John Joseph Inn

ect. He made sure we were taken care of and put so much personal care into making sure our wedding vision came to life. The food throughout was the best wedding food we’ve ever had! We are still having guests reach out to us telling us how delicious it was. John’s staff at the Inn were attentive and helpful throughout the weekend. The rooms were beautiful, luxurious, and comfortable. Our families and friends absolutely loved staying on the grounds for the weekend. We couldn’t recommend the John Joseph Inn enough. We are so happy to have chosen this venue and would do it again in a heartbeat. You won’t find a more elegant, beautiful, perfect place to get married.

ere in great shape and the property was well maintained. I would love to go back to the Inn just to dine at one of the chefs tastings- the food was that good. Oh and the cake- are you kidding me? Amazing. I could go on and on. Hands down best wedding venue in the central and upstate New York area.

e lodging forthe wedding party, rehearsal dinner in the restaurant, ceremony outside in the amazing garden, and the reception in an elegant heated tent. They also take care of the entire setup and breakdown of each area. The best part of the wedding was a tie between the fall view and the delicious food, which all of our guests raved about!

ust so gorgeous, expertly manicured to be the perfect backdrop for the most romantic day of our lives. The inn where my bridal party and I got ready was absolutely perfect, very spacious to comfortably fit us all. The rooms are just gorgeous and well stocked. Every moment of the day went so smoothly, all thanks to John and Steve who went ABOVE and beyond the call of duty, I didn’t have to stress or worry about a thing the whole weekend. The FOOD… I am still getting complimented on how amazing all the food was. We had our rehearsal dinner and brunch there, it was amazing to just be in one spot the entire weekend. I can honestly say we had the best weekend there filled with the most wonderful memories. I can’t thank John, Steve and the rest of the staff enough for making our wedding day so special. Book the inn you won’t regret it!!

Trust their judgement! They definitely made it the best day ever. It’s a naturally beautiful venue on top of that! HIGHLY recommend

décor, is wonderfully charming. The shaded ceremony area is romantic and comfortable even on a sunny summer afternoon, and the cocktail area is reminiscent of the most luscious English countryside garden. I had initially considered going off-site for pre-ceremony pictures, but I’m so glad we didn’t – the Inn and its gardens are the perfect backdrop. Our guests also loved wandering the property and taking pictures on the porch, in front of a stunning sunset. All our vendors made the day easy for us. John and his staff are laid back, yet totally on-top of the day-of details – we felt we were able to relax, enjoy the day and be confident that everything would be handled well. The cocktails and food are top-notch – our guests raved about both specialty cocktails (limoncello Collins and tart cherry mint julep – both made with fresh ingredients), the elegant Jar Bar and passed hors d'oeuvres, all of our entrée selections and of course, the delicious summer strawberry cake. We appreciated how candid John was in the planning process, offering his opinion on what is necessary and what is not, which helped us stick to our budget. You really don’t need to add much to have a wonderful event at this venue. We would certainly recommend the John Joseph Inn to anyone looking for an elegant, yet laid-back experience in Upstate NY.

and (most importantly) incredible at what he does. As soon as I arrived, I knew John and his staff cared even more about every detail than I did - which allowed me to fully “clock out” and enjoy every moment of the weekend, trusting that everything would go off without a hitch. It did, of course, and John truly labored over every detail. All of the food was incredible, and the setting could not be more perfect. John helped accommodate a couple of unique requests that meant the world to us, and it was such a perfect weekend. I can’t recommend the John Joseph Inn highly enough!!

. This was especially important to us since we were not local for the planning and his responsiveness throughout the process made everything so much less stressful. We especially enjoyed the freedom and flexibility that we had in planning the menu to really celebrate who we were as a couple and John expertly guided us through this with his years of culinary experience. The day of the wedding, John coordinated everything seamlessly even though he was also busy with preparing the best wedding meal we've ever had. We highly recommend John and his venue for a wedding and we could not be happier with how our wedding went.

loved being able to rent out the whole property for the weekend. We even did our rehearsal dinner at the venue. Our guests are still raving about the food from the rehearsal dinner and wedding! We would recommend the John Joseph Inn to anyone looking for a beautiful venue with a very attentive owner/chef and excellent food!

of him throughout the whole planning process, the reception date did need to be changed and there was a longer planning process but the lack of communication did not change. In the Inn itself, no one collected garbage(which of course accumulated over the weekend) and I was told where to find more trash bags, there was not enough toilet paper, a bench was broken in one of the rooms An alarm was going off in the inn around 11pm he did not respond until 2am Our schedule was on his schedule because he was cooking and trying to run the wedding and rehearsal dinner Most of the staff were children or teenagers Decorations had specific set up directions but they were set up wrong and I missed cocktail hour making corrections The decorating process began in late afternoon but the decorations were there the night before No direction for table dismissal during dinner, one table of guests was told to sit back down His girlfriend "wedding crashed" the reception LITERALLY No announcement of dessert or late night snack, some guests did not know We were told, from the beginning, that we would not have to worry about anything. The whole process would be taken care of and we could just relax, this did not happen. I understand that Covid has caused problems for this industry, but there were too many issues.

son we were. The staff did a great job setting up the decorations exactly as we had envisioned them! The food was fantastic (hors d’oeuvres and dinner)!! The cake was beautiful and delicious!! The event staff did an all around great job. John was very willing to work with us to make our wedding day very special, even when we had to move our date out a year because of the pandemic. We had to adjust our plan many times due to the constantly changing state restrictions, and John was accommodating and knowledgeable about the guidelines. The biggest critique we have is communication. Sometimes it was very hard to get in contact with John, with some emails going unanswered for weeks, which was very frustrating. He was usually more responsive via text or phone call, but for some things email is a better medium. He was more responsive as the date got closer, but the experience would have been better if the planning phase was a little smoother.

a great job setting up the decorations exactly as we had envisioned them! The food was fantastic (hors d’oeuvres and dinner)!! The cake was beautiful and delicious!! The event staff did an all around great job. John was very willing to work with us to make our wedding day very special, even when we had to move our date out a year because of the pandemic. We had to adjust our plan many times due to the constantly changing state restrictions, and John was accommodating and knowledgeable about the guidelines. The biggest critique we have is communication. Sometimes it was very hard to get in contact with John, with some emails going unanswered for weeks, which was very frustrating. He was usually more responsive via text or phone call, but for some things email is a better medium. He was more responsive as the date got closer, but the experience would have been better if the planning phase was a little smoother.

ng before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. All of our original wedding planning had to be adapted to the situation we found ourselves in. Before the pandemic hit, John Hamilton was very easy going and very accommodating to our needs, concerns and desires. We were originally planning on having an event with 140 guests. Every step of the way, John was easy to talk to, courteous, and caring to all of our needs. Then the pandemic hit. We spoke with John a few months into the pandemic and all of our uncertainties were communicated. He was a great listener and was understanding of the unprecedented position we were all in. He always reassured us that he was on our side and will support whatever changes and adjustments we decided going forward. Once we were six weeks before the wedding when it was certain that the COVID-19 restrictions were not going to be relaxed, we made the difficult choice to slash the event down to only 15 guests. John was very flexible and helpful in guiding us through that emotional decision. We had a very small and intimate gathering with the wedding ceremony and a beautiful dinner afterwards. The site was still beautifully decorated, and the food was delicious and the service for our small reception was terrific. We want to highlight that despite how unprecedented and difficult last year was for everyone, John and his staff still managed to give us a great wedding day with memories we will cherish forever. Definitely recommend, and we hope that no other couple will struggle with any future COVID-19 restrictions like we did, but at least rest assured that if it does happen, John Hamilton will do everything in his power to still give you a great day!

uch short time after we decided last minute on a micro wedding. The grounds are simply gorgeous with infinite photo opportunities, all the rooms at the inn were comfortable and adorably decorated, and the FOOD! One of my guests told me afterwards that it was the best meal she has ever had. What more do you want for yourself and your guests than that? John was also SO accommodating to my guests’ different needs. My parents basically want to adopt him into our family! We could not have wanted anything more for our day!

and our guests. It was important for us to have delicious food at our reception. We were told JJI had excellent food. One person told me they had the "best bite of food they've ever had". 100% recommend this place to host your wedding!!

engaged. Immediately upon setting foot on the grounds we were blown away by its beauty. Then we met John and we were sold. John is the most talented and hard working man I've ever met. He runs the inn, maintains the property, acts as head chef and wedding planner/day of coordinator and probably many, many other things I don't know about. He does it all!! He also does only one wedding a weekend so he can fully focus on making your day amazing. The thing we loved most about working with John as we went through the planning process was how creative and outside the box he was. It was so important to my husband and I that we have a really unique wedding with personal touches and John made sure that happened. We did a custom menu based on our favorite foods (tacos with seafood and lamb, an entire BBQ station and my grandmother's eggplant parm recipe) that ended up being delicious. He also made us a custom chocolate cake with marshmallow and peanut butter filling with buttercream icing that is quite possible the best thing I've ever tasted. Everything about our wedding day was perfect - the venue, the grounds, the food, the service. Everyone in attendance was so in love with the property and was in awe of John's talent. They all said it was the best wedding they've ever been to and that's all because of John! If you want your wedding day to be the most memorable, fun and happiest day of your life, have your wedding at the John Joseph Inn!!

some of the most amazing people working the wedding. -We had the carrot cake for our wedding cake and it was SO. GOOD. -The staff made sure that immediately after the ceremony they came to me and my bridal party to give us some appetizers. -We were collected to go to the ceremony by John. The Frustrations: The owner. -Hard to reach or takes long to hear back from. -Struggled to get final number bills or receipts for payments -We found him to be nonchalant, too familiar (calling me 'babe' and making nicknames for my bridal party), and ... to be honest, a little arrogant. -Rooms are WAY over priced for what you receive and the amenities. -As mentioned by other brides, you need to have someone ready to set up the decor the day of. John will tell you that his staff will set everything up but no one came to us to ask where we wanted things. And when I sent my brother and sister to check, the staff was setting tables and decor owned by JJI. Understandable. But could have been a major frustration considering John had told me it would take care of it the day of. Just be prepared. I've expressed all these concerns with John and he seemed to take t seriously and genuinely found him to be sorry for the issues I had and I hope he takes them seriously. However I also found him quick to explanation/excuse. While I wouldn't say that you should avoid this ven I would offer some caution. Everything will come ogether, your guests will have a great time, and the pictures will be beautiful but the wedding process and time leading up to it are likely to be stressful and frustrating. A very chill, go with the flow couple would do well at this venue. If anyone has questions, please feel free to reach out and I'd be happy to share more.

e comparing napkin colors, planning elaborate favors or freaking out over logistics– take a deep breath and let John simplify things and help you plan what matter most: A meaningful ceremony in a beautiful setting, BOMB food/drinks and a fun party that everyone will remember. Spending the entire weekend at the inn meant less logistical planning, and more time to relax with family and friends. John did everything from baking us fresh muffins in the morning, to keeping us on schedule while getting ready, to directing guests after cocktail hour. We're so glad we had our wedding at the John Joseph Inn, and would recommend it to anyone!!! Can't wait to go back for some tastings : )

was better than we could have ever imagined! Before we get into the details, one of the best aspects about the Inn - especially for a wedding - is that your entire experience can feel more relaxed since you can stay overnight (in gorgeous, comfortable, decadent rooms), get ready with your bridal party, and then literally just walk right outside and get married in the beautiful gardens on the property. John and his staff (especially Ashley!) honestly makes you feel right at home immediately so that any nerves or wedding planning stress quickly melts away. We also decided to host our rehearsal dinner there which we highly recommend doing since the food, drinks and ambiance is fantastic. From the start, we loved John and his positive & humorous attitude, but he stepped it up a notch when it came time for our wedding weekend. He was so dedicated to our wedding & happiness that we honestly can't think of one thing that we would have changed. He was so much fun to work with, gave us great advice when we needed it, and gave us peace of mind since he has been in the wedding business for quite some time and really is a true expert. He wears many hats throughout the process (since he's both the owner/manager & chef) but he doesn't let anything slip through the cracks and will make sure your day is flawless. The food is incredible - huge portions, delicious/perfectly cooked entrees, AMAZING carrot cake (seriously our guests could not stop raving about all the food - we've been hearing constantly from our family & friends that it was the "best carrot cake I've ever had" "my steak was cooked perfectly" "the chicken was juicy and so delicious"), and John made our "food dreams" come true by surprising us during our cocktail hour with a specialized appetizer that he custom created for us because he knew it was a food we loved. The Inn is on a spectacular piece of property with manicured gardens, orchards, and a barn with horses and sheep, so both us and our guests had ample photo opportunities - again something that made it so easy for us since we didn't have to go off property and leave our guests during cocktail hour to shoot our wedding photos. As the day and night went on, the tent where receptions are held in, turned into an epic dance party and all the while John continued to make sure that all of our guests were taken care of and that everyone was having the time of their lives - which we sure did! All in all, John and his staff go above and beyond to make you feel like you're not just another wedding at the venue. The John Joseph Inn, John, and his staff made our 200 person wedding feel so intimate, beautiful, relaxed and SO. MUCH. FUN. We've already heard from many friends that it was the best wedding they've ever been to and our families (who stayed at the Inn for the weekend with us) are already talking about planning a future reunion there because they loved it so much! Thank you John, Ashley, and all the fabulous staff for making 9.2.17 a perfect memory <3

s not even at the level that could be characterized as good. The appetizers were an uninspired slice of baguette with some mush on top. The meal was a dry, dull salad that had no discernible dressing, that everyone at our table complained about. Then I was served a minuscule piece of dry chicken, and my dinner-mates had pre-cooked rewarmed steak that was not fresh. Dessert was some sort of flavorless bread pudding. Nothing was good enough to even pass as "good." My kids can all cook better than this at this point, and none of them are Hotelies. The grounds are very nice, however. The owner was unreachable by phone for about a month in the winter months when our graduates were trying to arrange the meal there. When I tried calling him months in advance, he simply never returned calls. That was certainly a foreboding of the amateurishness of the place. When he finally does talk to you, he is a bit high strung and does not have a calm professional demeanor on the phone. He gives the impression he cannot navigate change or adapt easily. He needs a new chef, and some better menus. It was an absurdly tasteless and poorly executed meal. We ate better at Chipotle at lunch, believe it or not.

s the best experience that he could for our budget. We booked the venue 1 yr and 8 mos in advance, for our wedding on 8/12/17. In July of 2016 (over a year in advance), we had experienced financial turmoil, and called John to cancel our wedding. John answered, my husband introduced himself, and John said "oh yeah I haven't done anything besides put your name in the computer" and my husband said that wasn't a problem, because we would like to cancel the reservation. John refused to refund our deposit, even if the date were to be reserved by another couple. I realize that the contract says that the deposit will not be refunded, but our other vendors had the same wording within our contract, but refunded the deposit anyway because they already had inquiries for that date and it was so far in advance. We tried to compromise with him, saying that if he didn't book the date, we wouldn't expect anything back, but he refused. We were going to try to make our wedding a financial possibility again in January of 2017. I contacted John asking him where I could send the second payment. He replied, but we haven't heard from him since. If he really had intentions of hosting our wedding, he would have reached out to us. In our experience, this was poor business practice. I realize that he is trying to run a business, but there are better ways to do this than being greed driven and money hungry. We are very disappointed and will not be recommending this venue to any of our friends or family.

de felt like we were hobnobbing with Clark Gable, Ava Gardner and The Roosevelts. John Joseph Hamilton, the proprietor and executive chef, describes himself as “the preppy farmer." He has great taste for architecture, food, decor, and even fashion. (He's well dressed) You aren't just renting the Inn, you are getting John. We met John when we toured the venue and knew that we could trust him with one of our largest purchases ever, our wedding. Things to note: - You can have both the ceremony and reception there. - Ceremony is in a garden or if it rains, inside the Inn. Cocktail hour is on the lawn and orchard. Reception is in a tent. - You have to use them for the catering, including the cake. Don't worry, food is outstanding! - You must rent all 6 guest rooms plus a 4 person cottage as part of the deal. - They also will do the rehearsal dinner if you choose (we did and it was great!) - The estate is private. You don't hear or see anyone other than your guests and the staff. - Your photographer will love shooting here! I wish we hired a day-of coordinator. John does a lot of the coordination but he's also running the kitchen. The groomsmen and I spent several hours unpacking and setting up decorations. The girls weren't able to do much as they needed a few hours to get ready. You also might not hear from John much beforehand, but trust that he will give you an amazing day! Overall it was a great experience! The John Joseph Inn has been open for about 8-9 years. They do one wedding a weekend. It might not be the most "well oiled machine" as far as venues go, but you won’t feel like you are in a wedding factory with two other weddings. I highly recommend booking here for farm-to-table food, privacy, unique classy venue, outdoor wedding, and the attention to detail.

s amazing!

phenomenal. We dealt directly with the owner, John Hamilton. John is straightforward--no shady business or hidden costs. We left our first meeting with a spreadsheet that clearly broke down costs, as well as a timeline of when we should expect to have things done. He truly cares about this business, and will work with couples to make sure their experience is nothing short of magical. The grounds consist of the Elizabeth Restaurant (we held the rehearsal dinner there. Its also available for brunch.), the John Joseph Inn (a luxurious bed and breakfast just across the driveway, with Jacuzzi tubs and the most comfortable bed I've ever slept in), an arbor for the ceremony, a sweeping tent with chandeliers for the reception, an apple orchard and a sheep meadow. The most consistent compliments we got were about the food. John and Elizabeth, who did our cake, both graduated from the Culinary Institute of America. The carrot risotto with sriracha is one of my all time favorite dishes. All of the food was fresh, seasonal, and delicious. My husband and I were so excited that we wouldn't have to have the mass produced rubber chicken with limp vegetables that you find so often at weddings. The food here was a star rather than an afterthought. I could not have hoped for a better wedding experience. Trust John and know that he will work tirelessly to make your wedding incredible. You won't be disappointed.

venue. They are two of the most personable, down to earth, and multi talented people we have ever met. What makes their business stand out from the rest is their love for family. We didn't just get married on their property. We created irreplaceable memories with our closest family and friends. The food was top notch which was not a surprise as John and Elizabeth are both culinary experts. An exact quote from my uncle at the rehersal dinner who travels the world for business "I have had chicken all over the world and only 5% of people can really cook chicken perfectly. This is some of the best chicken I have ever had." The signature drinks were a hit and the cake, absolutely breathtaking (thank you Elizabeth!) John was very flexible when it came to logisitical matters. He also tweaked the menu to meet our requests. The property is immaculate which made for perfect photos. John was there for us every step of the way even up until I walked down the aisle. He was there to hold my dress as I walked through the garden. He took the time to get to know us which I strongly believe is the reason our day went perfectly. My husband Jon and I cannot thank John and Elizabeth enough for making the best day of our lives come true. What they do for people is a very beautiful thing. We will be back in the near future for a tasting and cannot wait to roll up their driveway to be greeted with huge smiles. What an amazing team John and Elizabeth make. Nothing beats having a private estate to yourself for an entire weekend without the interruption of other wedding parties. The staff was exceptional as well. They were friendly and very attentive to us and our guests. We have received dozens of messages from our families and friends saying "that was the best wedding we have ever been to!". All of our thanks, love and appreciation to you, John and Elizabeth! - Kim and John Kearney

my wedding day perfection. Their attention to detail and their hard work makes for a wedding to be remembered. My wedding day started off rainy, grey and gross... John and Elizabeth were determined to create a day that would still be perfection in my eyes with plan of doing the ceremony here or there, whatever would work best. As the weather cleared up they dropped those plans and moved the ceremony back outside. They and their staff set up my reception area to perfection, they made THE best food, they took care of the cake which was phenomenal, John was there to guide us through every step of the day, which made for a stress free bride and groom who were able to sit back and enjoy themselves. Having the rehearsal, ceremony and reception all in one place made for easy planning and created a home away from home for the weekend. Having our family and friends stay or stop by the Inn whenever they liked made for a relaxing and fun time. The grounds, arbor, Inn, cottage, restaurant and tent all made a lovely backdrop for our beautiful day, not to mention BEAUTIFUL photo opportunities. As my groom still sleeps from post wedding exhaustion I could not help but recount my wonderful wedding day and brag a bit about how wonderful it turned out thanks to John, Elizabeth and the wonderful staff they surround themselves with. If you didn't know about the John Joseph Inn before, You're Welcome because now you do!

, but thats about all it can be relied on for. John, the owner of the Inn, if very difficult to work with. When trying to contact him, I did not get a response for weeks after both emails and calls. This lasted right until my wedding day. I don’t think I can stress enough how difficult it was to get in touch with him throughout the process. When I could I would come up to the Inn from NJ, where he gave a lot of personal attention, but most of what he said would happen turned out to be empty promises once my wedding day came. On my wedding day, I was told I would just get to relax and sip champagne while I got ready. Instead, I had to worry about the tent being set up and had to provide John with second copies of information I had already given him. My bridesmaids spent a few hours out in the tent setting up the tables and space around it because John didn’t do it. When I tried to give him the decor I had, he walked away. I had a beautiful wedding day because of a fantastic support group. It was extremely stressful and difficult to plan with John and I can honestly say I would not wish that on any bride. I would love to give details and please feel free to contact me and ask for more information.

an not say enought about the help and calm approach John took to everything. He fufilled all of his promises and more! From problem solving and being the go-between for all of our other vendors the day went off without a hitch. Trust that he is a professional and makes your wedding day amazing.

mowing all the lawns in the pouring rain the day before our reception when we arrived to make sure the grass would look just right the next night, and the rest of the weekend continued in that fashion. John, Elizabeth, and their staff went above and beyond what myself or any of my family could have anticipated. We were surprised first by adorable lambs and a beautifully in bloom sunflower field we didn’t expect, then breakfast baskets for all the girls getting ready delivered to each room, then nicely displayed and creatively infused liquors that were a huge hit with guests at the open bar! John was also able to execute my “pinterest heavy” ideas exactly as I had imagined without me worrying about anything except getting my dress on. He also did so much behind the scene to help move the night in the direction we wanted. During the planning process, be sure to be open with him about your ideas, and he will be able to tell you what will work and what won’t. And trust him, he really knows what he’s doing. Over a week has passed since the wedding, and I am still getting daily emails and messages from guests saying it was the classiest, best, most beautiful, awesome and fun, wedding and I received non-stop praise for the food too. Our cupcakes with a small cutting cake and late night taco bar… beautiful and delicious…OH MY GOSH! I really can’t say enough. If you want to get married in Ithaca, I would truly say to look no further than John Joseph Inn. Our wedding day here was a complete dream come true. As my seven year old cousin standing in the apple orchard said “we all went inside the biggest fairytale there is”. Thank you so much John and Elizabeth. –Jessica and Steve~ Aug 10, 2013 wedding

s are taken care of in one place, giving you fewer people to deal with and fewer moving parts in the planning and execution. The real best part is it is a gorgeous place, perfect ambiance, great food, and great bar. Wouldn't change a single thing about any of that! During planning, the one frustration is John can be tough to catch with questions, even when it's close to the date, but even so you can trust that everything is totally taken care of and done well. For the area, this place is on the higher price end, but for what you get from it, it's totally reasonable. The place is unbelievable, the food definitely lives up to it's expectation, and the bar is high end. The staff is also very helpful, accommodating, and attentive (and fun).

r lives. Rather than just rave, I will break it down: Planning: John made the planning easy and seamless. He provided a vendor list that I found extremely helpful when it came to booking all the extras, like florist, DJ, etc. He always answered all of my (many) questions, either by email or phone, within a few days of sending them to him. We had a planning session via Skype since we were planning from New York City. John spent almost two hours with us, chatting and getting a feel for the wedding we wanted. Property: The Inn itself could not be more idyllic--it's a breathtaking backdrop for a wedding. The gardens were amazing and beautifully kept, plus there were lambs (!) roaming in the back. The rooms themselves are amazing--each one has its own character, with flat screens and jacuzzi tubs. John brought breakfast baskets each morning that had the BEST muffins in the world in them--most mornings the muffins were still warm when we got them. Day of: We had a short rehearsal the night before, and everything went off without a hitch. John's staff was warm and welcoming as well, and did a beautiful job setting up for the reception. Also, it was amazing that my bridesmaids and I got to relax up in the bridal suite until it was time to go down, and then John came to collect us. Food: THE FOOD! It was crazy good--not your normal wedding fare. We did three appetizers during cocktail hour and then the plated dinner, and everyone raved about the food (particularly the steak)! The cake was also amazing with buttercream and fresh strawberries. Service: The service at the reception was remarkable. The bartenders were personable and attentive, and there was never a long wait at the bar. The specialty drink was a perfect touch too. This place does not disappoint!!!

e that we asked. We found them to be friendly and flexible. Our wedding was outdoors, and the venue is lush and green: hedged garden, trees, apple orchard, and swings. John took care of details, both small and large. For example, we rented and erected an Indian wedding mandap (like a canopy with pillars), and John noticed and made sure that the ceremony tent was raised an extra few feet so that it and the platform would fit underneath. The best part was the food, which was absolutely delicious and unforgettable. Four years later, friends and family still mention our wedding buffet. John and Elizabeth are graduates of the Culinary Institute of America and, in our opinion, run the best kitchen in the Ithaca area. Many of our guests were from India, and half were vegetarians. John therefore developed a highly-customized menu for us and magnificently blended Indian flavors with his specialties. Here are a few items from our menu: - Mustard spiced seared pork tenderloin - Paneer and couscous cakes with cilantro jalapeno oil - Spiced eggplant sous vide with toasted cumin seeds - Cumin and chili crusted seared salmon with mango curry cream sauce - Spice rubbed lamb shoulder grilled and roasted, served with a curried ginger blueberry puree - Amazing seared tofu Elizabeth is the pastry chef and created an incredible tiered spiced carrot cake with cream cheese frosting crusted with candied walnuts. We tried to save the top layer of the cake for freezing, but it was too good: we ate it the next day. JJ&E is a small, family-run business. All contact will be with John, who is the chef and manager. Although he is relaxed and does not always return phone calls, John is a professional and excellent at what he does. He gave us a clear timeline of when things would happen, and he took care of things according to that timeline. Nothing fell through the cracks. The pdf package they provide on the website is clear, with tons of information and pricing details. There were no hidden charges, and we felt like we could trust John. We visited a dozen wedding sites in the Ithaca area, and JJ&E was the perfect one for us.

ur dreams and succeeded with his attention to detail and high energy. John was a great partner with a lot of experience and a good vision of how the weekend should be structured, and he incorporated the special touches that were important to us. It was great to be able to relax knowing that we were in his capable hands, especially the day of the wedding. John was everywhere - managing his amazing staff in and outside of the kitchen, serving as wedding coordinator and MC, even holding the train of my dress! The grounds are beautiful, very well maintained, and have an elegant yet comfortable feel. The inn itself is quaint, classic, updated and exquisitely decorated. The beautiful tent is also worth mentioning - perfect size so all your guests feel close by, with chandeliers and a stone floor. John and his wife are chefs who planned an amazing local and seasonal meal (for the whole weekend) and everything was fantastic - especially the cake! All in all, John's enthusiasm for ensuring that each wedding is unique and runs smoothly, coupled with his expertise in managing the details, made for an amazing wedding weekend for us and our guests. The only drawback I would mention is that the hotels in Ithaca are a little distant from the Inn - so make sure that you can offer a shuttle for your guests.

ite is gorgeous, the inn is luxurious, the food was incredible and the service was impeccable! John and Elizabeth were attentive throughout the entire planning stage and their menu was creative and innovative. Our guests were treated like royalty and most importantly, our daughter's dream day was everything we could have possibly hoped for!

rrounding areas (or at least nothing that we found, and we did a lot of research). The day itself was perfect - John and his wife Elizabeth, the owners of the Inn, really do such a nice job on the day of the wedding, and we received SO many compliments on the food, the staff, the atmosphere (and this was during the weekend where it was over 100 degrees in Ithaca, so our wedding was WARM to put it mildly) and I can't envision us having our reception in any other place. That said, dealing with John in advance of the wedding (we didn't meet Elizabeth until the wedding weekend) was often a frustrating process. John is a "personality" - he's funny, and warm when you meet him in person, and you think things are going great when you're together, but if you're planning your wedding from afar (like we were), when you're not in John's immediate presence, you can feel like some things slip through the cracks: we frequently didn't receive responses to our pre-wedding inquiries, which didn't do much to make us feel comfortable in the lead up to the wedding, and when he did respond, he forgot many of our conversations (e.g. that we had even booked our wedding date with him)! So I want to make our rating clear - the JJE is a 5 star establishment on the day of the wedding, but planning the wedding, in our experience, unfortunately wasn't. Notwithstanding the foregoing, John and Elizabeth really go out of their way to make your wedding day extraordinary on the day of. A year later, if I could do it all over again with them, I would.

was exactly what we wanted. John is very professional and he is very good at what he does. If you just put your trust in him, he will out perform your highest expectations! My husband and I are still floored at the thought of how amazing the day went because of John and Elizabeth and the staff. The service was fantastic, not only on the day of the wedding, but the cleaning staff, and the delicious breakfast that was delivered to our rooms every morning. The grounds were gorgeous, manicured perfectly. The rooms in the Inn are unbelievably beautiful and charming. Since John and Elizabeth are both graduates from CIA, the food was no exception to our wonderful experience with the Hamiltons. The cake and cupcakes were delicious, and beautifully displayed. I can not say enough good things about our experience working with the Hamiltons. My parents and my husbands parents are amazed and so increadibly pleased with how well taken care of we all were for our entire stay. I don't think any of us could have dreamed of a better wedding. Thank you John, Elizabeth, and all of the staff at The John Joseph Inn and Elizabeth Restaurant, you all did a fabulous job, and we will be raving about you for years to come! We will be back to visit for sure!

was able to accommodate all their needs. It has been one month since the wedding, and we are still hearing great reviews from our friends and family on the food. John, his wife, Elizabeth, and their staff provide such great service that I would recommend the John Joseph Inn to anyone looking to get married in the Finger Lakes area!

pieces in place, including Church, photographer, flowers, music, makeup, hotels, transportation. With 90% of the planning done we were extremely surprised to receive a call in January 2012 from John Hamilton saying that he had gone through computer updates just before our first meeting last August and had us down for two dates in the computer. After verifying the date we had requested, John informed us that another couple had put their deposit down before us for that weekend. He had double booked and took FIVE months to figure it out and let us know. On the day we found out, John stated multiple times that this had never happened before, that he would do anything to make it right, that it made him sick to his stomach and that he would refund us our initial deposit and any other vendor deposits lost due to change of date or venue. I asked him if he could recommend another suitable venue in the area since I had a 200 person wedding planned. His response to me was "no I really can't" and pompously implied that no other venue matched the class of the John Joseph Inn. With the venue booked for our date and John's attitude less than helpful we asked for our deposit back and provided a list of other vendors whose deposits would be affected. This is when John began to backpedal contacted our vendors without letting us know what he was doing. After attempting to "make a deal" with each of our vendors, John presented us with a new wedding date that was agreeable to him, the florist, makeup artist and a completely DIFFERENT church. Our vendors were upset, we were upset, and we were appalled that he would even do something like that. With all the balls in motion, we could not change our date and told him that we wanted our money back. Ten days later we received simply a check for solely the John Joseph Inn deposit. John Hamilton did not have the professionalism to provide a note, to follow up, or to carry through on his initial offer to cover our losses with other vendors. We ended up having to go back to step one to find a venue and resulted in moving our wedding 150 miles away in order to meet our needs because there was not another location to accommodate our reception size on that date. Fortunately most of our other vendors were understanding and helped out. We did though lose plenty of our own time and money and are extremely disappointed in John's handling of the situation before, during and after. I would not recommend this as a wedding venue to anyone that wasn't willing to deal with a pompous, unprofessional service.

or the guests to enjoy the Signature Cocktails (spiked cider was amazing). The outdoor tent was simple but elegant. The interior was adorned with a linen ceiling and linen around all of the columns. It provided a great setting for a romantic wedding. The staff was extremely friendly and courteous. The food was absolutely delicious. Cocktail hour provided three treats - beef tenderlion, crabcakes and caprese salad. All were hits! Dinner was ribeye, scallops and chicken - all also delightful. Every guest had nothing but compliments. The inn provided a comfortable setting for the evening and he had the most delicious pancakes the next day for our brunch. John made the experience unforgettable. Photos are fantastic as his place provides an excellent backdrop.

ything from the beauty of the venue to the food to attention they received from the staff. The landscape is truly stunning and makes you feel like you are living a fairy tale. John and Elizabeth know what they are doing; it may seem like a small operation, and it is, but this place proves that OUTSTANDING things come in small packages; the staff was fantastic; accommodating, sweet and great sports with all of our guests. The food was to die for-I don't even know how to explain what an amazing talent Elizabeth is. You will not be disappointed with any course! The entire weekend feels like a blur, but it was the happiest blur of my life and a large part of that is thanks to everyone at the John Joseph Inn. I could not have been happier with my wedding and would absolutely recommend this place to anyone looking for a dream wedding.

ionalism and service provided was exceptional. My husband and I were excited about planning our wedding there from the beginning, and John made the entire process easy and stress free. He and Elizabeth have clearly mastered the art of pulling of a fabulous party. There were many aspects of planning that I wanted to ensure happened a certain way, but John made it clear that he understood our vision, and to trust him. For your average bride that can be scary but seriously, John knows what works and when he tells you to trust him, you should. In the end, we were able to let John and Elizabeth take care of so many of the details that we were able to truly enjoy the planning and ultimately our party without worry. The wedding food, including the beautiful cake created by Elizabeth, also exceeded expectations and most of our guests mentioned how much they adored the food and dessert. Besides providing full service, stress free planning along the way, an experienced opinion, attention to detail, amazing food, and a beautiful inn and grounds, John and Elizabeth clearly hand select their servers and bar tenders. Everyone we interacted with was professional, polite, and warm. The John Joseph Inn and Elizabeth Restaurant is a breathtakingly beautiful yet unpretentious wedding venue with service and professionalism to back it all up. My husband and I were just thrilled with our experience and highly recommend John and Elizabeth! Go visit the restaurant for dinner in the off season and you wont be disappointed.

dding ever," and I would not change a thing about it. The inn is absolutely gorgeous, the setting is wonderful, and am I so glad that I chose to have my wedding here.

t of the car that this would be the place. John and Elizabteh have poured their heart and souls into this place, and it shows. The Inn has rustic charm but is beautifully updated inside, the gardens were unbelievable, and the backdrop of the rolling hills and apple orchard just set the tone for the whole place. After walking around the property, we sat down to have dinner, and had literally the best meal we have ever consumed. My (now) husband doesn't even like asparagus, but he couldn't stop eating the asparagus risotto! We wrote the check that night and never looked back. I will say that John can be hard to get hold of during the off months, and for someone as detail oriented and type A as I am, that was frustrating for me. I was assured, however, by another bride that although she had the same experience, he came through on every last detail. I had the exact same experience, and our day could not have been more perfect. I can't tell you how many friends told us that ours was the best wedding, hands down, that they have ever been to. The food was UNREAL, John was on top of every last detail, the cake (made by Elizabeth) was sinfully delicious, and I haven't even touched on the service! You may not think about this ahead of time, but the staff of whatever venue you choose can have a big impact on your wedding. Their staff was warm, friendly, accomodating, tolerant of some less than sober guests, and all around on top of their game. Amanda, who worked the bar all night, won rave reviews from my friends who talked about how funny and engaged she was with the crowd. It would not have been the same without John and Elizabeth behind us, and we will always have a place in our hearts for this special, amazing place.