The French Estate

er, Sarah Pearson multiples times to finalize the contract & did not get a response. Finally we got a hold of Susan Perkins and she relayed the bad news. Poor communication and unprofessionalism. Save yourself the stress and disappointment and book elsewhere.

added some table decor and that was it. I was a little afraid of noise from the street during the ceremony, but there was none! They have rooms for the bridal parties to get ready in/stash their things and a really cute grass area and bar. My guests loved it and had a wonderful time. PLUS they have a cute cable car to transport people to and from the parking lot! Loved my wedding there and wouldn't change the venue. PERFECT!

e to attend our wedding. This was the perfect place! Sarah helped us find the best package to fit our needs. She was accommodating and not pushy at all. The place was so perfect for what we wanted. We wanted to be able to bring in our own vendors and this place allowed us to do just that. There weren't any minimums or additional fees hidden. Everything was straight forward. The backyard was beautiful and my family had the best time! I also want to add, we had problem with the event coordinator we had personally hired and had to fire her 2 weeks before the wedding. I had nothing done, so last minute we took Sarah's suggestion and hired Susan as our wedding coordinator. To say Susan was a blessing is an understatement!!!! Susan stepped right in and basically planned the whole thing in less than 2 weeks. Susan not only did a remarkable job decorating and coordinating, she was just an angel when it came to calming down my nerves. She has such a pleasant way about her that relieved my anxiety. The night went on without any hiccups. I HIGHLY recommend this place as a venue for any wedding or celebrations and it is a MUST to hire Susan!!! Susan Perkins 714-393-4925

tic. There really is minimal decor needed because of this. Sarah (the owner) was always willing and able to help...and Susan (day of coordinator) was a pro and a woman who truly cared! They were accommodating and Susan really made the day run smooth, which kept my nerves down. Words can't describe how thankful we are for this special place.

and fell in love with the possibilities! And the price for both the ceremony + reception was an absolute STEAL! Not only that, the French Estate threw in a jaw-dropping amount of amenities for free, such as use of the bridal suite, day-of insurance, table and chairs, and their unique collection of decorations/centerpieces -- just to name a few! Susan Perkins, the wedding coordinator of the Estate, was incredible on that big day, fielding all the hiccups (such as the caterer arriving 3 hours late, forcing Susan and her crew to set up all the tables and decor in less than 20 minutes) so well that neither we nor our guests ever had a clue! Susan also personally crafted the bridal party bouquets and groomsmen boutonnieres that were just stunning!! If you're looking for something that's outside of your typical hotel or country club setting, the French Estate is your venue for a small, intimate, and memorable wedding. We were blown away by how well it photographed, too! Susan was able to take our wedding vision/theme and bring it to life in ways we didn't even anticipate! Our friends, family and even our vendors were left awestruck. A huge thank-you to The French Estate and especially Susan Perkins for making our humble wedding the most magical fairy tale we could have ever asked for!

are a nice accent at night. Given that it is in a residential area, parking is limited (but there's a shuttle) and end time is earlier than at most venues (something to keep in mind if you want to party hard). I did not use the backyard patio, so I can't comment on that. I did use the one indoors, and it was impeccably clean. My bride did not hire the onsite coordinator, but Karen was present and she was very helpful and accomodating to my photo team and I.

would be. Sarah was wonderful to work with, the whole discussion and planning was smooth, our date was wide open (hint, book really early), and everything we were hoping to do was fine by her. The only challenge for people who are more partiers than we are is that the venue does have you turn off the music at 9pm because it is in a neighborhood (but tbh, I was so ready for bed by about that time). The day of the wedding setup was easy and Susan is an amazing day-of coordinator (she honestly saved the day when my florist really messed up our bouquets). Everything looked beautiful and you can really tell Sarah and Susan care about each wedding and making it perfect. I've told any bride or groom looking for a place to go here first, you cannot find a better price where you can also book any vendors you would like (most places around have a required caterer/bartender). Thank you both again!!

The trolley that picks up the guests at the nearby parking lot and drives them to the venue is a nice touch that the guests seemed to like. Overall, they were easy to work with. However, there were a few things that they misled us about (whether or not it was intentional I'm not sure). We were led to believe we could use the venue owner's shed full of decorations/table linens/umbrellas free of additional cost when we initially toured the venue and signed the contract. Later down the road when the wedding was closer and we asked about using her supplies, she said she would charge us additional fees to rent each item. I totally think it's reasonable to charge to rent items owned by the venue, but we were told it'd be free when we first toured so I was a little bothered by that. It seemed like a bit of a "bait and switch" situation. There were a couple of other unexpected things that we weren't informed of when we signed the contract, like certain additional fees and charges. I'm sure this is relatively common when booking a venue but it's a bummer that venue owners can't just be up front about everything. I still give the venue 4 stars because it was beautiful and quaint and my wedding went off without a hitch! An added bonus is that we got to use Susan as our day-of wedding planner (this was a part of our contract) and she really knows what she's doing! She made sure everything was so well-run and efficient and it allowed me to relax and just enjoy the day. While no wedding venue is perfect, I'd still recommend The French Estate because the pros far outweigh the cons.

ordable without feeling like you have to cut any corners or sacrifice anything you like. I appreciate that they allow you to bring in your own vendors, but also provide a vendor list who are all well reviewed and very familiar with the venue. If you're looking for a place in Orange County with a garden that can accommodate up to 150 people, I definitely recommend taking a look.

tional decorations are needed. During our wedding venue search, my husband and I were looking for a natural outdoor setting that wouldn’t require building the reception from the ground up. The French Estate was the perfect place, with a garden water fountain in the front and great vintage French-themed touches throughout the venue. We had about 85 guests, and everyone fit comfortably in the ceremony and reception areas. The French Estate catering and cake package is a great bonus because the vendors are professional, are already familiar with the site, and provide quality service…and the food and cake were delicious! Plus, the venue package included a private shuttle service since the parking is off-site. Our guests had a blast riding on the adorable San Francisco-style trolley. Sarah, the venue owner and wedding planner, is very accommodating and great to work with. Her wedding planning experience made the whole process straightforward. The only drawback is that music must end at 9pm since the venue is in a residential area. However, we planned an after-party at a nearby restaurant so the celebration could continue. One suggestion is to get the Market Umbrellas for the ceremony and reception areas. We got married in July, and the umbrellas provided great relief from the sun.

o not get a coordinator when you book this place. There is mention of some coordinating on the website and in some of the paperwork, but really, they are not performing the duties of a full on coordinator. For example, setting out tables and chairs, taking out trash, working with all your vendors, executing your timeline...the staff at the French Estate do not do this. You should really make sure you discuss what is and is not covered by their staff. I hired a day-of coordinator who had experience working with the owner of the French Estate. Just be very clear about what the expectations are on both parts. I had a great time and loved the way our wedding turned out, but I'm sure I would be singing a different tune had I not hired a day-of coordinator to handle things like taking out the trash and putting the tables away. Also, because this is a home in a residential area, the parking is off site, about a 10 minute walk from the venue. The French Estate does provide a charming San Francisco-like trolley to transport your guests to and from for the duration of your event. It's very cute. Like I said before, the place is different and romantic and a wonderful alternative to a hotel ballroom.

s. And it's also very affordable. Everything went smoothly and everyone at our wedding had such a great time. She has her own list of recommended vendors, but you can bring in your own. The backyard had string lights strung up. And we had our ceremony in front of the house. Dogs are allowed too... We had my wife's family dog walk down the aisle with us.

d the places that had the right vibe were way too expensive. Then we found the French Estate in Orange, and its amazing owner, Sarah. It was affordable, beautiful, and just had the right feeling, like it was a special place. I knew I wanted to get married there. It's a gorgeous historic home, with an amazing front porch, lush landscaping, tons of precious hidden details, stunning lighting, and ample reception space. Sarah, the owner, lives in the home, and believes that a wedding should be about beginning a new chapter in life, not about going broke for a one-day event. Her rates are totally reasonable, and it includes a ton of amenities, like tables, chairs, decor, and lighting. It's the best deal I found, and the most beautiful property! Sarah herself is wonderful to work with. She is calm and collected, and gives off the vibe that everything is under control, and you have nothing to worry about. I am naturally a very anxious person, and there were multiple times that she put me at ease. She helped ensure that our entire wedding day went smoothly, from the rehearsal the night before, to the clean-up at the very end of the reception. She was responsive and communicative during the planning process, and was happy to have in-person planning meetings and tours of the property. She acts as the day-of coordinator, and thanks to her, our wedding day went just according to plan and I was shielded from stress as much as possible! My wedding was exactly what I had envisioned, and I truly believe that this would not have been the case at any other venue. I will always be grateful to Sarah and the French Estate for making my dream wedding a reality.

y to deal with the preperations and the day off. The down side was that she was not going to be available the whole day of my wedding and had an assistant cover her for the Reception. The assistant was freaking out on my 16 year old DJ when music would raised one level, or when a song was just downloaded at a louder beat,so our music could not be heard while everyone was talking and we were not allowed to put up the music one notch. I knew the music has restrictions but if you can't hear it while your talking its not loud. The french estate bar tender was unprofessional he had his girlfriend present and they were kissing behind the bar. I had a couple of things not returned to me like left over food (it was promised I paid for 97 and only 77 showed), my BUBBLE machine, and brand new bubble solution that was not used, and cups from the bar. Also, I was expecting 17 kids and had activity place mats & crayons for 24 and only 6 were present could not find the unsued items. Other than those issues, the wedding ran smoothly evreyone had a great time and keep talking about how great it was. I still love the place and if I could I would do it all over again at the French Estate. I do recommend the place for those looking for something small and intimate just make sure Sarah is the your Cordinator and hire an good friend or relative to be the bar-tender.

o the big day. The landscaping is gorgeous and the backyard, once it's set up, is like a fairy tale. We couldn't have done better to find a venue that suited our vision and needs.

service was great and the coordinator was extremely helpful and very nice. We had such a great night!

ould have looked on a fall evening. On top of that, Sarah (the woman who owns the venue and serves as the coordinator the day-of) is amazing! You can tell that she has experience and knows just what you might need. She is full of ideas that might help resolve any glitches that might arise.

both take place outside). This historical home has so much charm. I received many compliments from guest they really enjoyed the venue. An extra bonus is having the onsite bridal suite to get ready before the wedding. Very convenient and spacious room. I definitely recommend this venue to other brides that are looking form something quaint and charming and also for people having smaller weddings. Only complaint is when we needed something it was hard to find the owner/wedding cooordinator throughout the day. She would dissappear a lot.

hat she does. She organized everything for us and made it exactly what we wanted. Highly Recommend!

the music, lost the maid of honor's bouquet, and hired staff that didn't seem to know they were supposed to stay out of the photos. I wouldn't discourage you from using this lovely location just bring your own person to call the shots.

was amazingly affordable. My only complaint was that we couldn't stay long enough :) with sound restrictions for the neighborhood, we had to end the music at 9pm, and our group wanted to keep the fun going! Thanks Sarah, for making our day perfect!

is late 1800's house is now the home to Sarah Pearson, who runs a B&B and rents out the facility on weekends. No decorations needed. Her home has lots of little touches - from old photographs and vintage furniture, to the manicured gardens and seating areas outside. Sarah helps with the day-of coordination and even has a bridal suite that can be used for your wedding day!

nd I could not find a better price for all that I received!!

o make my wedding special and unique. My guests couldn't stop gawking in amazement at what a find this is in orange county. It was also the best deal we found in central orange county! Since they started their new website they've been booked for the next year or so, so book early.

helpful she even has a trolley that will pick up your guests at a designated parking area since this is a residential place. Keep in mind there is an early music cut off time because it is a residential area which we were bummed about but understand as well. Overall we loved this place and the prices, especially for Orange County can't be beat. :)