Hey Beautiful Brides-to-Be!
Picking a venue is such a huge decision and in a city the size of Baton Rouge, it can be a little daunting. I'm always skeptical of reviews because you never know who is posting them, but I just wanted to share my honest thoughts from our experience with Stage 1 Weddings and Receptions in May 2014...I hope that you find the perfect place for you (and hopefully hearing about our experience might help you decide!).
First of all, Andrea (wedding coordinator, lifesaver, wonderful human being...) is absolutely one of the biggest draws to the venue! She made our day become a priceless memory that I know we will treasure forever. She handled every detail, helped me make decisions, respected my opinions completely, and ensured that my husband and I had fun at the reception! She made everything flow perfectly, didn't allow me to stress over anything, and was a wealth of knowledge on making everything work out in the best possible way. I am definitely a Type-A control freak, yet felt completely at ease with her insight and professional experience, which allowed me to not worry in the least. I trusted it would be perfect, and my expectations were exceeded. You know someone truly cares when you receive an email the night before with pictures to give you an exciting glimpse of your personal decor! On top of all of those wonderful things, working with Andrea was like working with someone you had known your whole life and someone who always has your best interest at heart. That factor was really to me in that the person I worked with would share a huge part in our wedding day memories.
Second of all, the food was phenomenal. Every few days someone tells me how much they loved our reception and how impressive and yummy the food was! There was also plenty for our guests to be completely satisfied. Despite being fixed delicious looking plates, we didn't eat at the reception (besides the traditional bite of cake!) but our take-home basket was filled with the delicious treats and was enough to feed us for the rest of the weekend for sure!
I decided to create my own centerpieces (I had a certain idea I always wanted) and so once I completed them, I dropped them off. The Stage 1 staff ensured that they were assembled and perfect when we arrived for our reception. That was a huge blessing and was exactly as I imagined.
Also, I thought the DJ did a great job. The music was fun, yet not crazy! She handled everything all on her own (no input from me) and I was not disappointed in the least!
Lastly, I adored the venue for how gorgeous it is. The breathtaking chandelier in the ballroom, the covered chairs, the grand piano, granite counter buffet, entrance, patio, and the timeless wooden staircase were special details that I loved. Perhaps my favorite part though is the fact that the ballroom maintains that soft evening glow all the time. We had a 1pm reception and you never would have known! It adds even more class to the already classy venue, in my opinion!
Clearly, I would recommend choosing Stage 1 to anyone who asks. I didn't exaggerate on how much we (and everyone who came) loved the reception! We honestly were blessed beyond belief to find Andrea and the venue. I couldn't imagine having had our reception anywhere else.
Blessings and goodluck in choosing a venue!