I cannot say enough great things about Riverdale and their staff there! We got married on September 17th, 2017, and everything was executed flawlessly, from the start to the finish. Our coordinator, Katie, has worked almost every position at Ri...verdale, so she definitely knew her stuff, and was very quick at responding and guiding us through the planning process.
On your wedding day, the grounds at Riverdale are yours to use to create your dream space, and your event is their sole focus that day, which is something that really appealed to us. While they do have specific guidelines and rules, if you think about all of the things you CAN do with the space, rather than the restrictions and the things you CAN'T do, you will be able to create your vision easily!
My husband and I both work in the hospitality industry, so the guest experience and the food were extremely important elements of our day. Katie and the Thyme and Seasons staff absolutely nailed everything! The food at our tasting was wonderful, and I really thought that I should savor that experience, since most people will tell you that they never get to eat at their wedding, but I was in for a surprise. On the day of our wedding, not only did I get to actually sit and eat everything that was prepared, but the food was actually even BETTER than it was at the tasting (and let me tell you, the tasting food was awesome-!). Bravo T&S- we had a lot of chefs, foodies, and hospitality gurus at our wedding, and everything was perfection.
When it came to the reception decor, I definitely had a lot of special touches planned, including a staged escort card table, selfie station with tons of props, and a memory table with family heirlooms. I gave Katie a list of where everything went, and she didn't even blink an eye- everything was set up perfectly with no issues, and if anything came up, it was immediately rectified with clear communication, and lots of assurancethat everything would be taken care of.
The ceremony and reception timeline ran seamlessly, thanks to Katie and her assistant, and we had PLENTY of time to eat, dance, mingle, and truly ENJOY our day- it was so so awesome to not have to worry about a single thing!
At the end of the evening, the Riverdale staff packed everything up for us just as carefully as it was delivered and helped my parents pack it in their car. All of the bartenders, service staff, runners, bussers, and clean up crew were polite, friendly, attentive, and did everything possible to keep us happy!
For brides considering Riverdale- this place runs like an oiled machine. They have very specific vendors and staff that work with them every weekend, and know the drill- so trust them and use their experience to your advantage. Do consider a venue like this that has high standards set for the level of hospitality they provide. You may think that they are being too strict or limiting, but in the end, your guests will really notice the difference! You don't need the 20inch sparklers anyway- trust me ;)
To finish, we have to send a HUGE thank you to Katie- you are wonderful and great at what you do. Thank you for being patient and open to our suggestions, constant e-mails, and for working with your staff to pull off the best event EVER. <3