A Real Philadelphia Story
Our wedding was truly a masterpiece. I know everyone says and thinks that of their wedding day, but it truly was--and so much of that has to do with the One North Broad Team and Catering By Design. My husband and I me...t in Philadelphia (where I am also from) so we wanted our wedding in Philly even though we live in New York City. For this reason, we knew that we needed a solid/responsive team to work with because so many of our interactions would be virtual. ONB and CBD were it!
Sue Cunnane, the director of Sales/Events at ONB, is THE best. She is ON IT. I found the best way to get in touch with her was via email, but she never hesitated to jump on a call with us if/when we needed. I initially reached out to her/ONB through their website, and I heard back from her immediately. I had a list of questions that I asked venues before even deciding to visit, just to ensure they met our criteria/budget, and Sue answered them all. I found many venues were not as transparent about their prices/process--and forced you to schedule a visit to get information, which would ultimately prove a waste of time and resources. This was not the case with Sue, she provided great insight which led to our scheduling an in-person visit that worked well for our schedule since we were traveling down from NYC. On the day of our visit, both Sue and Terri Fair (Catering By Design Event Specialist) greeted us and gave us a VERY detailed tour and wedding information packet.
CATERING BY DESIGN
CBD is ONB's exclusive caterer. Initially, we were hesitant about venues that had exclusive caterers because we are FOODIES and we wanted the venue and catering decisions to be separate. However, CBD did not come to play! Knowing how passionate we were about choosing ONB as our venue, but unsure of CBD as our caterer, Terri arranged for us to have a tasting BEFORE we made the official commitment. To me that gesture alone demonstrated that they were not just invested in receiving our money/business, but committed to proving they could be the perfect fit for our perfect day. What also sold us on CBD was their many many catering options. A lot of catering companies have their set menu tiers with set prices, and you just pick from a list. CBD, however, works within your budget and food preferences to make your dreams reality! While we still opted for a traditional seated dinner, we had the option to do family-style, buffet, etc... And the range of food options from their hors d'oeuvres to their entrees were overwhelming in the best way imaginable! A foodie heaven!
[SOME] REASONS WE BOOKED/SAID YES
-Thorough and timely communication. My husband is a lawyer, and he had a LOT of question, comments, and concerns! Sue/Terri answered every single one in a timely and professional manner
- Separate Ceremony and Reception spaces but all in one building. We wanted distinct and designated spaces for the ceremony, cocktail hour, AND reception but in one place so guests would not to lose momentum having to travel.
-Central/Downtown location. Location is EVERYTHING and ONB is in the best location for a city wedding. Easy for out-of-towners to find and get to, and closely located to all the best hotels.
-Designated Bride AND Groom Suite (Groom/Groomsmen deserve a suite too!)
-Grand Staircase-- always wanted one and KNEW many iconic photos would be taken there by bridal party and guests alike.