The Capen House at the Polasek

situated in a quiet area of Winter Park very close to Park Ave shopping and tons of restaurants and cafes, which we liked because it is a very nice area to accommodate traveling guests. It is also not too far from Orlando attractions, which was great for guests traveling with kids. The venue itself is stunning. It is a well-maintained historic home with a lovely waterfront view, though the major appeal for us was the botanical garden setting behind the house and sculpture garden. The landscaping is gorgeous and encourages guests to explore, which I felt was ideal to keep everyone occupied throughout the cocktail hour. The interior is also very elegant and provides a great backdrop for dancing, catching up with guests, and it is nice to have as a backup in the event of rain. There is a full kitchen onsite, handicap accessible bathrooms for guests, and a private bridal suite with a separate bathroom. My bridal party used this suite to get ready and frequently found each other back in here throughout the night to take breaks from all the activity or to use the restroom. It’s a very nice perk. The Capen House does not provide tables, catering, etc. They do require using some of their preferred vendors and you have the option of some vendors such as the cake, florist, etc. This is something to factor into cost, but their preferred vendors are top tier so I imagine you would be in good hands with any of them. We hired Hannah as our day-of coordinator and I cannot recommend this enough!!! I honestly can’t imagine pulling together this wedding without this service. They coordinated with all of our vendors to make sure our event went according or our vision, made sure our details and finishing touches were all worked out, brought up any questions we might not have anticipated and helped us figure out any outstanding needs, organized our rehearsal, and made sure we had every detail down for the big day. As someone who knew pretty much nothing about weddings before, the day-of coordination was probably the most valuable asset and it really helped having someone who works with the venue directly. If you are considering the Capen House for your wedding, definitely check it out. I am still over the moon with how perfect our wedding was because of this venue and several of our guests told us it was the most beautiful wedding they had ever attended. This place really sets the scene for a fairytale day.