  • Hi June! When you walk into the barn there is a deep space right in front of you where I believe the DJ sets up. To the right would be where the guest book and place cards are. Send me a private message if you have other questions, hopefully we can help each other out. I had my tasting a few weekends ago and there was no event going on in the barn so I was able to walk around more and I took pictures. I took a picture of the area where I believe the dj would set up too
  • In Response to Re:salem cross inn?:[QUOTE]I am also getting maried at the Salem Cross Inn, August 2013. We should all stay in touch in the coming year. Don't worry about asking questions, I have been asking them nonstop! Posted by Kpp123[/QUOTE]
    Yes, let's definitely all stay in touch, hopefully we can help each other out and share ideas!
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_massachusetts-western-mass_salem-cross-inn-2?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:619Discussion:2e6e6ab7-e3d7-4b57-8b9f-9c7fa9f5600ePost:79a9283a-9e64-409c-9113-d4b6bbfe7346">Re:salem cross inn?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Hi June! When you walk into the barn there is a deep space right in front of you where I believe the DJ sets up. To the right would be where the guest book and place cards are. Send me a private message if you have other questions, hopefully we can help each other out. I had my tasting a few weekends ago and there was no event going on in the barn so I was able to walk around more and I took pictures. I took a picture of the area where I believe the dj would set up too
    Posted by tanyamary627[/QUOTE]

    <div>
    </div><div>How was the tasting?</div>
  • To the three ladies that are having their weddings this upcoming summer, would you all want to put together some type of group on here to keep in touch? Can we do something like that through the knot? Or at least just prvate messages. May be nice to include others who have had their wedding there too.

    Katie
  • Hi Katie, I'm not sure if you can private message with more than 2 people.  SJM & I were talking back and forth about Salem Cross via private message and I can't see a way to add people to it.  Do you have facebook?  I can create a private facebook group and we can chat back and forth via that? 
  • I would love to keep in touch over the next few months, and I would love to get feedback from people who have had their weddings there. I don't think you can add more than one person to a private message, but I'm okay with using facebook or email. Also, is there a way to receive notifications that someone has posted in a thread you've been commenting on?
  • Has anyone been in touch with the recommended florist yet?

  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_massachusetts-western-mass_salem-cross-inn-2?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:619Discussion:2e6e6ab7-e3d7-4b57-8b9f-9c7fa9f5600ePost:41f5dfa5-3f33-4176-8e8a-81e716d3b25b">Re: salem cross inn?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Has anyone been in touch with the recommended florist yet?
    Posted by Kpp123[/QUOTE]

    I emailed him a month ago, he responded back asking when we were available to meet, and I emailed him and haven't heard anything from him.  I sent him another email this week and still haven't heard anything.  I'll give him a call next week and see what's up.  I've heard his work is beautiful, and I bet it will be easier to use him as he's familar with the venue, but its frustrating when the communication is off to a bad start already!

    June, send me a PM with your full name and I will friend request you on FB, and we can get our group going!
  • edited December 2012
    Hi everyone!  So, I think I am about to book a wedding at the salem cross for July 2013.  I'd love to hear your thoughts about your planning/experiences so far with nancie and donna.  Were any of you decribed the process for the ceremony/cocktail hour if it rains?  Do you have the cocktail hour in the room with the fireplace downstairs?  And, did they confirm with you that you will be able to use the bridal suite?  They continue to be vague on that... Thanks!
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_massachusetts-western-mass_salem-cross-inn-2?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:619Discussion:2e6e6ab7-e3d7-4b57-8b9f-9c7fa9f5600ePost:91991ef9-4d1b-4fc3-a6ce-a5f9e8e5a95f">Re: salem cross inn?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Hi everyone!  So, I think I am about to book a wedding at the salem cross for July 2013.  I'd love to hear your thoughts about your planning/experiences so far with nancie and donna.  Were any of you decribed the process for the ceremony/cocktail hour if it rains?  Do you have the cocktail hour in the room with the fireplace downstairs?  And, did they confirm with you that you will be able to use the bridal suite?  They continue to be vague on that... Thanks!
    Posted by kps22[/QUOTE]

    Hi KPS, our reception will be held in the barn, with ceremony & cocktail hour outside.  If it rains, the ceremony & cocktail hour will both be held in the room with the fireplace downstairs, unless the other room downstairs is open, and then the ceremony & cocktail hour will be in different rooms.  They did confirm that I can use the bridal suite although they were vague at first with that.  We are getting married in the evening, so no one would need to use the suite after us.  Our ceremony is at 5:30 and we are doing a first look and all pics beforehand, so I confirmed that we can use it starting at 2pm, which would mean the daytime wedding before us would have to move their stuff out before their wedding is done.  Hopefully that will happen as planned, but I did read a review of a daytime bride that didn't know they needed to move their belongings out of the room. Is your wedding during the day or evening? If you end up booking, send me a PM with your name and I can add you to a facebook group that's been set up for us Salem Cross brides to chat privately!
  • Hello,
       My fiance and I are 90% sure we want to book the Salem Cross Inn for our wedding. Really I am 100% sure but he wants to do some more looking. The wedding would likely be on a Sunday afternoon for about 80 people. Does anyone know if there is a minimum number of people for the barn outside of Saturday evenings?
  • Hi All!

    Doesn't look as though this thread is still very active, but I'm also having my wedding reception at Salem Cross Inn in late September. Was a facebook group every created? I'd love to talk more with any of you that are planning to have your wedding there, or who have had your event there already. We go for our tasting this weekend!

    Thanks!
  • This is so exciting!!! We booked out wedding for 10/12/14 and would love to talk to some ladies who also had their wedding there!
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_massachusetts-western-mass_salem-cross-inn-2?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:619Discussion:2e6e6ab7-e3d7-4b57-8b9f-9c7fa9f5600ePost:cb301009-fdc5-4b09-a636-f30c91477397">Re: salem cross inn?</a>:
    [QUOTE]This is so exciting!!! We booked out wedding for 10/12/14 and would love to talk to some ladies who also had their wedding there!
    Posted by JackieDeBonis[/QUOTE]

    Hi Jackie! Your wedding is just two weeks after mine! Very exciting, how is your experience going so far? We had our tasting this past weekend and it was awesome. I love the venue and can't wait to really start getting things going!
  • Hi ladies! I am super close to booking my wedding at Salems for August 2014. Did you all make a facebook group? Can I join?? Hopefully someone still sees this...
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • Hello ladies!!! I was reading all of your posts about Salem Cross Inn! I am getting married there 9/20/14. Did you end up starting a fb group?! If so, I'd love to join! :) Please let me know!

    Also, I would love to hear any advice/recommendations from the brides that have had it there.

    Thanks,
    Lisa
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