Besides, of course, my husband and I--Brookside Farms was the star of the show. They have such a beautiful venue that they have worked for many years now to tailor perfectly for wonderful wedding days. So many little touches come with the space..., like the lighting or the arbor options for ceremonies, providing the perfect foundation to make it into exactly what you want for your "rustic" wedding. We made full use of the ceremony chapel, the reception barn, the farm house, the lodge, the changing/prep rooms for the ladies, the surrounding grounds for our photography, and the new patio we didn't even know had been added until we arrived! It was perfect for keeping everyone on hand the day of, and for not having to move our guests too far between the ceremony and reception.
The things you don't want to have to worry about, like clean-up, were included, while the things you might prefer to have flexibility with, like choice of caterer, were up to us. All three owners as well as Gretchen, the admin assistant, were always available and helpful throughout our entire (long!) planning process. And one of the owners' sons was on hand during our rehearsal and the day-of for any last minute questions or issues.
Brookside was, in a word, perfect :) It was everything we were looking for.