The College of Physicians

talking about how cool it was to see the museum during cocktail hour. It was everything we had hoped for.

lanning by phone and email. Kristen was so accommodating and helpful every step of the way. There were things in planning that I totally forgot to ask about or bring up, and Kristen was always on top of everything. On the day of, everything ran so smoothly and we had so many compliments on the venue, the service, the food - literally everything. We are so happy we were able to have our wedding at CPP. Even though we don't live close by we are really looking forward to visiting the museum soon and reminiscing on our awesome wedding day.

Kristen did an amazing job of keeping everything coordinated and running smoothly on the day-of so that we could enjoy the celebration and focus on our friends and family. The words I would use to describe her are 'knowledgeable, professional, and on top of it!' The food was the best I can remember having at a wedding, just super well prepared and high quality. The venue is gorgeous and looks especially great in photos! The one small thing I wished we had been told is that when the ceremony happened (mid-July), the sun was directly in our eyes and it was really hot the way the courtyard was laid out. I don't think there's anything they could change, but just letting us know would have been helpful (or could be that they did way back when and we forgot!).

rried, it was extremely important that we find a venue was prepared to make us feel safe, comfortable, and as full of love as we deserved to feel on our wedding day. We can say with confidence that the College of Physicians made that happen. Liz displayed clear experience working with same-sex couples and provided multiple"non-traditional" options for our ceremony processional. My wife and I also found that, throughout the night, not only did our family and friends come up and congratulate us, many of the College of Physicians staff came to congratulate us as well, and told how much it meant to them to see us married. These were small, incredible moments that we did not expect but experienced with joy. We cannot do anything but recommend the College of Physicians. Yes, the venue was organized and helpful. Yes, the ceremony and reception were beautiful. But most importantly, every person involved at every step in the process was supportive, interested, and excited for us to get married. We had the best experience we could have dreamed of.

an original experience. The Mutter Museum, a medical oddity museum within the college, was an added feature guests could visit during cocktail hour. There were many great photo opportunities for the wedding party and guests. The food was excellent and it was easy to get drinks. The coordinator was communicative and available throughout the whole process. For a wedding in a major city, this was a very affordable option compared to most places.

solutely perfect!

fashion and were always willing to help. They made our vision a reality. We asked for an international twist to the main course and the chef came through with an amazing menu that was absolutely delicious. In fact all of the food was spectacular. Our guests are well travelled and have eaten in the finest restaurants around the world and yet commented on how delicious the beef tenderloin was! The appetizers were equally enjoyed. The service staff was exemplary and always on their toes. The venue itself is stately and formal but also inviting with the warm paneling and beautiful ceilings. The medicinal garden in the courtyard was lovely in July and provided a nice contrast to the more formal Mitchell Hall . As Pennsylvania physicians it was a particularly fitting historic landmark at which to host our event. This was our third wedding reception in Philadelphia ( we don't live there) and we found CBD the easiest and most responsive to work with. They executed a nearly flawless evening for us! Kudos to the entire staff that evening! Many heartfelt thanks!

the big day and the day of our wedding. Kristen met with us repeatedly leading up to our wedding to ensure all details were taken care of. The food was amazing- we had so many compliments about the cocktail hour snacks, the cake, and the entrees (especially the steak). Kristen made sure to take into account all of our preferences and all of the details of our big day were executed perfectly. The whole team was incredibly professional and made our day incredibly special. I would recommend Catering by Design and the College of Physicians venue to anyone. Our day could have not been more perfect.

uring cocktail hour, there was something for every guest to appreciate. It was nice (and cost-saving) that not very much decorating was needed. The exclusive caterer, Catering by Design, was wonderful. Liz helped us every step of the way - she was extremely accommodating to make sure we were taken care of and our needs were met throughout the entire planning process and was with us the day-of. She was very calm and honest in her opinions and suggestions - trust them! They've been working at the venue for years, they know what they're doing! The food was absolutely fantastic, and the service during the wedding was excellent (as many of our guests even noted). AND to top it off, with the choices we made, it ended up being one of the most affordable options we had considered - a wonderful value for a truly surreal Wedding.

nue, and the staff, which really made things that much more wonderful for us. I would highly recommend this venue for anyone's wedding -- it was perfect.

f. Liz was our go-to contact person at the College after Diana got us set up. Liz was amazing--I am a nervous and meticulous planner that obsesses over minute details. Liz was there to answer every question and concern I had promptly, while also giving her advice and suggestions along the way. This was especially important for my wife and I as we planned the entire wedding while living in a completely different part of the country. In the end, this meant that during the wedding itself, my wife and I were care-free as everything went perfectly as planned. Catering By Design at the College is a well oiled machine--everything was taken care of and we enjoyed the day immensely. The venue at the College was everything we had hoped for. Luckily the weather was perfect so we had our ceremony outdoors. Yet we would not have been worried if it was too hot or if it was raining, as one of the reasons why we chose the College in the first place was because their indoor ceremony space is just as beautiful as their outdoor garden. The ballroom for the reception was grand and made for the perfect setting for our party. As for the food? Amazing. The cocktail hour food was delicious (CBD delivered our food to the bridal suite while our guests enjoyed downstairs). For dinner, we went with three stations: Mashed potato bar, tuscan grille, and a Taco Bar. We were not surprised by how great the food was, as we had gone to a tasting 8 months before the actual wedding date. The cake was super yummy too. Overall, having our wedding at the College with CBD was a great experience, and we are so happy we trusted the staff at the College and at Catering by Design with producing one of the most important event of our lives. They exceeded our already high expectations!

orked with Diana Airoldi from Catering by Design throughout the planning process and she was there on the big day to ensure everything went smoothly. Diana was wonderful to with - always pleasant, professional, and organized. It's important to note that we don't live in Philly and planned most of the wedding remotely (via email and over the phone) and it worked out great! During the wedding, my bridal attendant Tracy was fabulous! I dubbed Tracy and Diana the "Ninjas" because any time I needed them during the event for anything at all, there they were, ready to help and anticipating my every need. Our guests raved about the delicious food, craft old-timey cocktails, and quality service. 5 stars! Catering by Design knows how to throw a fabulous party!!

de the entire day a huge success. The planning process had a few hiccups (personnel change and an unannounced garden construction project) but everything came perfectly together at the end and everyone at the College of Physicians and Catering by Design went above and beyond to make sure our day was a success. Also, Diana was really great to work with and extremely helpful in planning every little detail of the wedding. I highly recommend this venue - my only regret is not adding extra time to the reception!

here we wanted it to be- us, our family and friends under one roof celebrating this happy occasion! They also let us have our dog in our ceremony which was so precious and meaningful to us (especially my husband who has had him for 8 years!). Another HUGE compliment to their entire staff was how they took care of our 90+ year old Great Aunt. She said she was taken care of like a queen and we couldn’t be more grateful for that! Can't say enough good about this group of individuals, they made our dream wedding come to life!

responsive. They helped us through everything from selecting the best menu for us to coordinating bringing in all of our centerpieces and photobooth (which we made and brought in ourselves). The day of, they took care of everything, and all of the staff could not have been more helpful or accommodating. From making sure my husband and I were fed all night to taking care of our guests various dietary restrictions, they truly thought of every last detail. I cannot recommend this venue highly enough! Not only were they incredibly easy to work with, but it is one of the most beautiful settings in Philadelphia that you could ask for. I wish we could repeat that most magical night!

made of dark wood, the portraits hanging throughout the banquet hall, all made it feel like I was getting married in an ancient library, which is precisely what I wanted for our wedding. The whole place breathes history and magnificence, and it truly made our wedding feel like a royal wedding. The venue comes with an exclusive catering company, and although some might want more flexibility with the choice, we couldn’t have been happier with the staff at Catering by Design. The staff is wonderful to work with, the food and drinks were simply amazing (I will seriously miss the demitasse of soup and salad we had for dinner there), and the staff was attentive to our guests’ needs throughout the evening. The museum proper can also be left opened for the guests to explore during cocktail hour, and it was a huge hit with our guests. If you’re looking for a place that has unique charm mixed with classical beauty, this venue is perfect for you.

e was accessible whenever we had questions, and helped coordinate the day of the wedding to make it as stress-free as possible. The venue itself is absolutely beautiful with many possibilities since there are different spaces in which different parts of the wedding and reception can be held. Furthermore, you can even have the Mutter Museum be open during cocktail hour (as long as there is no food or drink in the museum), which our guests enjoyed (though some lost their appetites!). I would highly recommend this venue.

tately architecture and historical feel of the rooms with the marble, dark wood, card catalog shelves, portraits and more. Events at the venue are managed by their exclusive caterers, Catering by Design, which we have reviewed separately for catering services. The CBD staff, in our case Dan and Lauren, managed contracting, provided tours of the venue and coordinated the day of details for the event. We had great experiences working with CBD - we felt they were very professional and responsive and worked with us on my more than one occasion to schedule tours, etc. They basically acted in the place of a day-of wedding coordinator and did excellent work. We enjoyed working with CBD and felt it was perfect for our event. However, others may wish that the College offered more flexibility because you can't elect to work with a different caterer if you'd prefer. In addition, event timing is based on the museum hours, meaning the ceremony will start at 6pm so guests arrive after the museum closed to the public. This was fine for us but allows for less flexibility than other venues we saw. Overall we loved having our wedding in this space and highly recommend it to others.

and his team at the College took those very simple facts and put together the perfect wedding for us (though we may be biased!). Every detail was taken care of with an eye to our (and our guests') comfort and happiness. The catering was wonderful as well; many of our guests told us they'd never enjoyed "wedding food" so much! We have had so many people tell us how much they enjoyed our wedding, and especially how much they enjoyed seeing the College. The architecture, the size, and, of course, the Mutter Museum made our wedding so different, and so perfectly us, and we could not be happier with how everything turned out. The staff of the College, starting with Dan and including every single person on the team, were phenomenal. They were so friendly, so helpful, and so flexible that the entire process, from our first meeting to leaving after the reception, was a joy. I cannot praise them highly enough.

make sure you have a perfect day. I've never heard of anyone else having a wedding coordinator at the venue quite like this; it was almost like we had a wedding planner. 2) You can use any space within the entire building! You aren't nickle and dimed on which space you can or cannot use. 3) The Mutter Museum can be opened to your guests!! So awesome. I cannot express how happy we are that we chose CoP as our wedding spot. The newly redesigned herb garden is gorgeous - that was where we had our ceremony. If you are undecided, you definitely should have your wedding here.

d truer words could not be spoken. This is not a wedding factory with three weddings going on but its also not a place where you will be working with an inexperienced vendor who has never put on an event. You are working with true professionals who will give you and your guests an unforgettable event. We wanted what most couples are looking for today-- a venue that can house all of the events of the wedding day (ceremony, cocktail hour, reception) and the College absolutely has this. You have so many different options and one thing I really valued was having the option for a few different dedicated ceremony spaces. I am not a big fan of things having to be flipped from a ceremony room into the area for dinner and here we had plenty of options to chose from. Walking into the Ashurst Room, I knew that was where I wanted to marry my husband. It reminded me of a library and the natural light is amazing for photographers. Dreaming of an outdoor ceremony? Perfect--the medicinal garden is incredible but if it rains, you'll still be in a gorgeous space. I'd also like to add other bonuses- there is no need to add ridiculous uplighting to this venue in the summer season. Candlelight and the natural light pouring through the massive windows provides a beautiful look. We also felt comfortable just walking around the College for beautiful pictures instead of driving around the city. The service you will receive as a College of Physicians bride is fantastic and I cannot recommend it more as a venue. Working with Elizabeth and Dan was a fantastic experience. Not to mention, throughout wedding planning you have the conversation piece of being able to say you are getting married in a place that houses a Museum of Medical History complete with skulls, a giant colon and a soap lady. What could be better than that?