Catering By Uptown - Celebrations at The Bay

ave killer views and good flow from space to space. Our guests enjoyed being able to hang out on the pier when they needed fresh air. The caterers were willing to create passed hors d'oeuvres that gave a nod to our cultural background and the food and cake was delicious on the day. They were also on point with all our guest’s dietary restrictions. We didn't need many decor choices either, as the venue is beautiful and they have some standard decor options for the reception.

t, they pair you with a planner that will help you with all the little details. We had plenty of questions along the way and they were great at communicating with us how things would work. The food and cake were both delicious and well prepared, and our guests loved the open bar! On top of that, the venue was absolutely stunning. The view of the bay, mixed with the large ballroom made for a fantastic time for us and our guests. We couldn't recommend Catering by Uptown more!

, to scheduling a last-minute site visit to finalize our floorplan: everyone was responsive and lovely to work with! Having cocktail hour on the lawn was gorgeous thanks to the stunning view of the sky and the water! The food was also completely wonderful; not only were the portions quite generous, without asking, the staff boxed up our meals and the beautiful private charcuterie board for my husband and I to take home with us since I was too excited to eat much that evening. The drinks were delicious as well and we were able to make some tweaks to the drink choices which we greatly appreciated. The only feedback I have is: be sure to be clear with your coordinator during your dropoff appointment regarding item placement. We had a slight mixup with placement of our guestbook and markers that impacted the photobooth plan, but that was remedied easily enough. I wish I’d had a bit more communication/input from our coordinator that evening because there were times I was looking for her (in preparation for the cake cutting) and we couldn’t find her anywhere. That didn’t take away from our experience of the venue or food at all – it was a wonderful evening I’m ultimately very happy with the way everything went!

rt, the tables, chairs, tablescapes, all by the same company (take this into account when you see the price). The only other traditional things you have to book: flowers, photographer, dj, officiant. The staff was wonderful! When we toured, they showed us all of their venues (3) so you know you are picking the venus thats best for you. From our tasting in Pasadena, where we picked our menu, table cloths, and plates to accommodating our scheduling requests, the prep team was prompt and helpful. Say nothing of our venue coordinator. She acted like a built in day of coordinator, arranging our pre made decor, setting up our private cake cutting in the bridal suite, keeping us and our parents fed and hydrated. As a busy medical resident, I could not have pulled off our wedding without them! The venue itself was stunning, situated right in the bay with stunning bay windows looking out over the water and a small dock to take photos. There is also a garden, which is perfect for family photos.

ade the entire planning process so smooth. From start to finish, she made sure every aspect of the event was perfect, which allowed me to relax and enjoy my special day. The food was exceptional, with so many of my guests raving about the lobster bisque—it was easily one of the highlights of the menu! The rest of the meal was just as impressive, and the entire staff was attentive, professional, and genuinely warm throughout the event. The venue itself is stunning, set right on the water with breathtaking views that made for the most beautiful photos. The natural scenery combined with the charm of The Knollview House created such an elegant and serene atmosphere. If you’re looking for a venue that combines gorgeous views, excellent food, and a top-notch team, Celebrations is the place to go. I couldn’t recommend Anne and her team more highly—they truly made my bridal shower unforgettable!

thing about our experience as well as all of our family and friends. Ms. Helen went above and beyond. She was always available when I needed her most. I was a wreck when it was supposed to rain on our day, but she sent me the sweetest reassurance. I'll be forever grateful to Uptown for my wonderful wedding day.

the Bay was beautiful. The view of the water and the customer service that we received on site was great.

he hors d’oeuvres and the cake were. The staff the day of the wedding was awesome and made sure the groom and I got to eat some of the hors d’oeuvres in between photos. Why I didn’t give 5 stars? I dont feel they deserved it. One reason is because I felt as though the company was nickel and diming us. For example, your vendors are allotted 1.5hrs time for set up. if your vendor requires more set up time, they charge $500 per half hour extra. My florist told me she needed 2-3 hours for set up and when I reached out to the venue, they told me it’d be $1500 additional for her to have that allotted time. Fortunately, my florist was flexible and willing to work with me. They also charge $300-$500 for you to have your rehearsal at the venue ($500 if starts 5pm or later, $300 for earlier). On top of having to pay for our rehearsal, our account manager, Tracy, emailed us 2 days before the rehearsal asking if we could move it to earlier because they had another event scheduled for that evening. Any one who’s planned a wedding before should know how impossible it is to make those kind of changes 2 days before. And my last complaint in regard to feeling like the company was nickel and diming us was with the charges for additional guests. On our due date for giving our final guest count, I told the venue we had a guest count of 102 (previously paid for 100). During that weekend, we heard from two of our guests that they were no longer coming. 3 days after I sent the email, Tracy emailed back letting me know she updated the final guest count. 2 hours after Tracy emailed me this, I emailed her back asking if we could actually go back to 100 guests since 2 were no longer coming. She told me no, that the policy is firm and there is no changing it. To be clear, my complaint is not about the fee but that she wouldn’t change it 2hrs after updating it. I would’ve understood her saying this if it’d been several days but 2hrs??? So we ended up having to pay for 2 extra guests that weren’t coming Aside from our issues with Tracy, I am overall glad we held our wedding at this venue. It was beautiful and all my guests told me how beautiful the location was

super smoothly! Everybody was so helpful and the day was flawless! Mother Nature helped provide us with a beautiful evening for our outdoor ceremony. The setting on the water was perfect. Our day of coordinator was great. The apps were all amazing and the crab cake was worthy of being called a “Maryland style crab cake”. We really believe we had the best day ever and are super thankful for everyone that helped us along the way!

and china, making for one less vendor and one less detail to worry about. They have multiple venues around Maryland, ranging to accommodate the wedding of your dreams, intimate weddings for a few guests or grand weddings for a couple hundred guests! We chose the Tented Vista Ballroom at Celebrations at the Bay for the beautiful view overlooking the water, and the classy and spacious tented ballroom. The whole staff is extremely kind and clearly passionate about what they do. Anne was very helpful with honoring our budget, factoring in venue, guest count, day of event, and all the various packages they offer. Ya-Maila always responded to my emails full of questions in a timely manner and with kindness, patience, and excitement. Eileen (our day of coordinator) won us over from the first day we met when we toured the different venues at Celebrations at the Bay and our love and appreciation for her grew. Eileen was flexible and worked very well with our other vendors, and she maintained her positivity and enthusiasm through every interaction we had with her. Eileen and the wait staff were very attentive to us, making sure we had food and drink whenever we wanted or needed. The whole planning team worked with us for any special requests we had and executed everything perfectly. Our wedding day was absolutely perfect thanks to the entire team at Celebrations and we could not be happier with how everything turned out.

ly just enjoy your wedding day with no worries. Our day of coordinator and her crew Alma, Diana, Andrea, and Sulmi are what made my wedding perfect. They were so sweet and respectful. They went above and beyond throughout the entire wedding. They even helped me dry my dress since it rained on my wedding day. My wedding would not have been as perfect if it wasn't for their kindness and service.

es: the venue (Anchor Inn) was stunning and a great place for an outdoor wedding. Our day-of coordinator was amazing, professional and timely, making sure everything went smoothly. Finally, at the beginning of our process, our assigned coordinator was great. Now onto the negatives. About 6 months before our wedding, they informed us our assigned planner would be switched. Which we had no problem with. However, as the wedding got closer, we started to run into some problems. He was not responsive at all to our emails. We would need to send him 2-3 emails just to get 1 question answered. It seemed like every time we sent one, an automatic "thanks for your email" response would be sent and then nothing else. He also could not get our guest count straight. We had 131 adults and 2 children, and I clearly communicated that in an email. I then received a phone call from him asking to clarify- which I did, no problem. He sent us the final invoice and we paid it. He then called me again, asking the same exact question about the guest count, as if our previous conversation never happened. Both calls I had to take while at work and it was frustrating that I had to explain multiple times- especially AFTER I PAID THE INVOICE! Finally, we had a plan to meet to discuss some things a week before the wedding. Long story short, we had a simple miscommunication in that I thought we were supposed to meet at the office in Beltsville, he thought we were meeting at the actual venue (even though I have email proof that he said meet in Beltsville). Even then, I wasn't mad about it, things like this happen. However, when he called me to ask where I was, he was extremely condescending saying how I was wrong and he told me to meet at the venue. It made me, the bride, feel like crap a week before my wedding. I was extremely upset, and even if I was in the wrong, there was no reason to be as nasty as he was. So all in all, there were positives and negatives. If you do book with Catering by Uptown, I would be sure you and your planner are on the same page if you don't want to be treated like crap.

t, & it embodies a sense of love! We live in Utah & this place having pretty much everything & easy decision making made it an absolute 10/10 for us! The foooood was beyond great& the entire process was unforgettable! We wanna get married again just for the venue! lol

a ballroom. Our guests commented how good the food was and what a great time they had. Also important, this venue was more affordable and offered a more complete package than other options we were considering. We wouldn't change a thing about our experience with Catering by Uptown!

s life ect. Ann if you get the chance to meet her she is simple amazing she keep me calm we found another way to make our wedding still happen (anniversary twins now) she always worked with me and was always there when needed even though it was her wedding anniversary she still checked in on me the day of which really means a lot! Then I got the chance to meet Esther one of the most nicest person We had the pleasure of meet as well very laid back very good energy to be around and I appreciate her showing me the knollview house and we FELL IN LOVE. Tracy was our point of contact up to the wedding and I know I definitely over did the questions and emails but she was there for me and my now husband on every single question we had she made sure we understood And got back to us right away! Lastly my day of coordinator <3 Helen thank you I think I spoke with you for a short period of time the day before and I was worried i needed everything to be perfect and when I say everything was done exactly how I wanted there wasn’t ONE thing she forgot she made sure I was ok she checked on us throughout the night she made sure I was personally ok I saw her enjoying herself and I have pictures of her in the background smiling from ear to ear just to see us happy enjoying moments that she knew were important to us. I really hope each and everyone of you know how special you all are and how thankful We are for catering by uptown. Sorry for the lengthy review but I had to give individual thanks!

y gorgeous with great views! Unfortunately, there were some hiccups, that likely only us as the wedding couple were aware of. First off, our planner leading up to the wedding was not super responsive, she would take several days to respond to an email, however her communication turn around time improved as we got within a few weeks of the wedding. In addition, the day of coordinator was unfortunately not prepared. It was hard to get ahold of her days before the wedding, and although I called and left her voicemails, she would only text me back short answers. I'm not sure if the lack of information is on her, or the company, but she did not have any of our updated paperwork that we completed 30-days prior to our event. I honestly think this is in part to her not communicating with me prior to the day of. Had she called me back, we could of gone over any last minute details. Instead, she waited until the day of the wedding to ask me questions. Therefore, she did not have the ceremony line up, escort information, bridal party entrance information, correct set up information, etc. However, we were lucky enough that our officiant and DJ came to the rescue and ensured everything went smoothly. Second of all, the servers did not use the names/table numbers, that were provided for specialty meals for those with dietary restrictions/allergies. Therefore, servers were serving the wrong meals to guests, and not everyone with specific dietary restrictions were served the proper meal. At one point, servers had come up to me as the bride a few times to ask who should get the special meal, and I felt like that should have been an issue for our day of coordinator, who I was told would oversee the catering. Third, the servers poured our kid table wine. Granted our kids ranged from 4 years old to 17 years old, but my 12 year old son, who was enjoying a kids meal, as well as other children (some being younger than 12) at the table were asked if they wanted red or white, and several of the children at the table were served wine. Thankfully, a guest caught this after a few of the kids had already taken sips, but it's completely irresponsible of the servers to serve children of that age wine. In addition, I thought we as the bridal couple would be served our food when we were seated, but unfortunately, our food was placed at the sweetheart table while we were walking around, and when we returned to our seats it was ice cold. I wish a server had let us know they were delivering our food, so we could have enjoyed it warm. In addition, we were told that the mini desserts we had purchased as an extra would be served family style and a tray would be placed at each table. Unfortunately, this did not happen, and no one was aware that there were mini desserts sitting on a table somewhere. Our day of coordinator went to me as the bride when she needed contact information for our transportation vendor. That information was provided in my paperwork, which she did not seem to have. So all in all, the venue is gorgeous, our guests and vendors, as well as us, had a great time, but there were some misses that I think CBU can work on specifically when it comes to the coordinator being prepared and the catering.

we ended up running behind schedule Neicy worked her tail off to make up for lost time to make sure we had plenty of time to party. She delivered and was on it to make sure everything went Ase smoothly as possible. Having an all inclusive venue took soooo much stress off of me. Finding a venue and food separately gets insanely pricey. And sometimes food quality suffers when vendors have to travel to a venue with no kitchen. Quality was superb since the chefs were on site! Amazing amazing amazing.

were priority. The day of was magical and truly seemless. Amy was our day of coordinator and took care of timing, any unforeseen issues, made sure my husband and I had appetizers and drinks and truly was a great addition to our day. The staff were amazing and so welcoming. I don’t have a single complaint - it was the perfect day I dreamed of for so long. We are forever grateful to all of the staff who had a hand in our special day. Thank you isn't enough!!

ning process was a stress free experience and we highly recommend using Catering By Uptown for your wedding. The day finally came and everything was perfect! The venue is absolutely beautiful with ample parking. The food was SO good and everyone raves about it! Our main entrée was the crab cake and filet mignon with mushroom sauce. All the staff on the day of were very professional, friendly, and helpful. Our day of coordinator, Caroline, was THE BEST and definitely made our day amazing and stress free! We highly recommend Catering By Uptown!

fantastic day of catering supervisor- Eileen, everyone was spectacular! Tracy was incredibly responsive to my MANY emails. Eileen was absolutely amazing!! Everything day of was perfect, we didn’t have a single worry or stress. The venue itself was gorgeous- the lighting, the water, everything! We would highly recommend Celebrations at the Bay and Catering by Uptown!!

he allergies/restrictions I put in for people perfectly. The planning process was easy since it is all inclusive you just follow what the planner they give you asks and you give her an answer with what you want. It included everything from besides the dj/band, flowers, photographer/videographer, and any extra little things want like a guest book, memory table, extra decorations then ones they already have. You get a day of coordinator too who was awesome and did a perfect job keeping the flow of the day. Always asking if we needed anything! The coordinators and planners were the best! They kept my husband and I, as well as our guest happy the whole time. SO HAPPY with our day!!! Wish we could do it every day!

eption was breathtaking. Our DOC Aimee was fantastic too! She was on top of everything, answered all of our silly questions and made our day as easy as possible (and made sure we were fed)! Guests will not stop talking about how incredible all the food was, the lobster bisque and crab cakes were a big hit! We got many “this is the best wedding I have ever been to!” Our day felt like a fairytale and I would do it all over again at Celebrations at the Bay if I could!

nses. The view is second to none. On the day of they helped ease any worry we had and helped us have an amazing time. I must add that the food is 5 star as well. You will not regret having your wedding here!

planning process as well as the big day. The food was delicious, and the decorations were beautiful. The guests were delighted with everything as well. We highly recommend Celebrations at The Bay.

o incorporate a few last minute decisions and it everything just flowed. Our day turned out to be exactly as we pictured it! It was EPIC! And this was worth every penny!

om the very beginning and throughout the process, CBU were attentive to our requests, helpful with suggestions and created a seamless experience that helped Maria and I focus on enjoying our big day with family and loved ones.

. Katie and her team were PHENOMENAL. She worked with me every step of the way from the food tasting to the layout and design of my wedding. Don’t get me started on the food. My guests stated several times that this was the best wedding meal that they ever had. Oh my gosh, the cake is not only included, but was AMAZING from the design to the taste! My guests raved the entire time about the venue and everything that was offered. Everyone needs to book this company, if you don’t, YOU ARE MISSING OUT!!

oroughly. Shonda is definitely a gem with Catering by Uptown. She deserves to be recognized for all of her hard work and dedication to her clients. Thank you, Shonda you’re the best!!!

had to reschedule and replan through the COVID pandemic. I heard horror stories about other venues who were not working with couples, and really leaving them in the dark. This was the exact oppostie of what we experienced. They took time to answer all of my questions, worked with me on the guest list and changes and found a new date that worked for us. When I say it was perfect- our day truly was perfect. Cassidy was the absolute best planner, and day of coordinator EVER... seriously EVER!!! She and the whole staff were so helpful supportive and they ran the show! Look no further- you have found your perfect wedding venue- I can't thank the whole team at Catering by Uptown enough, especially Anne and Cassidy (who I worked with the most). You made our day the best ever!

nd delicious. Shonda was very knowledgeable and was able to give us advice and ideas that we loved. Messi was my wedding coordinator and she has a heart of gold. We met only 4 days before my wedding but it felt like I knew her for a lifetime. She truly paid attention to every detail. She was patient with me and I could tell that she was truly happy for us. This is important to have a genuine person coordinating everything because they become as personally invested in the success of your day. The MC even took time out to acknowledge Messi and the catering staff as their hard work and professionalism was very evident. Big up to Shonda, Messi, Jeff, and the entire team at Catering by Uptown. Our guests were impressed too so I know you'll be getting some business from them. I love you guys!!!!

! Knollview House was the location...the atmosphere was priceless! It gave the perfect backdrop for my Amazingly Beautiful Wife on our special day. I’m very appreciative of the time and attention shown to our family in such a strange time...what thought was impossible became a very beautiful reality. If you happen to make “Uptown” your choice...request Shonda Cherry as your day of coordinator and just enjoy your day...she will handle the rest! Thanks Again Dumisani & Crystal

dding (to a different state!) two weeks prior, and they made it so seamless. Everything was perfect and the entire staff really went above & beyond for us. Thank you!!

he did everything that she could to make sure our day was amazing! Our guests can’t stop talking about the beautiful wedding and how much they enjoyed the food! Thanks to them we had the wedding of the century that no one could not stop talking about! Great experience!

planner- it’s a really tough job and burnout is a thing. Amy has being doing this for YEARS and still hasn’t lost her sparkle! Food was very good and the venue is gorgeous! THAT SAID— the planning process was painful. Their sales team is good at their job and will give you unrealistic expectations. My impression is that most weddings they put on are very cookie cutter. They were not prepared to work with a bride who was very detail oriented with high expectations. Getting what I wanted was like pulling teeth. I paid for open bar. They wanted to charge me to have champagne passes for toasts. They wanted to charge me to allow my vendors more than two hours of setup time. Two hrs is not nearly enough time for a florist to properly set up. In the end I was not charged for these items however I’d confidently say it’s because they knew how upset I was throughout the planning process and didn’t want to deal with me any more. Also-FYI the rehearsal doesn’t come with your contract. It’s an additional fee. Apparently people don’t do rehearsals anymore is what I was told. Again. They ended up waiving this fee after a tough conversation. I had to be a bridezilla to get what I wanted. Would have been much less stressful from the get go if their planning team wasn’t so intent on producing a cookie cutter wedding. Seems like a lot of them had lost their sparkle. Props again to Amy. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to thank her enough for saving the day and putting me at ease. I wish I could have worked with her throughout the planning process. I’d give her 10 stars if I could. And she is the ONLY reason my initial 1 star rating increased to a 3.

During the process, Cassidy and Anne helped us with the venue information, showing and food tasting. Alma was assigned to us as our "Day of Coordinator" and she was great! She helped out with everything from the timing of the event, to decorations, minor details - you name it- she was on top of it. She kept telling us "Your job is to have the best day ever and my job is to take care of everything else!" :) The venue itself was absolutely gorgeous! We chose the Chesapeake Ballroom but for whatever reason, the venue next door was not being used- so we did our Bridal Party photos there as the rest of the guests came in for the ceremony. That really worked out nicely! The ceremony was held out back overlooking the water and it was absolutely gorgeous! The reception was inside and was the perfect size for 125 guests. Our first look was on the dock overlooking the water and it was literally a storybook moment. To top if all off, we were treated to a full rainbow across the entire bay as we were taking photos! Having a rainbow in our photos at such a beautiful venue- there are simply no words.... The food was absolutely amazing! All of our guests kept commenting on just how good the food was. As the bride and groom, we were well cared for, constantly having Hors d'oeuvres & appetizers handed to us before the big meal. This was a huge plus- as we are always hungry! Can't recommend them enough! Thank you again Alma! Carly & Bobby