Next Summer Wedding/Info Needed-Media, PA radius (Drexel Hill, Kennett Square: budget, hotels)

[Luvvabargain]

I cater in the Tampa Bay area, but need lots of information about planning our daughter's wedding (under 80 guests) in the Media area. She has lived in PA for only a short time.

We probably couldn't go the C.Club route, since semi-retirement forces us to limit and budget big expenditures. We would like to rent something for the reception---a banquet hall, pavillion, fraternal facility (VFW/Amer L/Italian Club...), spacious private home/yard/big tent, meeting room, anything comfortable, where we could have the reception and get creative. We would like to BBQ outside and provide lots of the food, so kitchen inclusion and the ability to contribute family recipes is important, even if there is already staff in place. Contracting some food items and some services like a DJ or band/bartender would be helpful, too.

We have lots of hopes, so in making our choices, we could use helpful, local information about possible rental sites/venues, hotels, service providers, restaurants, and the smaller, less bodacious country clubs in the area. There are often some wonderful rental sites that residents know about, but they are just not advertised.

We would also need a vacation rental for a 2 week stay, so some of the prep can get done ahead and then we can deal with clean-up/returns afterward.

We welcome and appreciate helpful suggestions from this forum's contributors, so thanks so much!

[orrmobl]

The Old Mill in Rose Valley/Wallingford/Whatever they call it. My friends had their wedding there and, knowing them, I'm sure it was quite reasonable. Lovely old stone building and ruins outside. I'm pretty sure it will have everything you are looking for and its right next to Media.

The Drexelbrook in Drexel Hill is also very nice, but it may have gone too upscale these days to still be reasonable, but its also worth checking out.

[ScottyG]

Haven't been there lately, but the grounds and main lodge/building would make a great site for a wedding. I'm sure their fees are very reasonable as well. Pennsylvania State Parks - Ridley Creek - PA DCNR

[Sassygirl18]

I second Ridley Creek State Park. I was there once and saw they were having a big wedding. They have old stone buildings there where they host the affair and the grounds are drop dead gorgeous.

[newmarlig]

A friend had her wedding here several years ago. It was lovely then, but I don't know about now.


D'Ignazio's Towne House | Bar & Restaurant

[Luvvabargain]

Thank you for your responses. I will contact each suggested site by snail mail to ask prices and what they are able to offer (and endure in terms of our personal preferences). I appreciate your help.

Anyone know anything about the different fraternal orgs, like the VFW, Legion, or cultural clubs? Some of their function rooms have kitchens and aux.staffs who offer dinner and dance nights in their social club area. The ones in VT like to host and make rental money. Also, I heard that there is one fire department somewhere in the area that rents out its upstairs function room. I am just fishing around, for all the choices out there in PA land.

I looked at the suggested websites. The Old Mill has a wonderful website, as does Ridley Creek! I will look into Drexelbrook, too! I have only noticed the proximity of the town on the map, but knew nothing of your suggestion. Seriously, thank you all.

I guess that I am scared off with State Parks' kind of strict-- sundown curfew and the advertised prohibition of any wine or beer. Would not want to book in and then violate the rules, making anyone else uncomfortable. I wondered about noise and if a DJ or band would be prohibited there. I will ask, wait, and see what they have to say.

I appreciate the help that all of you have given. If you think of anything else, I have a lot of time to mail away, gather choices, and get this all together. Thanks!

[ajb842]

I would check out Curtis Hall/Arboretum in Wyncote, PA. I'm not sure about the kitchen, but they only offer the site. There is a beautiful space for the ceremony outside if you would like, and there is an inside room that has tons of potential for an artsy person. The detail work in the room is gorgeous as the building is so old and the architecture in the township has been done by world-renown architects. Also, there's a beautiful stone patio for dancing or BBQ,etc. My friends had there wedding there last year and had indian food catered, and I believe they had 120people and it was less than 10K for the entire wedding.Much less actully. This is not near Media, about 30 min away but a beautiful location with parking and turnpike access.

[Luvvabargain]

Thank you so much! I will try to enlist a couple of family members to go on a fun field trip to see what Curtis Hall has to offer. It might be better and safer too, having everyone meet for the wedding --a ways from home and stay overnight in the area. The site sounds fantastic and would lend itself to creating a magical atmosphere. Thank you for your suggestion.

[pastrami00]

Try the Tyler Arboretum. It is easy to find via google. I was at a wedding there last summer and it was beautiful. Plus there are some decent hotels nearby for your guests.

[tbeckcampbell]

Try the Stone Barn. It's about 45 min south of Media. A friend of mine had a very casual wedding reception there....bbq style and it was fantastic. Pool party, etc. [url=http://www.thestonebarn.com/]The Stone Barn - Kennett Square Pennsylvania[/url]

The Old Mill that was mentioned in other postings is beautiful. However, there are two cautions to that place....you are limited to only the one caterer that they allow you to use and they can change their minds and "unbook" your function up to a month before the date. It's in the contract.

It's a mile from my house and a half mile from the church we got married in. So, we really wanted to have it at the Old Mill, but the caterer's price was out of our budget and the potential to have it cancelled wasn't something we were prepared to deal with.

I you're looking for a caterer, I highly recommend Williamson's Caterers. They did my wedding (and two others that I've been to) and I couldn't have been happier. We were on a budget and they did a wonderful job. [URL="http://www.williamsoncaterers.com"]www.williamsoncaterers.com[/URL]

Best wishes.

TB-C