Pond House Cafe

ond leading up to or during the wedding that we were worried about a thing. We had the ceremony in front of the fireplace, so we flowed seamlessly from ceremony to the reception, which was very convenient. Excellent food was our #1 priority when wedding planning, which made going with the Pond House a no-brainer. There are so many great menu options that allow you to break the mold of traditional wedding food. Everything we tried at the open house, tastings, and on our wedding day was incredible. All of our guests raved about how delicious the food was and how beautiful the venue was! The room set up with all of the trees and winter décor was so beautiful and beyond anything we could have dreamed up. We were in awe at the beauty of the room - it was a magical winter wonderland for our perfect day.

ther's Day brunch and had never been carded and wasn't driving). Denise, a manager, was unsympathetic and didn't't care that I,her 68year old mother confirmed her age. She also told me if she saw ME give her a drink she would confiscate it. I saw under age guests that never went to the bar drinking. My daughter and her husband left to go get her ID (a 25minute drive). After my daughter returned this woman couldn't stop offering her wine. The damage was done. If this was not my niece's wedding I would have left. Even though guests said the food was good( I lost my appetite after my encounter with this manager)and the venue attractive, I will never hold a function here because of the inflexibility of this one employee. I understand liquor laws and liquor licensing but this manager didn't care about me, my daughter, and other family members who tried to reason with her. I also heard a guest was yelled at for using the wrong door to enter the building and the bride was made to cry by an employee before the wedding.

d my hand every step of the way and kept me calm and level-headed day of! Nothing got past her. Plus, the daytime wedding package was such an incredible value- I can’t recommend it enough!

the look of Pond House. It is so romantic, and the main room is so stunning when you walk in. (I'm a sucker for high ceilings.) We set our first appointment for the walkthrough with Diana. We then sat down next door for lunch, and tired a few different items to get an idea of the food. Although we had another meeting at another venue booked later that week, I cancelled it, and we booked with PH about 1 1/2 years before the wedding day. I encourage you to go to any open houses or tastings they hold. We were able to try apps and the cakes at 1 event. (Donna's cakes are to die for!- See that review as well!) We also had a great time at the food tasting. I'm a HUGE foodie, so that is another reason why PH was a great fit. A few of mine and our guests favorites: Apps: Mini Chicken and Waffle. Thai Chicken Skewer. Smoked Salmon on a Potato pancake. The star of dinner with the Moroccan chicken. Everyone was raving! (and that is something we would have never picked unless we went to the tasting!) The night flew by!!! My advice would be to stop and take it all in. We did head inside about a half hour before the ceremony started and was able to see the room set up. It is decorated so beautifully. All we had to bring in was the florals, the favors, and extra things like the seating chart, guest book, and some photos of family members. Throughout the process we worked with Brittany. She was great with keeping us organized, and answering any questions we had! I'm secretly hoping someone I know has a wedding here, so I can also experience it as a guest! Thank you Pond House!!

Chef and the entire the staff knocked it out of the park. Everyone was so accommodating even until the moment we exited the building at the end of the night. I can’t thank everyone enough for making our wedding day so special. I would choose this venue 1,000 times over again!

ssured that all went smoothly on the big day. Our guest raved about how beautiful everything was and how great the food was! I highly recommend.

ed up getting married at the Pond House Cafe this October. We had a long engagement and were eager to have our wedding there. All of the staff at the Pond House were great to work with, from Diana who gave us our first official tour, to Brittany and Cindy who coordinated our wedding day. Diana was even there on our wedding day to ensure things went smoothly as well. Chef Ani was also a pleasure to work with and she created some samples of a signature drink we were thinking of having and let me try it during one of our last meetings before the wedding. She also took the time to sit down and review the menu and to go over any food allergies or diet restrictions any of our guests had and offered alternate solutions for them which was great. She even came out the day of the wedding to make sure I was happy with all of the food. We enjoyed working with the Pond House every step of the way and they truly went above and beyond to ensure our day was everything we wanted. I sent numerous photos of how I wanted things set up to Brittany and she ran with my ideas and made my vision come to life! I was so impressed with how beautiful everything looked the day of and so happy to see all of my hard work come together. It's hard to pass the reigns to someone else when you've been planning for almost three years, but I am so happy to have had the staff at the Pond House there to help my vision come to life. We cannot thank you enough for everything! We wish we could go back and get married again because it goes too quickly! We definitely recommend the Pond House Cafe to anyone who is looking to get married at a beautiful venue for a reasonable price. The food was also amazing and the food tasting was one of our favorite parts of planning. Everything was so delicious it was so hard to choose our menu! If you're thinking about booking the Pond House go to an open house and try some food and meet with other vendors or book a meeting with Diana. You won't be disappointed!

ver! We worked with Erin as our wedding coordinator and she was kind, enthusiastic, and helpful. Everything we needed to know was explained carefully and thoughtfully, and our day went off without a hitch. We will forever remember the kindness of the staff, the perfect decor, and the thoughtful details that made our day so special- they even accommodated a last-minute rain storm with a beautiful indoor setup!

edding with a 12:30 ceremony and reception ending at 4pm. Our wedding was at the end of June, when the roses in Elizabeth Park are in full bloom which made for the most amazing pictures! Pond House Café was great through my entire wedding planning process. Diana, the Sales Manager, is very on top of things and quick to reach out. As we approached the 6-montth mark I began working with the on-site coordinators. There are anywhere from 2-4 coordinators and managers and I didn’t have a dedicated person working on my event (they all just work together) so sometimes I did find that part frustrating; I had to have faith that everyone on the team was getting the memos. In the end, there were no major errors and the wedding day was a success. Pros: My guests said great things about the food! It’s not your basic buffet and/or plated meal. The chef puts in a lot of effort to ensure local, fresh and organic ingredients are used. We got to meet the chef and go over our menu selections. We got to try one of the buffet options per our request. Another pro is that your cake is included in the price—and the cake was super yummy!! Pond House recently updated their enhancements list and it’s packed with ways to make your day even more special. My biggest pro was how beautiful The Pond House was decorated and showed. Their team puts a lot of time and money to replace the window sill flower boxes, swap out décor for the buffet table etc depending on the time of year, even the outside of the venue gets decorated. My decorations were MINIMAL because of how spectacular the space already is and how much décor is already on-site. Cons: No bridal suite. Guests share a bathroom with the public (if the café is open during your event time).

iling windows along two walls, and there is so much decor already, that all you really need are centerpieces. From the twinkly lights to the exposed beams, it has the rustic feel we were looking for, without the added expense and stress of a barn or tent wedding! We got so many compliments and questions about how we found such a beautiful venue. The food is amazing, and the portions are awesome. We definitely recommend the braised short rib!

needed. Just wonderful people, wonderful staff, and a wonderful place.

band and I only had to provide centerpieces. Andrea was our coordinator: she was flawless. She was so attentive to the needs of not only my husband and me, but also the needs of our parents and my elderly grandparents. She listened with care and answered my hundreds of questions quickly. She was phenomenal in every way. My only complaint is that the sirloin did not live up to the other meals. We also had the chicken coq a vin (wonderful), salmon (amazing) and the vegetarian spinach and ricotta gnocchi (scrumptious). The sirloin just didn't give me the same "wow" as the others. But, overall, the hors d'oeurves and all other food provided was excellent!

Our guests were very impressed with the beautiful grounds, the room and especially blown away by the delicious food. The staff was attentive and professional. It was perfect from start to finish and we would highly recommend this venue to anyone!

sioned a fall theme, and the rustic ceiling with twinkle lights and the gorgeous florals created that feeling effortlessly. Diana from the sales department was amazing and answered all of our questions. A few months before the wedding, we were invited to a plated tasting. When I tell you that this was the most generous event that I've ever attended...I'm telling the truth!! They offered all of the couples huge portions of each appetizer and entree, and allowed us the chance to meet the chefs and ask questions. As our wedding approached, Andrea and I communicated back and forth over email on a weekly (and eventually daily) basis. She was unbelievable - always prompt, kind and even gave me her cell phone number in the last few weeks for any last minute questions. We had our wedding ceremony and cocktail hour on the beautiful patio, which was breathtaking. The reception room is so elegant that I wouldn't have even minded having our ceremony right inside there. We received so many compliments from our guests about the gorgeous rustic interior. Throughout the night, Andrea was there to guide us every step of the way. She coordinated everything from our processional to when we should be cutting the cake. She checked in with us frequently to make sure we were eating as well! The food was delicious - all of our guests complimented us and said that it was the best wedding meal they've ever had. The waiter and waitress staff was so friendly and kind. Kim was wonderful and I loved seeing her enjoying the music as well! Also, the bartender Jen was AWESOME - I found out later that she went next door to grab me Amaretto because I asked for an Amaretto sour! She has the coolest personality! I cannot emphasize how perfect this venue is...from the room itself to the food to Andrea and the rest of the staff...it was purely magic. I would highly recommend this venue to anyone looking for a rustic, intimate experience in the CT area!

t affordable venue we visited. I couldn't believe that a garden location with an outdoor patio and floor to ceiling windows would ever be in our budget but we actually came in under budget for our wedding! And the staff was amazing. Andrea was our coordinator and she could not have made planning our reception any easier. Each question we had was thoroughly answered and she gave us great advice throughout the entire process. I didn't have a single concern about the evening knowing Andrea and her staff were there. She was simply amazing. Thanks, Andrea! AND the food! my goodness was the food amazing. The portions were significant and by far the best wedding food I have ever had. Also probably just hands down the best food I have ever had. My husband and I would like to thank the Pond House Cafe for the best night of our lives. I would recommend this location to anyone and everyone for any occasion they may be having. It was truly perfect.

care of. We got to celebrate, and we even got to eat! (Thanks, El!!) We couldn't have asked for more thoughtful service, more committed attention, or more easygoing partners on our big day. The venue is simple, beautiful and elegant, and the food was really good. We opted for the brunch wedding which was a perfect compliment to our small ceremony in the Rose Garden in Elizabeth Park. Tremendous thanks to all of the staff at the Pond House!

d plan our event. She was awesome in taking care of all of our needs before and during our event. She made every guest feel welcomed and comfortable and really eased our nerves as well. The food was also top notch. Days later all of our family and friends still could not stop talking about the friendly staff, breathtaking venue, and amazing food.

, but actually using a barn would have been in the end too expensive. I also liked that before I booked the venue, I could at least sample the food that came out of the kitchen so I had an idea what we were getting into, because food is so extremely important. Most other venues that JUST do weddings and functions did not allow you to try the food at all until you were booked and had forked over a substantial amount of money, which made me uncomfortable. I also loved the Pond House's proximity to Elizabeth Park for the purposes of group photos, which turned out amazing. EVERYONE at my wedding said that it was the best wedding they'd been to, and I think in addition to my DJ (Aaron Topfer, USE HIM) - this venue was the reason. It was beautiful, reasonably priced, and the food was excellent, one of the best meals I've had in my life. They are also MUCH more accommodating with family that wants to help - my sister-in-law did the flowers, and a friend of the family did the cake - they didn't force either of them to get a rider on their insurance policy or get a license from the state to make the cake. I am so happy that I overruled my now husband and went with this place, and he told me he's happy I did too. If you're looking for a place to impress on a budget (mine was under $17K) this is the place for you.

the wedding (1 month away) everything went downhill. Linens and other details of the wedding that had been decided almost a year out were no longer available and no sense of urgency was made to make changes or alterations. When it came to the actual day, the coordinators were hardly around and my DJ was actually having to plan when do cake, dances ect. Because the details had changed so often due to lack of communication the total bill for the wedding wasn't "as planned" so it tuned out that we still owed around $200 the night of our wedding. The staff actually approached my husband during our wedding and asked for the balance. We were appalled as we were approached during the middle of our wedding for a $200 balance. Im not sure what happened from the beginning of the planning process to the end but it seemed to me that they either are very understaffed and don't have enough time to properly coordinate with all of their brides or they are uninterested once a contract is signed.

s, which was really important to my husband and I. The space was perfect for our 100 guests. I think you could fit about 125 guests if you needed to. Elizabeth Park is beautiful, and our wedding photos are priceless!

they executed everything beyond our expectations.

Pond House; absolutely beautiful and high attention to detail! I highly recommend the evening option for a wedding! (Suggestion: do the plates dinners!)

ppy we went with our gut and chose this amazing venue (if your reading this review you will not be disappointed in them) We got married August 8th, 2015. The venue has a very unique vibe to it which we LOVED. It's very pretty with a modern and eclectic twist which fits and compliments Elizabeth Park. The windows are from floor to ceiling, the exposed beams have small twinkle lights that add a romantic feel and along with window tea lights that are on for the whole reception. They decorate the venue for each season, but you can easily add more to give it a personalized feel. Even if you aren't the decorator or you don't have a wedding planner, the venue still looks stunning with their seasonal decor. The food. It's absolutely amazing. The chef does a fantastic job with unique but very tasty creations. They had a great presentation from apps to dinner. You choose from two bakeries for your cake - we used Cakes by Donna. It was the exact cake that I imagined and it tasted delicious. I added extras to our menu like pasta with vodka sauce and mini cannolis to each table. The staff was great. We worked with Diana for all the booking and deposits and she was awesome. Very organized and easy to work with. We started with Susan for our wedding coordinator but a few months before our wedding Andrea took over. Both Susan and Andrea were fantastic. Andrea is the one who took our vision and made it reality. She was also in charge all my decorations. She wrote down every detail and it came out beautifully (I did all my own wedding planning and brought in about 12 tubs of decorations!) but she displayed everything perfectly. Our total wedding was about 170 people, and while we were close to the max number of guests, we still had a great size dance floor near the DJ. The outdoor patio was amazing and was great extra space for an August night. We had our photo booth outside which was a big hit. We got married in the perennial garden in Elizabeth Park which was a beautiful outdoor setting. The Pond House location made it so convenient for guests to park and walk from our ceremony to our reception. Everyone loved the convenience of our wedding. All in all, the Pond House is a beautiful venue for a modern but not over the top rustic feel. There were a few things I wished were different, such as the bathrooms and the bridal suite. In the grand scheme of things, neither were a big deal. The reception room shares a bathroom with the cafe guests and I really wished there were separate bathrooms for the price. Also, they do not have a bridal suite, which might bother some brides. We were very happy with our decision and would not have changed our day at Elizabeth Park and the Pond House!

rib as an entree based on all of the feedback I got from our guests! Leading up to the wedding, Diana was great to work with and as our wedding got closer, Andrea stepped in as our coordinator and was a pleasure to work with as well. On the day of the wedding, the entire Pond House staff ensured that everything went smoothly and that we had everything that we wanted/needed throughout the night. I was a little bit nervous that they only had an hour and a half to set-up for our wedding, but they got everything done in time for the start of our reception! I couldn't have asked for a more beautiful venue, and the best part is that it was one of the most affordable venues I could find in CT! All of the food was out of this world and the staff was so friendly and helpful. The only thing that I'd suggest is sticking with a guest list no bigger than 130 if you decide on this venue. Any bigger than that and there's not much of a dance floor, which is the reason we kept our wedding to 130 people but it ended up being the perfect size. Happy planning!

even amazing with some of my guests food allergies ! The space is gorgeous and a perfect venue for a wedding!!!

isotto and the presentation was breathtaking. My husband had the short rib and he said it was delicious. The food was definitely a big hit. The waitstaff was so helpful and friendly. Since I have Celiac Disease I had to keep asking if things were gluten free, but they came back to me with the answers so quickly. The decor was holiday themed and absolutely beautiful. Overall it was the perfect evening.

y the place I wanted to hold my reception. After visiting the gardens surrounding the venue and finding out we could hold the ceremony in the park (done via the City of Hartford) I was sold! The venue itself and the surrounding gardens are so beautiful even when not in bloom! On my first visit I met with Diana who showed me around and answered all of my questions. She was very thorough and went through all of my options for the room setup and alternatives if I had to do my ceremony in the venue vs the gardens if there was inclement weather. She was very down to earth and easy to work with even though we hadn't actually booked there yet. She was excited about their venue but wasn't pushy or too "salesy" to try to convince me to book there, unlike some other venues I visited. Those who live in CT know how expensive things are there and while our wedding total rounded out close to the national average these days, I found that The Pond House was on the lower to moderate end of the spectrum and what you got for the price was well worth it - open bar with quality brands, more hot appetizers than most other places, cake included and another dessert option. I immediately knew that it was the place for me! After booking I was passed over to the coordinator for my event, Susan. Although Susan was now my main contact, Diana was still always available and willing to help with whatever I needed. She was fabulous! The same goes for Susan! I can't even put into words how much I loved her as out site coordinator! Working with her was so stress-free. By the date of the event I was so comfortable just dropping my stuff off and letting her go at it. I just knew she understood my vision and would make the room beautiful! Susan is so kind and sweet and really went out of her way to make sure our day was perfect! Even when there was a little mix-up with our credit card billing, she took it upon herself to work with our CC companies to resolve the issue so that we could enjoy the night and our honeymoon with no worries. Susan was so accomodating with everything! We opted out of a champagne toast but still made sure that my new husband and I had some to toast with ourselves, she accomodated my grandmother with a special meal due to dietary restrictions, and she let me bring in an additional outside treat for a late night snack - something most other venues don't allow. She was also fabulous at making some last minute adjustments to our meal counts as we had some unexpected changes. If I could do it all over again I would most certainly choose The Pond House for my wedding, or any other event for that matter! The service, staff, and location are amazing! I could go on and on and on even more about this venue.....if you're considering looking here you won't be disappointed!

the space, my coordinator Susan was amazing. She was so patient as I changed my final count and tweaked food choices what felt like a billion times in the weeks before the wedding. On the day of she helped execute all the details I had worked so hard on flawlessly. Oh and the food was so good... the appetizers were a hit with all the guests (tempura asparagus and potato bar amongst others!) and we loved the buffet. They even provided me my own plate of gnocchi since I don't eat meat. I cannot say enough about everyone at the Pond House, they made our reception great!

s. We got so many compliments on everyone's meals and appetizers! Susan was a delight to work with (although not the fastest by email if that's your preferred method of contact, as is mine). She guided us through the whole reception process - what we should bring, what they would provide, when to have things checked off our list. She worked with the DJ to take care of the whole evening schedule and set up all of our decorations, which turned out just like I wanted. She's personable and easy to work and get along with. The venue itself is GORGEOUS. If you've never been, I recommend you take a peek. Just the right amount of rustic romance while still keeping it classy. We didn't need to decorate the room really because they keep the venue so beautiful with all of their own foliage and flowers and twinkling lights. I'm so happy we had our wedding here, it was exactly what we wanted!

edding, everything ran smoothly. The wait staff was friendly and even danced with the bridal party while we waiting in the wings to get started. The hall was decorated for Christmas and they really outdid themselves. It was stunningly beautiful and more than we expected. The food was fantastic too! We got tons of compliments from family members and friends about the Pond House and are so happy with our choice!

ood was amazing and unique - presentation to match. The one downfall is that there is no bridal suite for the bridal party to hang out in prior to introduction. Other than that we could not say enough positive things about this venue!

es. Now this wouldn't have been a problem, but we paid $0.30/Swarovski crystal (which were different colors) to indicate the meal choices, as well as we gave a list by table number with the meal choices. Another annoyance was how understaffed they are, especially since this venue isn't exactly inexpensive. More than half of my guest did not receive the butlered hors d'oeuvres, including the grandparents of myself and my husband and my father. Literally my mother had to ask the waiters to make rounds, rather than going to the same people. I do have to admit that the venue is very beautiful, but the staff is lacking. Another big deal was the fact that my florist had to wait over an hour past the time told to be there due to the fact that they did not have the room setup and ready. This also prevented my photographers from getting into the room and taking pictures prior to the guests arrival. Even though I love eating in the cafe, I wouldn't recommend this venue for a wedding, unless they add more staff.

ion to detail ended up with a perfect day and incredible reception. The cafe itself looks quite casual from the outside but the venue room is gorgeous. Twenty foot ceilings and enormous floor to ceiling windows look out over a small lake surrounded by trees. Depending on your event and number of people the cost for the venue includes, venue room , table,and linens. The food was amazing by far the best value and great service. We had their in-house pastry chef make our Lemon, Mascarpone,2 tier vow cake and the guests swooned. Best cake we've ever tasted! Perfect!

he middle of a stunning park. (We had our ceremony in the Rose Garden Gazebo, which was just a short walk away from The Pond House). The space for the reception was gorgeous, airy, and beautifully decorated even before we brought our wedding decor. Susan, the reception coordinator, sometimes took a while to get back to me, but she was extremely helpful and answered all my questions. I also didn't like the fact that the contract said the menu could change and the prices could go up later. (The menu did change, but we were able to still go with the 2012 menu choices. The bar prices didn't change at all. It was just turned into all five-hour options.) With that said, the food was phenomenal (except they forgot to bring out the mashed potatoes), and I didn't have to worry about a thing on our big day. I can't wait to go back to the restaurant part of The Pond House for our one-year anniversary, and of course, visit the beautiful gardens again!

for us. Susan is fantastic, relaxed, highly competent and remained that way until the very last detail was done. We were also extremely impressed with the chef and kitchen. They designed an entire vegetarian (and some vegan plates) buffet from some suggestions we offered about favorite ingredients and dishes we'd had at a vegetarian restaurant. The chef went above and beyond in creating little masterpieces. The food was so good, we still think about it! Even our meat-loving guests were raving about how delicious everything was. The decor was elegant and beautiful; including the hand-built bar. The bartender got rave reviews from our guests too. Everything was perfect; we're glad we gave them a chance. Totally recommend!!

e out,and I told her that we'd really have to look at the venue before booking, and she said " well I can't hold it and we are busy so I guess you will just lose out." I just did not like the woman's attitude that I dealt with, so I never bothered to take a look. And my coworker's daughter said that the woman at this venue was rude to her as well.

from the moment we met to the last second of the wedding. She was on top of everything, set up all my decorations,etc perfectly, and made sure I had everything I needed at the reception. We did have another coordinator that was hard to get a hold of and not as easy to work with, but once Maxine stepped in, I was at ease!

. I would highly recommend the Pond House to any bride, it look absolutely stunning with soft lighting during the evening and beautiful foliage inside and out. The food was also delicious!

everything, including the fact that they take care of all the centerpieces and decorations themselves. Most everything at the reception was perfect, the food, the organization, the beautiful decorations (that just so happened to exactly match our color scheme... nice job Pond House!). However, there are a few things that annoyed me a little bit. We decided to do a challah blessing before the meal, and payed a lot of money for a huge challah that was supposed to be cut up and served with the buffet... well they forgot, so most of the challah went to waste. Also, I believe a champagne toast was included in our bar price, and they never did one.... Also, don't be fooled into getting their "breakfast bread table" if you have a brunch here, it is very small, and not really worth it. But all in all, the put on a wonderful reception for us, and many of our guests proclaimed it the most beautiful reception they had been to.

aff are extremely helpful!

if that doesn't bother you then you will be in good shape. The room is just beautiful at night (and during the day), and you can do all of your photos in gorgeous Elizabeth Park. You can really tailor your reception to fit your budget, and although this is not a budget reception venue, you don't have to spend $40,000 for a 130 person reception. One point to note- I would not have a sit down reception for more than 130 here. Their info on their website says they can accommodate up to 200, but it would be extremely cramped. Great to work with, we loved having our reception here!

what is in the bar or adding an hour to the reception (which they will not do). The day went well, but it was exhausting dealing with the venue leading up to the wedding.

where our first coordinator didn't show up to an appointment(who no longer works there, the new coordinator is wonderful) and so the cafe gave us dinner on the house. It's a beautiful venue, and we really didn't have to worry about a thing. At the reception we had a personal waiter who tended to us and provided hor'dourves to the bridal party before our entrance. The pond house was a little more pricey than we set out to spend, but the excellent food, the service, beautiful setting, and the peace of mind was worth it.

rose garden isn't really an option. But the Pond House is! It was beautifully decorated for the Christmas season, the fire was blazing in the fire place, the food was SPECTACULAR! Our reception was gorgeous, not only by our standards but also our guests. Anything we asked for was immediately taken care of. The staff was friendly and accommodating. It really was a perfect reception.

corated. They were wonderful to work with, and very patient with all the arrangements.