PROS:
1. The venue is so stunning, you don't need a lot of decorations. This definitely helps your decor budget. I received so many compliments on how beautiful the venue was.
2. ...We had just under 100 guests, and it was the perfect size. There was tons of room on the "cocktail hour" side, so the guests did not feel cramped.
3. The bridal and groom's suites with private bathrooms were very cute and comfortable. All restrooms were very clean.
4. Juliana is very responsive, knowledgeable, and professional. She will help put together very detailed, accurate diagrams of the setup for you.
5. The staff setup the tables and chairs for the ceremony and cocktail hour exactly according to the diagram.
6. We booked our wedding on a Sunday to receive the lower rate. The previous evening was booked for another wedding, so it wasn't available for a rehearsal, but Juliana allowed me to have my rehearsal Saturday at noon, and then we had a rehearsal lunch, instead of dinner. It worked out fine.
7. Their website provides a detailed list of recommended vendors. Brodie requires you select one of their recommended caterers, but other than that, you can use anyone.
CONS:
1. Be aware that Brodie will only supply tables and chairs, no linens, and of course, no food or beverage. Pay close attention to their inventory of tables. They only supply (20) 60-inch rounds, (1) 48-inch round, (200) folding chairs, (5) cocktail tables, (4) 6-foot tables, and (4) 8-foot tables. I was disappointed they didn't have an actual bar. We had to use (2) 8-foot tables, but it worked out fine.
2. Many years ago, I worked at a wedding venue in Sugar Land, and we provided an event coordinator the day-of at no extra charge. We communicated with the catering staff and DJ to ensure everything ran smoothly and according to the provided timeline. We helped with setup and teardown. Again, this may be standard for Austin venues, but be aware Brodie does NOT include any coordinating services. They do provide a Manager-on-Duty for your event, but I was told he will basically only assist with adjusting the temperature and lights. The day-of, I never met our MOD, and I believe he stayed in the office most of the night. We took First Look and Wedding Party photos outside by the oak tree. I had seen photos online of a much larger green area, but no one could find it, and the MOD was no where close by to ask. When it was dancing time, the lights were still on full blast, and I had to ask a friend to ask him to adjust it for us. You will definitely need to hire a Coordinator to run your wedding. I was lucky enough to have an old co-worker from Sugar Land coordinate mine for free.
3. You are required to have 1 meeting with Juliana 4-8 weeks before your wedding. You will most likely have to come during regular business hours, which do not include weekends. My husband had to use a vacation day to attend, but that was to be expected. It was fine.
4. Not really a con, but be aware you're only allotted 10 hours in the venue. This includes setup and teardown. We gave ourselves 3 hours of setup time. Fortunately, I had several family and friends volunteer to help, so we were ready with plenty of time. We also ended the party 1 hour before the venue closed to pack up and give the catering staff time to clean up and load out.
The pros truly outweigh the cons. If it's within your budget, you will not regret having your wedding at Brodie Homestead. Overall, 5 stars! Thank you, Juliana, for hosting us!