Breathtaking Ballroom Elegance on your Special Day
AWARD WINNER (3X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
The Crystal Tea Room is an exquisite ballroom wedding venue in downtown Philadelphia, PA. Set in the historic Wanamaker building right in the heart of Philly, this beautiful event space exudes grandeur and refinement. These elegant rooms can be where memories are made on your special day.
This ballroom venue, near Philadelphia City Hall, is superbly located for guests' convenience. The Crystal Tea Room is one of several high-class wedding and event spaces run by the family-owned and operated Finley Catering Company. This team of expert caterers offers over 40 years of experience serving special celebrations and events. These include events for professional athletes, household celebrities, and charitable organizations such as the Tug McGraw Foundation and Cole Hamen's Foundation.
A majestic setting with attentive service for a remarkable experience: This is what the Crystal Tea Room offers for your wedding day celebration. Guests will be guided to the atrium for butler-passed hors d'oeuvres and refreshing beverages. The atrium provides ample natural light through glass windows, a soaring ceiling, and verdant greenery around a water fountain. You and your guests can enjoy the feeling of a green and sunlit day without the pitfalls of weather. Your ceremony and reception can be held in the grand ballroom. This finely-furnished space delights crowds with luxurious crystal chandeliers and carved columns for a classic atmosphere. Drapery can add an additional touch of atmosphere to this already magnificent area. With Finley's Catering team providing exquisite cuisine and over 40 years of catering experience, you can relish your landmark celebration.
A party of over 300 guests can be welcomed into the Crystal Tea Room for your wedding. This venue offers ample on-site parking, valeting, and wheelchair-accessible features for the convenience of all guests. Additional amenities available include get-ready rooms to prepare and relax in and WiFi internet access. Finley's Catering provides a wide selection of cuisine and beverages to suit your palette and wedding vision. Furthermore, these experienced staff can provide setup, serving, event rentals, and more for your special day. Uplighting, pin spots, and monograms can add immeasurably to the festive atmosphere, as will details such as restroom baskets and specialty linens. You can contact this team for additional information on how they can help make your celebration one to remember.
Speaks English
Amenities + details
Amenities
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Liability Insurance
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Ceremony Types
Civil Union
Interfaith Ceremony
Non-Religious Ceremony
Religious Ceremony
Second Wedding
Settings
Ballroom
City Hall
Venue Service Offerings
Bar & Drinks
Cakes & Desserts
Food & Catering
Service Staff
Awards and Affiliations
Any questions?
Reviews
4.7
out of 5.051 reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
The Crystal Tea Room, managed by Finley Catering, receives rave reviews for its exceptional service, beautiful setting, delicious food, and seamless execution of weddings. Multiple reviewers highlight the professionalism and attentiveness of the staff, particularly mentioning coordinators like Brooke, Grace, Michelle, and Miguel. The venue is praised for its elegance, inclusive packages, and stunning ambiance, making it a top choice for couples seeking a stress-free, elegant, and memorable wedding experience with well-coordinated details and outstanding catering.Review photos
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Louis C
Highlighted review.
5.0
7/22/2025
We had our wedding at the Crystal Tea Room with Finley Catering, and I truly don’t even have the words to describe how absolutely amazing everything was, it was perfect in every si...
ngle way.
From start to finish, Michelle, Miguel and the entire Finley team were incredible to work with. The service was impeccable, I never once had to ask for a thing the entire night. The staff was attentive, professional, and made sure every detail was executed flawlessly so that my husband and I could be fully present and enjoy every moment.
And the food… our guests are STILL raving about it! So many people have told us it was the best food they’ve ever had at a wedding. Every dish was beyond delicious and beautifully presented.
I could cry just thinking about how perfect the night was. Thank you, Finley Catering, for making my dream wedding come to life. Everything came together more beautifully than I ever imagined. If you’re considering any of the Finley for venues your wedding, do it. It was the best decision we made!
Anjuli P
5.0
9/29/2025
The Crystal Tea Room was a beautiful setting for our wedding reception, right in the heart of Center City. Working with Grace Grube and the team was such a wonderful experience—she...
answered all of our questions, guided us through selections, and gave honest feedback to ensure everything came together perfectly. We always felt like we were in good hands.
On the big day, everything was seamless, and our guests were blown away by the cocktail hour, especially the raw bar. The space itself is stunning, and the food and service were exceptional. We are so happy we chose the Crystal Tea Room for our celebration.
Any questions?
Sandra L
5.0
9/29/2025
We got married at the Crystal Tea room on 3/29/25. To say this day was an absolute dream does not even reach the level of true admiration I could give in a review of Finely, the CT...
R staff, and especially our amazing coordinate Brooke. From the moment we walked in the doors at our tour we knew this was the venue we were going to get married in. Brooke made the entire process, from before we even booked the venue, seamless, easy, and made us feel like we were truly able to enjoy the planning process, something that is often very stressful for people to navigate. We had many specific requests and I am a very detail oriented person and Brooke and the Finley team went our of their way to make sure every single detail and idea was curated beautifully and fit the aesthetic and vision I had in mind. She even offered suggestions that I didn’t even know where in my mind, that is the mark of an amazing coordinator and team. The tasting was so much fun and gave us a glimpse of what our day could really look like. We got really great ideas that we incorporate into our own day which was very helpful. We came back a few times to take measurements, look at specific areas, discuss food plans, and every single time we felt more and more excited about our day at the CTR! We felt very well taken care of on the day of our wedding. From the moment we arrived early in the morning, everything was set up and Miguel was very accommodating to the things we needed throughout the day. The staff was so welcoming and kind and helped us through the entire event, they even provided me socks for my shoe change when I forgot mine! The team strategically accommodate for mine (and many other) allergies and special accommodations and if anything went wrong on the day of (which I don’t think I did) I literally would still, 6 months later, not even have the slightest clue! We were fed, never thirsty, well taken care of and still saying we wish we could do it all over again. There is no amount of thanks that we could give to Brooke, Miguel, the Finely family, and the entire CTR team.
Megan M
5.0
6/06/2025
I cannot say enough about how AMAZING our wedding at the Crystal Tea Room was. The venue itself is gorgeous, and we loved that there was a whole separate room for cocktail hour whi...
ch made it feel like magic when the reception space was transformed into the ceremony space. They are not kidding when they say it is ALL INCLUSIVE. I genuinely believe we got a steal on cost per person with how much the CTR offers between the catering package, included linens/chairs/tablescape, cake, and staff. Our coordinator, Grace, and maitre d, Miguel, are some of the best in the business. Grace made sure everything ran smoothly leading up to and day of, and was so generous in her time and efforts to make sure we got everything we wanted, and might not have even thought of! Miguel (and his assistant Mike) runs the place like a well oiled machine, while being so happy and fun. If anything went “wrong” we had no idea. Salima, our bridal suite attendant, made sure we didn’t have to lift a finger! Grace communicated directly with most of our vendors, and they all knew the CTR well which made everything run so smoothly. I did not hire a day of coordinator and I had to do zero extra work the day of- they all know what they’re doing.
And don’t even get me started with the CATERING!! Finley Catering is the absolute best. Their cocktail hour alone impressed all of our guests and had everyone almost too full for dinner. Their Chilean sea bass & strip steak entrees were crowd pleasers and THEN there was cake, dessert room, and after party food. So many guests have complimented our food, and as someone who has been to a million weddings, theirs truly cannot be beat.
If you’re looking for a stress free day with a wedding that is elegant, delicious, and something your guests will continue to talk about after the day is done- look no further! We truly had the most amazing day thanks to the CTR, Finley, Grace and the rest of their staff!
Emily M
5.0
4/10/2025
I can't say enough good things about Finley Catering. We got married at the Crystal Tea Room and it was just perfection from start to finish. We met Brooke a little over a year bef...
ore the wedding and she was fantastic. Very helpful and responsive with the many questions that I had sporadically throughout the year. This company does SO many events per year, but I never felt like just a number. It truly was the reception of my dreams. We met Miguel the day before the wedding and dropped all of our wedding props off. The meeting was super quick, Miguel knew exactly what to do and I felt so comfortable knowing the next time I walked in the room, it would be set up how I imagined on the wedding day. You will not find a venue like this that includes everything Finley Catering includes AND has multiple, gorgeous venues for you choose from. I asked Brooke a million times... "what's the catch?!" There is no catch - you won't get hit with surprise fees and they really are just the best. You will not regret choosing Finley Catering and I highly recommend the Crystal Tea Room!!
Jackie M
5.0
2/12/2025
There is a reason why Finley Catering’s tagline is “simply the best”. I honestly don’t even know where to start.
We worked with Daria & Miguel at The Crystal Tea Room - they were ...
both incredible. Daria works in sales so she handled our tours, all the questions, payments & all the options. She is wonderful - she takes time to answer and come up with options. She absolutely knows the couples she helps and it shows the day of. Miguel is the maitre’d of the tea room. He’s amazing! He takes care of the logistics day of. He’s very kind and you can definitely tell he’s been doing this for a while. Finley is lucky to have him.
The tea room itself is breathtaking - everything is grand, elegant, moody, gold, luxe etc. The bridal suite & the tavern are gorgeous as well.
The food - omg the food! They pull out all the stops for every single wedding. Not only is there an insane amount of options but, they’re all executed fantastically. The presentation of everything is wonderful as well.
The staff is all very welcoming and helpful. They took care of us and our guests like we were family.
If you have the opportunity to use FinleyCatering for your wedding (any of their locations) - go for it. It’ll be the best decision you make.
Sam A
5.0
2/10/2025
I could not say more great things about them. We worked with Steph Finley and she was amazing. She helped us every step of the way, along with Miguel who was our maître d'. They ar...
e a great team. The venue was absolutely beautiful and Crystal Tea Room will always hold a special place for us!!
Jessica F
5.0
11/27/2024
From start to finish I 100% recommend using the Crystal Tea Room for your wedding venue. They made our wedding experience a wonderful one. I truly cannot say enough about our weddi...
ng coordinator Daria, she was absolutely amazing and helped us with anything we needed along the process. Everyone along the way was also very helpful including the Matrie D Miguel with our little wedding details and our Bridal attendant for the day of! Most definitely recommend!
Scott B
5.0
9/14/2024
We would choose Finley Catering and the Crystal Tea Room again and again if we could. Steph and her team made sure the process was stress-free and put me and my wife’s ideas into r...
eality. We have had people nonstop talking about our wedding. From the food, to the chocolate shots, to the stunning ballroom, we really could not imagine a better night with the people we love. Miguel and his team the night of the event made sure all of our guests were treated like royalty and we cannot thank the Finley team enough. If you have any hesitations about booking Finley Catering or the Crystal Tea room, think again because you will not have a better experience in your lifetime. We wish we could relive this night every week if we could! Thank you Steph, Miguel, and Finley Catering for a night to never forget.
Taylor G
5.0
8/26/2024
We for married at CTR and there are not enough great things to say about Finley. We worked with Brooke and they truly have it down to a science there. Brooke was always available t...
hrough the process for questions, concerns, and to truly make anything happen that we could have requested. They don’t miss a beat and they really handle everything. Miguel is also amazing day of. The food is endless our guests continue to rave about it and the venue is so beautiful.
Maddie H
5.0
8/01/2024
I could not recommend Finley Catering and the Crystal Tea Room more for your wedding venue and catering needs! We had the literally the best wedding ever and the most AMAZING night...
and everything went smoothly thanks to their exceptional service. The team at the Crystal Tea Room went above and beyond to make our reception so special, and our guests continue to compliment us and rave about the venue and food.
Michelle was a dream to work with and was a big factor in our decision to book the Crystal Tea Room. She was so on top of everything, detail-oriented, and a fast communicator. She made us feel very confident that our day would go smoothly, and the team delivered. The Center City location is unbeatable, with lots of hotel options and ceremony spaces nearby. Not to mention the beautiful ballroom which has such a classic feel and an old city vibe.
Special shoutouts to Miguel, Mike, and Salima, who took care of us and our families from start to finish and provided exceptional service. All of the staff was incredibly professional, and the food and atmosphere were amazing. If you're looking for a venue that will provide outstanding service and leave you and your guests raving, look no further than the Crystal Tea Room!
Devin M
5.0
7/08/2024
The Crystal Tea Room venue is phenomenal and one of a kind! We had a great experience from start to finish with each of their employees. The only suggestion I would make is for th...
ere to be more frequent meetings to touch base with the wedding coordinator as there was only 1 meeting held before the big day to make all decisions. Aside from that they are very organized and will do anything to ensure your big day is perfect!
Dana R
5.0
6/10/2024
Michelle, Miguel and the amazing team at the Crystal Tea Room were amazing to work with! They helped facilitate our wedding perfectly! The food was amazing and we keep getting comp...
liments from all of our guests! Can't wait to be a guest at this venue again one day!
Kelly H
5.0
5/27/2024
If you want a 100/10 wedding, have your wedding at the Crystal Tea Room (CTR). CTR and Finley Catering went above and beyond for me and my husband and we could not have imagined go...
ing with another venue. Their professionalism, communication and service were phenomenal. We worked closely with Daria and not only was she our coordinator, but she became our good friend. From the moment we toured CTR with Daria, we knew this was the place for us. We were in good hands during the entire planning process through our wedding day. Daria and Miguel, the CTR Maître D, made our wedding day seamless and beautiful -- we didn't have to think about anything. Not only did everything go smoothy, but our guests continue to rave about the food and drink. We had the perfect wedding day and working with CTR and Finley were a huge reason why.
Sid N
5.0
4/14/2024
It was indeed a great experience of our daughter’s wedding and of course for our family and our friends.
The venue was fantastic and everything worked really well at the end - in ...
spite of some of the challenges we encountered during the planning process.
All in all it was a fantastic event in a superb location. The food and service was amazing.
And our guests echoed the same.
Thanks very much to Brooke and Miguel for their help in making this entire event a success.
Kyriaki V
5.0
2/25/2024
Hands down one of the best decisions we made during the entire wedding planning process was choosing Finley Catering and the Crystal Tea Room for our venue. Michelle and her team w...
ere amazing and our guests continue to rave about everything from the ambiance to the mountains of delicious food and variety of options. It is very hard to find a venue that is both breathtaking and can accommodate hundreds of guests but the Crystal Tea Room provided just that! Planning a wedding in a city hundreds of miles away from where you live is tough but Michelle, Miguel, and the entire Finley Catering team answered every question along the way and helped bring our vision to life with attention to every detail (dance floor, ice sculpture, signature drinks etc.). We are so thankful for Finley Catering, the Crystal Tea Room and Michelle for their help making our wedding day truly special. They really are simply the best!
Tolani I
5.0
1/17/2024
Our experience at the Crystal Tea Room was nothing short of phenomenal. Celebrating our wedding with over 450 guests turned out to be a perfect affair. The exceptional food, the en...
chanting venue lighting, and ambiance, as well as the delightful desserts, all contributed to creating a truly magical atmosphere.
Our dedicated event coordinator, Steph, who also happens to be a dear friend, flawlessly managed every detail, ensuring a seamless and hiccup-free celebration. Special thanks to the remarkable Maitre D, Miguel, who orchestrated the various wedding events with precision.
My wife and I are incredibly grateful for everything the Crystal Tea Room staff did to make our wedding day so memorable. It was truly an outstanding experience that exceeded all expectations.
Andrew S
5.0
11/20/2023
Our event was absolutely perfect thanks to the Finley team! Incredibly easy to work with, from their existing packages (knocking out venue plus food plus afterparty in one go) to t...
heir responsiveness throughout the planning process. We did not have a planner but did not miss a beat given how on top of everything Michelle was! And then Miguel and his team were great partners the day of, making sure everything went seamlessly throughout the evening. Thank you again to the Finley team for making our wedding day so special!
Kelsey T
5.0
11/11/2023
We were absolutely thrilled with our May 2023 wedding at the Crystal Tea Room! Right after we toured the Crystal Tea Room & Ballroom at the Ben, we knew we wanted to go with Finely...
. No other venues that we looked at seemed to compare/ offer as much with their packages as Finley’s did. We were lucky enough to work with Brooke who was super helpful throughout the whole process, and extremely insightful and prompt when any questions arose.
The Crystal Tea Room was beautiful. The food for both the cocktail hour and entrees was amazing. Our guests still say that out of all the weddings they have been to, ours had some of the best food they have ever had. All the staff was warm and welcoming to our guests. We were assigned a bridal attendant who was extremely attentive and helped my husband and I with anything we wanted/ needed.
Miguel (the maître de) was so warm and welcoming from the second we met him. He is so knowledgeable on how to have the smoothest possible flow, and communicated with our vendors throughout the whole night so my husband and I did not have to worry about a thing.
We cannot recommend Finley enough for your special day whether it be CTR or any other one of their beautiful venues!
Michelle C
5.0
10/03/2023
We had an incredible experience working with Michelle Finley, Miguel, and all of the staff at Crystal Tea room. From start to finish, our wedding was fabulous and impressed all of ...
our guests. The cocktail hour is so extensive and the food was a huge hit with all of our guests. One of our guests had an allergy that they did not disclose to me but after the wedding, they told me how impressed they were that the weight staff was so helpful and really assisted her with curating a meal that she enjoyed and felt comfortable eating.
Michelle and Miguel met with me multiple times to ensure my wedding vision was well-executed and the venue was in perfect shape for our special day. They honored my Jewish and Ukrainian cultural traditions and were flexible with requests and challenges. We will absolutely be recommending Finley catering in the future to our friends. Not that they really need the recommendation, because I think the wedding spoke for itself in beauty and professionalism.
Hali G
5.0
4/14/2023
There are not enough words to explain how amazing, professional, caring, and attentive the Finley team is!!! After meeting with Brooke during our walkthroughs, it was such a no-bra...
iner that we were going to book one of their venues. We went with The Crystal Tea Room and it was the best decision! My husband and I got married on December 10th and we talk about how our wedding was a DREAM almost every single day! From the venue visits to the months of planning every single detail to dropping off SOOO many things throughout the week of, and then of course to our wedding day - Brooke, Michelle, Miguel, and the entire Finley family puts so much love and thought into everything!!! They make your dreams come true and we cannot wait to go back to another Finley event hopefully VERY soon!!! The best EVER! You will not regret booking Finley for your wedding!
Kerry K
5.0
4/03/2023
The Crystal Tea Room was nothing short of amazing! The venue is fantastic, the staff was so professional and kind, so easy to work with. Emily was super responsive and made the pro...
cess easy. Miguel was so much fun and made things run so smoothly. We got so many compliments on both the food and the staff!
Jennifer D
5.0
3/05/2023
I could go on forever. Our wedding was an absolute DREAM. The entire process, from the moment we chose CTR, was easy and fun. Michelle Finley was our coordinator and she was so eas...
y to work with. Michelle always responded to emails and phone calls, offered her honest opinion when we needed it, and was just super helpful throughout the process. All of our friends and family cannot stop talking about how great our wedding, the venue, and the food/drinks were. Miguel, the day of maitre de, is amazing. He makes sure you’re taken care of and everything runs smoothly. And it was perfect! Cannot recommend CTR enough.
Brooke R
5.0
12/09/2022
We had our wedding at the Crystal Tea Room on 11/5/2022 and our experience was nothing short of incredible. Michelle, our main point of contact, was always quick to respond, kept u...
s updated on next steps and what to expect, and treated us like family. She was an absolute pleasure to work with.
Miguel, our maître d, was on top of everything. He made sure our day went smooth so we could enjoy every second and not have to worry about a thing. He was extremely organized, great to work with, and made sure the bridal party new where to go/what to do.
The rest of the Finley team and especially our bridal suite attendant, Angela, were absolutely AMAZING. You can tell that they truly love what they do and put their all into each event they work. We received so many compliments about how well the bartender’s made drinks. The food is something people are still raving about to this day. My fiancé and I never had to go looking for anything because Angela was right there when we needed her to make sure our drinks were full and we were having a great time.
To the entire Finley family, thank you so much for making this truly the most amazing experience for us. From the bottom of our hearts thank you. We hope to be back as guests for another amazing event at your beautiful venue.
Kristina P
5.0
12/06/2022
All Finley locations are incredible and that is because of the team of people they have working for them. We worked with Michelle and from day 1 she could not have been more helpfu...
l. She was patient while dealing with the millions of questions I asked, and she was helpful when it came to guiding us to decisions we were unsure of throughout the process. Miguel is the day of coordinator and I truly do not think there is a better one out there. He made us feel like family and he was there for anything we needed. The entire team was incredible the day of. We never asked for anything because before we could, they were standing there with a drink, food, or whatever else you could imagine. The food is also 10000/10. Get married at the Crystal Tea Room or really any Finley location and you will NOT regret it.
Michael D
5.0
11/15/2022
As the parents of the bride we wanted to give our daughter and her Fiancé a wedding they would never forget. Finley Catering and the Crystal Tea Room made this the wedding of a l...
ifetime. If you have the opportunity to have your wedding here than be prepared to be blown away by the quality of the food, service and the atmosphere. My expectations were very high leading up to the wedding and I can assure you that Finely Catering and the Crystal Tea Room far exceeded those already lofty expectations. I can't begin to tell you the number of guests that approached me throughout the wedding to tell me that this was hands down the greatest wedding they have ever attended. I wish there was a survey that I could score the quality of the food, the quality of the service, the quality of the staff, the atmosphere, etc. with a scale from 1-10 because every score would be a 15!! Miguel was our maître d and he was fantastic with the service he provided to every member of the wedding party and the parents of the bride and groom. It was amazing to see him work so hard, pay attention to every detail and remain smiling the entire time. Angela also deserves high praise on how she looked after everyone and attended to the bridal suite throughout the wedding day. If there was anything we needed she was on top of it and remained upbeat and personable the whole time. I also need to mentioned how impressed I was with the dessert room. I have never been to a wedding with that large of a dessert room and the number of desserts that they supplied for the wedding. Whatever you do, don't miss out on having the two hour after party. This is where the Crystal Tea Room supplies their own DJ for another two hours and they bring in more "Philly style" food for the guests as well as keeping the premium bar open for another two hours. Finally, dealing with Michelle Finley during this journey was a dream come true. She was there every step of the way leading up to the wedding day and she was so nice to even be there prior to the wedding to congratulate the bride and groom! I can't say this enough, The Crystal Tea Room and Finley catering should only be used for a wedding that you want the bride and groom to have the Best Wedding of all time!!!! Thank you so much to Finley Catering, Michelle Finley, and all their staff for making this a day on that my daughter will cherish forever!!!
Vik I
5.0
7/24/2022
Emily was a pleasure to work with and helped immensely with our planning process. There are many options there built in for food, lighting, etc. Miguel did a great job coordinating...
events on the day of. We loved our wedding at CTR.
Janine C
5.0
2/04/2022
If you’re looking for an elegant, fairytale wedding venue with amazing customer service, look no further than the Crystal Tea Room! The cocktail atrium room is a grand, open space ...
and when you enter the ballroom with the chandelier and romantic drapes and lighting, it transports you to a magical place. Emily was so great to work with throughout the planning process. When you meet Miguel, you will not be able to stop smiling. He has an energy that is contagious and his main goal is for you and your family to have fun and enjoy your special day. Beyond happy with choosing this venue with Finley Catering! Both of our families cannot stop talking about how amazing our wedding was and that’s a lot coming from my side of Brooklyn, New Yorkers!
Andrea S
5.0
1/29/2022
I cannot say enough about the excellence of Finley Catering and the Crystal Tea Room. The staff, the food, the service, the venue...seamless and perfect.
Meghan M
4.0
10/07/2021
The Crystal Tea Room did an absolutely fantastic job executing an amazing wedding. The timing was perfect, the service was phenomenal, Emily responsive and helpful throughout the p...
lanning (and re-planning) process and the whole night went off perfectly. I was unhappy with the manner in which Finely Catering handled the COVID-19 rescheduling process, but was otherwise extremely happy with the quality of the venue, the staff, the food and the entire evening.
Danielle C
5.0
10/06/2021
Crystal Tea is by far the most spectacular venue in Philly. My high school prom was here and ever since then I remember this venue and wanted to get married here. The Finley cater...
ing team and Crystal Tea blew our dreams out of the water for our wedding. It was truly amazing. We had our ceremony here and did the after party too. We loved being able to have everything in one place
Pilar R
1.0
5/04/2021
Very disappointed ! Received a call 6 days before the wedding to cut down our wedding list again...
Katie D
1.0
4/15/2021
My wife and I were affected by Corona Virus like many couples out there in Philadelphia looking to tie the knot in 2020. Out of all the vendors of our wedding, The Finley’s were by...
far the most unprofessional. When it became clear the quarantine would encompass our Friday, July 17th wedding date, we were told we could take a Wednesday or Thursday in 2020, but Fri/Sat/Sun in 2020, and any day in 2021 would need to be renegotiated to a higher price. We were told we couldn’t change venues, and under no circumstances could we reduce size/price, and or switch to an outdoor execution of our special day. We had mutually agreed to postpone our wedding, but when Gov Wolf of PA opened up the State in early Summer, The Finley’s tried to force us to have our wedding on its original date/terms and were threatened with legal action if we chose to fully cancel. When Mayor Jim Kenney closed the city down, The Finley’s went dark on us and refused to communicate ignoring all emails, calls, and letters. After 3 months we only received one response from Michelle Finley VP “All deposits are non-refundable at this time.”
Ultimately we have had to go to court to get any service or response from The Finley’s. From our perspective, these are fair weather business people who have no commitment to your special day and have little understanding of common practice within the entertainment and hospitality industry on how to handle any serious issue that may arise with your wedding.
In our opinion, during the Corona Virus, the result of the Finleys’ policies have been to take advantage of those less capable of handling their wedding in the midst of a pandemic. Forcing many to switch to weekday weddings at original contract prices, and giving other clients back little or none of their money, while on the other hand receiving relief from the State and accepting roughly $1,300,000 dollars in PPP loans from the Federal Gov Philadelphia Inquirer Jul 6, 2020.
In summary, we were told we had to pay the same price or higher for something we believed to be far less in value than what we had already paid. To date, we haven’t been shown that the Finleys spent any of our money towards any items related to our wedding, and didn’t just merely pocket our deposits as profit.
Tomas Finley, President – “Your honor, if we gave them their money back, we would have to give everyone’s money back.” Case Docket SC-20-08-14-3293, Philadelphia Municipal Court Jan 11, 2021
Kaliopi R
5.0
12/22/2020
I researched extensively into different Philadelphia venues for our wedding, taking into consideration all of the things we wanted (AMAZING food, beautiful space, ability to custom...
ize, what your money gets you, etc.) and choosing CTR and the Finley Group gave us all of that and MORE. Those are things that every one searches for, no doubt, but what Finley gave us that wasn't on any list was feeling like family...thanks to a team (especially our coordinator Emily and Tom Finley!) that made sure we felt well taken care of, staff that made our entire wedding guest list feel comfortable (Miguel the Maitre'd and Mike who took care of us and our parents), and an event we'll never forget. Every detail was taken care of, even down to making sure we had help getting our things at the end of the night. It's been almost a year and our guests continue to rave about the food, venue, and service, and how it was the best wedding they've ever been to. I'll never be able to thank the entire Finley Group for such a wonderful experience!
Charlotte K
1.0
11/24/2020
I have never felt so cheated by a company in my life! My fiancé and I picked this venue for our wedding in 2019. The staff was very nice, but once COVID hit they flipped. I underst...
and that at this time no one can promise how they are going to operate months in advance. That being said, how they handled our situation was unacceptable.
We had our date set for the end of October 2020. They reached out to us to come to their food tasting event that was in the end of August. Their communication to us at this point was that next month’s restrictions were lifting and that they have started to set guidelines to make our wedding happen. We emailed them at the beginning of September to get more information about the guidelines they promised. Their response was that they were still working on it. Two weeks later they reach out asking for us to switch our date. I told them that we were not flexible with our date. That date was the anniversary of many people on my fiancé’s side and held a great deal of importance to us. Their response was that we had two options, to change our date or cancel. If we canceled all the money we have given them would not be refunded. I could not believe it! I asked if they could be more understanding of our situation and give back some of the money we have given them. My fiancé was furloughed and having that money would be what we’d be using for a smaller/outdoor wedding. “ No, those are the nonrefundable deposits. Our cancellation fee is 50% of your event minimum. We wouldn’t require the additional money” was their response.
I think how you treat people when they are in a difficult/upsetting time says a lot about you. And no amount of beautiful decor, delicious food, or great location can make up for how we were treated. I will never be using Finley catering group in the future and will not recommend them to anyone.
Joanna P
5.0
1/24/2020
The Crystal Tea Room was perfect! Emily and Miguel made sure everything was flawless for us, excellent communication! Our guests can not stop talking about how much food was availa...
ble and how good it was!
Kristen V
5.0
7/17/2019
Thank you to Finley Catering and the entire team for exceeding our wedding reception expectations. From Emily (Coordinator), to Miguel (Maitre' d) to Devon (Took care of us and ou...
r parents all reception), they were all just wonderful. We had very specific asks in terms of Cocktail Hour set-up and they worked with us to accommodate all of our requests. They all truly care about you and want to make sure you have the most memorable celebration. Which you and your guests will! The compliments keep coming in from our guests, from the service to the drinks and finally to the food. Thank you to Finley Catering for the wedding of our dreams!
Jennifer G
5.0
6/05/2019
6 months after my winter wedding and I'm just getting around to reviewing, but wow I have nothing but wonderful things to say about CTR. From beginning to end they were a pleasure ...
to work with and made our day so perfect. I loved the venue the second I saw it but our planner, Emily, is really what sold us. Give that chick a raise! She was a dream to work with, so clear, helpful, & prompt, and never once made me feel like a neurotic, crazy bride. It may not be the cheapest venue around but I feel we really got our money's worth. If I needed something day-of, I'd blink and it'd be done. My guests are still raving that it was the best wedding they've been to in a while and in our circle of family and friends there have been MANY in the last few years. Can't recommend them or any Finley venue enough!!
Monica W
5.0
3/27/2019
So many of our guests told us our wedding was the best they had ever been to, and the Crystal Tea Room is to thank for that! The venue is gorgeous, and the chandelier couldn't be m...
ore perfect for a formal wedding. The food was exceptional! Guests raved about the food after the cocktail hour but continued to be amazed by the dinner and dessert bar! The dessert completely exceeded my expectations! Stacey was so great to work with, and Miguel executed the event perfectly. He calmed my nerves and orchestrated the entire wedding. Devin, our waiter, treated my family like royalty. We could not have been happier with the Crystal Tea Room!
Christina K
5.0
1/22/2019
The Crystal Tea Room could not have been more perfect! I felt like a queen during my entire reception. We had an excellent server named Devon who made sure I had everything I neede...
d all night! He brought us drinks and he even brought me a pair of comfortable shoes! Miguel was also phenomenal. He made sure that we sat and ate our dinner and I really appreciated that. Finley does such an amazing job with their food. Everyone raved about the selection during cocktail hour and for dessert! We added the after party! That was the best decision we could have made! There was a continued open bar and cheesesteak station/pretzels for all of our guests! They loved this! The venue was also so beautiful! Finley really gives you so much for the money and they do not nickle and dime you for every little thing. I have friends who paid a lot more for their wedding and did not get all that we got! They work with you! We had the most perfect wedding day every and I am so SO glad we went with the Crystal Tea Room! Highly recommend!!!
Jeff R
5.0
12/26/2018
WOW, Not sure how to begin, this was the most amazing event that our guests have seen. Many of the guests are in their 30's and have been to numerous events in the city, all of th...
em said it was the best venue (and event) they have attended. Food was so amazing, make sure you get the sea bass, it was so amazing(as was all the food). Plenty of bar area so no lines, room was decorated like a palace and was big enough so no one was crowded. New lighting system was installed and is included with the base price. Other places would have charged a lot of money for what comes standard. Rest room facilities were clean and easily able to handle the large crowds.
Keep the guests safe, purchase the after party. Extra open bar time, DJ and food (great cheese steaks, but I hear the pork is good also). The party is right next to the main ballroom. Has everything that a city club would offer without the crazy drink prices.
Now for the staff:
Emily - couldn't have been better. She not only told us what makes a wedding elegant and also pointed out areas to economize on without anyone noticing.
Miguel - coordinated every detail, not only the bridal party/family but all the guests. Everyone had some type of positive interaction with him. The wedding flow was flawless due to Miguel and the rest of the staff.
The rest of the staff, bartenders, waiters etc finished off the rest of the experience. The staff saw my wife struggling getting the dress, cake and presents back to the hotel. On his own time, a staff member assisted in the rain getting all the items back to the hotel. It's amazing how much stuff needs to be done after the event and without the staff it would have been difficult to accomplish.
I could go on and on about all the details that made this perfect.
I just want to finish by saying thank you to all the people who helped make this a perfect event.
Jess F
5.0
12/16/2018
My husband and I were married at the Crystal Tea Room on July 21. Once we got engaged, my first call was to see the CTR. We looked at a few other venues in Philadelphia and nothing...
compares to Finely Catering. Their package is incredible and we all kept asking, "is this really included in that price?" We booked the CTR immediately after we saw the room and met with Emily. She was absolutely amazing to work with. She is extremely organized which was a perfect match for my Type A personality. Emily would respond to emails extremely fast and helped with so many details. We did not have a wedding planner, but Emily made you feel like she was your wedding planner.
Throughout the planning process, we were impressed with Emily and Finely Catering. I have gluten allergy and they were extremely accommodating. When we were decided on our past hour d'vours, she noticed that there weren't many gluten free options for me. She told me that I should pick two more to add to the menu at no additional cost. When selecting our beer choices, my dad wanted to add an extra option because one was a cider for me. We emailed Emily to see how much it would be to add another option for beer. She added the extra choice without charging extra. That is Finely Catering - they are simply the best. They do not nickle and dime you, they really do treat you like family.
The day of our wedding was beyond perfect. The room was magnificent, food was outstanding, and the service was excellent. Seriously, Finely knows how to throw a party! The cocktail hour is full of amazing food and the atrium never felt crowded. The dessert room was out of this world. I was expecting various desserts, but the room was filled with everything you could have wanted! Even chocolate shots filled with Baileys!
The staff was equally as incredible. Miguel was wonderful and anything we needed, he was right there. He ran the wedding perfectly. Also, we were assigned a personal waiter. Devin was in charge of the bridal party and our parents. I would finish my last sip of my drink, and Devin would be there to exchange my drink for a fresh one. I don't know how he ran over and made sure that we were all happy, because he was every where!
Thank you all for the most perfect wedding! We hope to attend a wedding at the Crystal Tea Room so we can experience all of the parts that we missed because things flew by.
Brittany K
5.0
11/14/2018
Finley catering is not lying when they say they are "Simply the Best". We got married at the Crystal Tea Room on October 6. From the minute we met the Finley team, we had no doubt ...
that we were in the perfect hands and our wedding day would be magical. First off, Finley's service is second to none. From our planning meetings to specifics on our menu, we were BLOWN away by how wonderful the entire team is to work with. My sister has a severe food allergy, and this was a major worry of ours when we started looking at vendors. Finley was unbelievably accommodating. They make you feel like one of their own family members. The food at Finley is unreal and everything from cocktail hour to dessert was top notch. If you appreciate good food, Finley is phenomenal. Lastly, the Crystal Tea Room is breathtaking and the Finley group makes your dream become a reality. From the lighting to the dance floor to the timeless chandelier, if you and your fiance are looking for a day to remember for the rest of your lives, look no further, Finley Catering is your spot. I wish we could go back and do it all again! That's how amazing they were! Also, we highly recommend that you take Finley's vendor suggestions as we were extremely pleased with everyone that they recommend! Five stars is not enough to capture how amazing the Crystal Tea Room is! Thank you, Finley Family, for EVERYTHING!!!!! We will be back for sure!
STEPHEN M
5.0
10/17/2018
Very organized and top notch!
Danielle M
5.0
7/18/2018
My husband and I were married at this stunning venue on June 30th 2018, and everything was flawless start to finish. We booked the Crystal Tea Room after our engagement 1.5 years b...
efore the actual wedding because we knew that this was our venue and wanted to secure the date we had dreamed of. When we toured venues we fell in love with the classic feel of the ballroom with its stunning chandeliers, oak paneling, pristine bridal suite, and pub room. This in contrast with the atrium (where the cocktail hour is held) with its outdoor feel and views of the starry night sky gave us the perfect combination of and outdoor feel with a classic ballroom wedding. To make it even better the already perfect venue did a full furniture update in the pub room and bridal suite making the venue absolutely breathtaking. All of this coupled with the outstanding service we received from start to finish from Michelle, of Finley Catering; Miguel, the manager of the ballroom; and Devin, our personal –day-of- server; made this night truly our perfect wedding night. We STILL a month later have friends and family raving about how amazing and abundant the food from Finley Catering was. This was our perfect night and it would not have been if not for everyone with Finley and the Crystal Tea Room. I wish there was a 6 star rating to give because this team deserves nothing less than a 6 star review!
Sophie G
5.0
3/12/2018
FABULOUS! We got married on 2/10/18 and were over the moon ecstatic with the level of service of Finley Catering, specifically the CTR team. Michelle helped us plan the most perfec...
t wedding answering all of our questions immediately, she was there during the entire process and even calmed me down the second I walked down the isle. She was key with all the details and answered all pre weekend questions. We have received countless compliments on the room, the room it's self is gorgeous, from the stunning chandelier to the architecture of the columns, classic timeless ballroom. Miguel was our day of person who made sure everything went smoothly, and he did not disappoint, he was always by my side asking if I needed a drink or lamb chops and made sure I wasn't stressed during the actual day. We also had food in the bridal suite prior to the actual ceremony as well as after, we had a sampling plate before we entered cocktail hour. Now, the food, let's start with the cocktail hour, WOW, amazing stations and tons of food making sure your guests get a proper base before the open bar. People were in shock that we still had a dinner after cocktail hour, there was THAT much food. We went with the duet pairing and people were raving about the crab cakes, filet and gratin dauphinois combination. If you are looking for a professional team that knows what they are doing than look no further as they will over deliver and make your dream a reality. Best day ever!
Joseph P
5.0
1/03/2018
WOW! Book them. Now! I can't tell you how many people told us our wedding was the best they've ever been to. Emily was so prompt whenever she got back to us (she even gives clients...
her cell phone #). She was on top of every detail that we had discussed during the 1.5 year planning process. I made so many changes the month of and she was so patient with me during the whole process. Miguel ran a flawless event the day of the wedding, and just became part of the family that night it felt like! We had so much fun not only planning the wedding, but at the wedding itself. They made sure we were taken care of, and our parents too (bringing us and the bridal party cocktail hour food, making sure we ate each meal, refilling our drinks all night) - we had a blast!! I will also say that our food tasting months prior to the wedding was "fine" (filet isn't really meant to be served buffet style, but understandably is served this way for the group tasting), but once you get to the wedding day the food was out of this world! So if you have a mediocre tasting, just know that the food will be 10x better the day of! People raved about each and every course, the cake, and the coffee bar at the dessert room! This place is hands down worth every penny. The ballroom was a literal dream. I was so sad at the end of the night when it was all over that I cried!! I will also add that you need to do the after party! Our guests LOVED it because they never wanted to stop partying that night. The DJ they provided was amazing. I look back on our wedding day with a heart so full that every detail we envisioned became a reality. People will be talking about this wedding for a long long time. Book them - you'll be glad you did!
Jacqueline P
5.0
10/11/2017
Michelle, Miguel & Finley catering made my fairytale wedding come true!! So professional and absolutely amazing to work with! The ballroom took my breath away. Michelle created a d...
ream come true and was so attentive with quick responses that my husband and I were at ease knowing it was in her hands. Hands down the BEST venue and catering choice for a top notch wedding! All the guests agreed too!
Amanda S
5.0
9/15/2017
THE MOST INCREDIBLE VENUE AND STAFF!!! We held our wedding here 8.19.17 and it was the most perfect day. Michelle, Miguel, and the rest of the staff were wonderful. They made sure ...
our every wish was met and the wedding ran smoothly and perfectly. As a type-A bride, I could not have been more pleased. The cocktail hour was incredible (a month later people are still talking about it), the room was beautiful, and our guests were beyond impressed. This venue comes with a price, but it is worth EVERY penny! Finley is the best catering company in the city and the Crystal Tea Room is the most luxurious venue to match.
Sarah B
5.0
7/17/2017
What a venue!!! Simply amazing!!! We got married on 4-29-17 at the Crystal Team Room and words can not even explain our satisfaction with not only the venue, but all of the staff w...
ho works there as well.
We worked with Michele from day one and she made wedding planning a breeze. When we first met for our initial consult, we were nervous and wasn't sure even what to look for, ask about, etc. Meeting Michele was the best decision of our lives that day! She put our minds at ease, broke down things in detail and listened to our vision and what we were looking to accomplish with our wedding theme! A baseball eloquent theme is not something to easily pull off and Michele was very helpful in helping us achieve that goal.
Miguel was a blessing in disguise and we couldn't be more thankful for him. He has such an infectious personality that it's not hard at all to feel like you have known him for over 20 years! He is superb at what he does and keeps your whole night organized and running smoothly. I did not have anything to worry about the entire night of my wedding! My husband and I still talk about how much we didn't have to stress about things and how much we were able to just really enjoy the most important day of our lives.
The food was amazing and our guests still have been raving about all of it from cocktail hour to the after party. The drinks were excellent too! All of our guests were surprised by the large selection and the quality of the drinks!
All of the staff was very friendly and helpful to all of our family and friends. All of you were more than accommodating and we could never thank you for that!!!! We love all of you and thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!! We hope many more people have wedding dreams like ours come true at all of your Finley locations!!! <3
Future brides....look no further!!! This is the venue to make all of your dreams come true!!!! Go and Book today!!!!
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