The Pavilion on Crystal Lake

Traveling from out of state, we didn’t really have any ideas of venues in Connecticut that we wanted to see. We found the CT Wedding Group through browsing online and made an appointment to visit the Pavilion on Crystal Lake. Once we saw the Pavilion in person, we were... Read More hooked. The building had a natural, rustic feel that was perfect for us. The outdoor ceremony site in front of the gazebo amongst the trees was serene and the ideal setting for us to exchange vows. On our wedding, the events of the day flowed flawlessly from the hot beverage cart stationed for guests to pass by to the beautiful, outdoor ceremony site in its autumnal glory to the cocktail hour and reception indoors. The lighting package we chose with the mason jars suspended from the ceiling was absolutely breathtaking and created an ambience of warmth, comfort, and celebration. What sets the CWG apart from all the other wedding venues in CT, however, is their unparalleled customer service. Every, single person we spoke to and met with at the CWG was so professional, friendly, and knowledgeable. Mary-Beth sent out such detailed, informative emails throughout the wedding planning process which helped keep me organized, and she always responded to my questions and concerns in a timely, kind manner. Ashley was also very thorough, patient, and helpful, especially when I was booking outside vendors who needed to be approved. And hats off to Steve and Mike- Our wedding guests cannot stop talking about how great the food was! In fact, the extensive menu options was one of the reasons why we decided to go with the CWG. Every drink, hors ’oeuvre, entrée, and dessert was delicious, and everyone left at the end of the night feeling extremely full and satisfied. A very special thank you goes to Samantha Nickerson, wedding planner extraordinaire. She couldn’t have been more responsive and thoughtful at our final details appointment, in the days leading up to the wedding, and on the day of the wedding. We are grateful for her dedication to making our wedding day perfect for us, taking care of the last minute hiccups that can arise, and communicating effectively with the rest of our vendors, all without causing us any stress or hassle. How she coordinated everything on our wedding day is beyond us, but she did it all with a smile on her face and checked in often to ensure we had everything we needed. Everyone was passionate and dedicated to creating a memorable, unique wedding. Our wedding on 11/5/16 from start to finish was definitely the most special day of our lives so far, largely because of CT Wedding Group’s attention to detail and love for what they do. If you’re looking for a wedding venue in the Middletown area, look no further than the Pavilion on Crystal Lake (or the Barns at Wesleyan Hills or the Lyman Orchards Golf Club- If the CT Wedding Group is organizing the wedding, you know it’ll be unforgettable)!

Working with CT Wedding Group was the best decision we could have made. We didn’t only find the best venue for our wedding but we found an amazing team to work with who took care of everything and took away of all of the anxiety. We were not interested in going broke over our... Read More wedding. At the same time, we were not willing to sacrifice having a classy, fun wedding with delicious food. It’s been two months since the wedding and guests are still raving about how it was one of the best weddings they’ve been too, how delicious and unique all of the food was and how great the service was, and we couldn’t agree more! There are so many aspects of working with this group that go above and beyond any other place we looked at. CT Wedding Group offers a whole team of professional, friendly individuals who work together to make the day (and whole planning process) seamless and stress free. They have a great network of recommended vendors who are all familiar with the venue and communicate directly with the planners so that we didn’t have to be the middle. I also appreciated that they didn’t require us to use their preferred vendors. However after some research, I found that some of their preferred vendors really were the best option and wound up booking Jewel Photo and Chris V from Powerstation as our DJ and are so happy we did! The venue has so many beautiful environments in one, the “barn look” on the inside, the lake, sand and woods. There isn’t a bad seat in the venue. Even the tables in the back corner have a beautiful view of the lake and are still close to the dance floor. Another aspect of working with CT Wedding Group was that they didn’t try to nickle and dime us. Yes, they offer “extras” but that’s exactly what they are, extra experiences or food that you can add on to make it an even more unique and special experience but what they give you in the base package is so much more than what anyone else offers for the price and they never tried to pressure us into exceeding our budget. We did wind up getting the pie bar and espresso bar. Our families were quite skeptical about us having pie instead of cake but EVERYONE loved it and anytime someone talks about our wedding to someone who wasn’t there, the first thing they say is, “we had the best time at their wedding... they had PIE!” The espresso bar was equally as great and when guests found out they could bring their espresso to the bar for an espresso martini they were even more thrilled. We had our final detail appointment a few days before and our wedding coordinator, Allie, was absolutely fabulous. She went over everything and listened to everything we said. The ONLY thing I was concerned about leading up to the wedding was that the day would be a blur once it was all over. Allie made sure that didn’t happen by reminding us to stay in the moment, keeping us on schedule but never rushing us and making sure we took some time for just the two of us between the ceremony and reception...and discreetly helping us get away from any guests who tried to talk our ears off. We would highly recommend this venue and team to friends and family, especially because we would love to go to another wedding there as a guest!

Our July 10, 2016 wedding day was so perfect and that is due in large part to The Pavilion on Crystal Lake. I simply do not have enough words to describe how great they are! Two years before our own wedding, I saw facebook pictures of an old friend who had gotten married here.... Read More Just from pictures alone, I knew this venue was exactly what I envisioned for my own wedding. Upon seeing the venue in person, I was sold. The Connecticut Wedding Group knows how to plan a wedding. There is no detail left untouched, they are VERY accommodating and the staff is so kind and caring. They truly go above and beyond the call of duty. That much cannot be said about many wedding venues in the area. The planning process was very easy and I never felt as if things were getting overwhelming. We received monthly emails with suggestions to help keep our wedding planning on schedule and the food tasting was AMAZING and so fun! People RAVE about the food at this venue and they are not lying. It is quality ingredients, great portion sizes and so many options to choose from! Mary-Beth McDowell the Director of Wedding Planning is simply fantastic! She is amazing at her job and you can so tell that she enjoys what she is doing for a living. She always gave great suggestions, replied to EVERY email within 24 hours and was so completely organized throughout the whole process. She is in charge of planning and organizing so many weddings yet she knows every single couple by name and exactly what their wedding is all about. We cannot thank her enough for keeping us sane through the whole process! Allie Feitelson our day-of wedding coordinator was also TOP NOTCH! We met with her 3 days prior to the wedding to drop everything off (AKA crunch time) and she did such an amazing job putting all of our worries at ease. She knows exactly how to run a wedding. She listened to every suggestion we had, did not rush through our appointment at all and is so kind and funny. The day of the wedding she made sure the day ran according to plan. She has so many people to manage and yet seems to get everything done with ease! We even were able to keep the ceremony outside even though it began raining exactly at 4:00 pm. It was not ideal situation but Allie knew how important it was to me to be outside for the ceremony and we just made it work. We are SO appreciative of this wedding venue. Every employee from top to bottom is so fantastic. We would choose to have our wedding here again in a heartbeat! We cannot thank the CT Wedding Group enough for making our day so incredibly perfect and special. It was worth every single penny we spent! If you like a rustic themed wedding venue with quality employees, THIS IS IT!!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Sincerely, Alexa and Aaron Landolt

CT wedding group is amazing! Our wedding day was absolutely perfect! Guest continue to comment on how great everything was! The food was amazing, the venue was amazing, and the staff was amazing.

Wedding planning was a dream thanks to CT Wedding Group! From the moment we stepped foot into the Pavilion, we knew that was where we were going to get married, and from that moment on, we were met with nothing but smiles. Every member of the staff was warm, informative, and... Read More full of excitement when it came to our wedding vision. We were thrilled to be able to have our venue, caterer, decorator, and planner all in the same group, especially since everyone communicated so well with one another about our wedding. The helpful lists, the informative emails, and the multiple, personal meetings with planners all helped us to feel comfortable about our wedding. We never felt alone. Thanks to everyone at CT Wedding Group, we avoided the panic that most couples must surely feel before and during wedding planning. Our wedding day was absolute perfection. Allie and her staff made us feel like royalty. Not a moment went by when we felt unprepared or uninformed. Someone always had a drink, a kind word, or a gentle instruction ready for us (depending upon what we needed in the moment). The decor was a marvel. The magnificent space reflected the fairy tale that we live in our life together, and we're so glad that we could share that magic with our guests. Everything from the fairy lit gazebo to the vine entangled chandelier in the pavilion perfectly reflected our vision for our wedding day. Every bite of food was unbelievably delicious, and we still receive word from friends and family that they enjoyed their meals immensely. We cannot emphasize enough just how much we appreciate the kindness and warmth that the staff brought to our day. Without them, we would not have been able to embrace and enjoy everything around us. Thank you all for giving us the wedding of our dreams.

We just got married at The Pavilion on 8/25/17 and it was perfect! Our day-of coordinator, Allie was so on top of everything and she kept the whole day running smoothly. I didn't have to coordinate anything myself and most of the time I wasn't even sure what the time actually... Read More was because I didn't need to worry. The venue was gorgeous and they did an amazing job with the lights. Everyone was telling us how beautiful the place looked and how amazing the food and overall service was. My cousin said they were so attentive during dinner, she felt like royalty :o). I couldn't have asked for a more perfect day and CT Wedding Group/The Pavilion really made sure it was everything I dreamed.

Our wedding was absolutely perfect! The venue, and especially the staff of the CT Wedding Group, were so phenomenal, it was above and beyond our greatest expectations. Everything, from the quaint and private ceremony setting, to the perfectly decorated rustic reception space,... Read More was exactly what we wanted it to be. The food was incredible, the drinks perfectly mixed, and the atmosphere in the room was incomparable to any wedding I have ever been to. There was not a single detail missed, thanks to Samantha! We wanted our wedding to be just like our relationship: laid back, worry free, and fun; that is exactly what we got at The Pavilion on Crystal Lake!

Planning a wedding from Arkansas was a challenge. The staff at CT wedding group made every step of the planning process simple and stress free. Our July 30th wedding at The Pavilion on Crystal Lake was absolutely perfect! The food was amazing and the venue looked stunning. Our... Read More day of coordinator, Cathy, was awesome. She made sure that me and my husband were well taken care of. Cathy went out of her way to make sure everything was perfect. Our guests had the best time. I would definitely recommend The Pavilion on Crystal Lake to anyone!!!

I wish I could get married at the Pavilion every year! We got married July 22 and they accommodated our every need. They asked EVERY guest about dietary restrictions and accommodated ALL of them. They built a hot sauce bar for my husband's family. They made sure we always had a... Read More drink in our hand and that we actually had a chance to eat! I could go on forever about how AMAZING this venue is. They're staff really made our day. While the venue can get expensive, it's worth every penny and I would recommend it to every couple!

This venue was amazing the food was amazing the planners and staff was amazing. I couldn't have asked for a better experience!

The Pavilion was the first venue we toured, and it would have been the last except that we didn’t have enough time to cancel a tour we had at another venue. I was blown away by how stunningly gorgeous the Pavilion is, with its rustic charm and lighting, not to mention the... Read More incredible view of Crystal Lake. The two times we visited pre-wedding – our tour, and a year later, our tasting – were in the dead of winter but it was still beautiful. By the time of our wedding (June 2017) everything was in bloom and we couldn’t ask for a better backdrop. The beauty of the venue and its surroundings was a major selling point, but they it doesn’t even compare to the level or service the Connecticut Wedding Group provided. For the duration of our 18-month engagement, I felt like I had partners who wanted to make every detail of my dream wedding day come true without me having to stress over everything. Emails were answered within hours (though usually within one hour or less); phone calls handled efficiently; payments were easy to make; and the advice given was priceless! Before I get into the planning/execution part of this review, let me just point out that my husband and I are foodies and beer snobs. The menu did not disappoint, and we were happy to have Thimble Island beer on tap (in addition to crowd-pleasers like Yuengling) to serve our guests. The food was phenomenal – all farm to table, exquisitely crafted and plated. One of my friends told me weeks later that he dreamed of the food after the wedding because it was so good and he wanted more! Our signature drink, the bumbleberry lemonade, has become legendary among friends and family. Now, onto planning -- planning a wedding means lot of work and thought and effort, so it’s especially wonderful to hear guests say, “Best wedding ever!” – and that’s exactly what happened just after the last song played. I have the team at CT Wedding Group to thank, especially Allie Feitelson, our day-of coordinator, and Mary-Beth McDowell & Samantha Nickerson, who were integral to our wedding planning process. Allie and the day-of team were incredible. We dropped off all of our décor, centerpiece items and other details (i.e. guestbook, place cards, etc.) on the Thursday before the wedding, and I couldn’t believe how organized the team was with the inventory spreadsheet (which ensured we got everything back in mint condition!) and helping me translate my vision to fit the floor plan. They were so accommodating and once we arrived at the Pavilion in Saturday I was floored by what they did to personalize the décor to my ideas (we had growler centerpieces and they added many touches to the Harvest table, dessert table, gift table etc. to tie everything together). My favorite detail was the spot they dedicated to the memorial I wanted to have to our grandparents and aunts who passed away before the wedding – I assumed it would be on the gift table but they were able to make an entire memorial spot using a rustic ladder that was such a nice way to draw attention to something that meant a lot to me. I must also note that Allie helped ensure the bar would be open at our hotel after party after I had a miscommunication with the folks at the hotel – she went above and beyond to ensure I had absolutely NOTHING to worry about but get married and have fun! It was the best day of my life. All the months of planning came together for a beautiful day that my husband and I and ours guests enjoyed together. Worth every penny!!!

Reflecting back on our wedding day on 5/21/17, we wouldn't change a single detail! We had the most beautiful day at the Pavilion on Crystal Lake, and Samantha and the CT Wedding Group made sure every special detail that was important to us was executed flawlessly...from making... Read More sure our dog was implemented seamlessly within our ceremony to our flaming donuts station to making sure our Patriots jersey guestbooks were laid out perfectly for our guests to sign...Samantha eased any worries I had and just made sure my husband and I were well taken care of and had a lot of fun! I was very adamant about not being the bride that couldn't enjoy her food, and Samantha made sure we had our moment alone prior to the reception to enjoy all the delicious apps, and most importantly, some quiet time together. She made sure we stayed on schedule while also making sure I had as many scallops that I wanted and always with a drink in my hand! The only sad part about the day was how quickly it flew by! Our family and friends cannot stop gushing about how amazing and beautiful our wedding day was..we have received countless compliments about the delicious and plentiful food, the service, the venue...everything! My father-in-law even ended up with a plate of scallops after he was talking about his love of seafood to the bartender...and next thing you know, there is a plate of scallops on his table to try! Now that is going above and beyond! We would not (and have not!) stopped raving about our wedding day and would recommend it to any couple looking for a venue that makes wedding planning easy and stress-free!! Thank you so much!!!

Our wedding day at The Pavilion on Crystal Lake was perfect! We only toured this one venue and it was exactly what we wanted! The farm-to-table style food was amazing. Thanks to Chef Steve for a delicious and unique menu! We had the NoRa cupcake caboose for dessert and it... Read More was a huge hit! The venue staff was so easy to work with. Everything was better than we could have imagined. Mary-Beth was so amazing and helpful throughout the planning process. She checked in regularly, kept us on track, and had an answer for everything! Samantha was such an awesome day-of wedding coordinator and she made us feel so calm about everything. Samantha, along with banquet captain Melissa, had everything under control and running smoothly. Also, a shout out to server Alex! We have received so many compliments from our guests on the venue, the food, and the staff. The whole Connecticut Wedding Group team is so professional and easy to work with. They really take the time to get to know each couple and create a unique day to fit your personalities. We are so happy we found the perfect place to celebrate the best day of our lives!

Our wedding day at The Pavilion on Crystal Lake was perfect! We only toured this one venue and it was exactly what we wanted! The farm-to-table style food was amazing. Thanks to Chef Steve for a delicious and unique menu! We had the NoRa cupcake caboose for dessert and it... Read More was a huge hit! The venue staff was so easy to work with. Everything was better than we could have imagined. Mary-Beth was so amazing and helpful throughout the planning process. She checked in regularly, kept us on track, and had an answer for everything! Samantha was such an awesome day-of wedding coordinator and she made us feel so calm about everything. Samantha, along with banquet captain Melissa, had everything under control and running smoothly. Also, a shout out to server Alex! We have received so many compliments from our guests on the venue, the food, and the staff. The whole Connecticut Wedding Group team is so professional and easy to work with. They really take the time to get to know each couple and create a unique day to fit your personalities. We are so happy we found the perfect place to celebrate the best day of our lives!

My daughter had her wedding at The Pavilion on Crystal Lake last Friday, and it was just a wonderful event! From the outdoor ceremony to the appetizers, dinner, and all the rest it was just awesome! Our Coordinator at The Pavilion, Samantha, was extremely efficient and did a... Read More wonderful job of making our evening such an outstanding experience. I would whole-heartedly recommend this venue to anyone who is planning a wedding in the Greater Hartford Area!

This venue made all my dreams come true. We knew we wanted a venue that looked like this. It is very picturesque new England. Gorgeous tall pine trees, ceremony space that is in the woods with a view of the lake, beautiful lake with even some sand, and the actual building looks... Read More very farm-like especially inside. The venue is small in the sense that they only do one wedding a day, which is a huge plus if you don't want to share your day. The food was astoundingly good. I could tell the chefs takes serious pride in their work and for good reason. The food is seasonal which already shows how authentic their menu is and they are very accommodating when it comes to allergies and dietary restrictions which everyone seems to have these days. The entire pavilion team is fabulous. They were so on top of everything. They sent emails out in a timely order to remind us about decorations, or cupcake flavors, or menu info etc. Samantha was our day of coordinator and she is the bees knees. Such a positive woman who will calm your nerves and remind you of the important things. My DJ messed up big time during the processional (putting the wrong music on) and she ran up and shut it down! She was there to pull me away from guests when I was starving and needed someone to excuse me. She helped put everything together before we left the venue and made sure I had plenty of extra cupcakes to eat. Always trust the person who is willing to be the "bad guy" for you. Sam, thank you for everything, you are so fantastic at your work and it is clear that you love doing it. I also need to mention Ashley. She was my phone girl. Especially near the end I was calling constantly asking very random questions, "what's the diameter of the tables?" Ashley has an answer for everything and if she didn't she would do research and get back to me. Thank you to all of you. I will never forget that special day and you were all such great help and support throughout it.

Our wedding at The Pavilion on Crystal Lake was absolutely beautiful! Words can't describe how perfect everything was! The staff made sure everything went smoothly. Our wedding coordinator Lindsay was phenomenal! She made sure every little detail was covered! The food was... Read More delcious! The decor was perfect. I couldn't be happier with this venue and I would highly recommend them to anyone!

My husband and I got married at the pavilion this past May and I truly couldn't have asked for anything more perfect. We had been to weddings there before, so we already knew how beautiful the venue is and how incredible the food was, but the time and effort every worker at the... Read More pavilion puts in to make sure your day runs smoothly is incredible. Our day of coordinator was Allie, and I'll admit I was a little nervous because she was one of the few staff I didn't get to meet during the tasting, but she was the absolute best. She was always right besides us making sure we had everything we needed and even providing us with service and support that we didn't even realize we wanted! I was constantly losing my drinks throughout the night, but Allie was always on her A game and making sure she had a fresh one for me, ready to go! I would recommend this venue to anyone, solely because of the staff. It is more than obvious that they care about their work and take pride in what they do. All brides stress on their wedding day, there's a million thoughts running through your head, but the staff at CT wedding group do everything in their power to minimize any stress that they can. They take care of all the details to make sure that you don't have to. Allie took care of everything so we could relax and enjoy our day to the fullest. I am grateful for Allie and everyone else I worked with over the past year, they were so responsive to emails and answering my 100 questions and making arragengments for special meal accommodations. We fell in love with everything about the pavilion..location, venue, staff, amazing food and we are so happy we chose them to help make our wedding the most special, memorable day we could have asked for.

The Pavilion of Crystal Lake was the first venue we looked at for our wedding and after meeting Dawn and Mary-Beth and seeing it in person we knew this was the place for our wedding! The crew at Connecticut Wedding Group were so amazing to work with, they were so helpful in... Read More giving advice during the planning process and I always felt like they truly cared about what we wanted and that our wedding went perfectly! Jenna (our day of Coordinator) was absolutely fabulous!! Jenna does not just think of you as just another bride and groom, she takes the time to get to know you and made our day perfect! I'm so glad Jenna was there to assist with the rehearsal and on our big day because we would not have known what to do without her! ! I loved that we could have the ceremony and reception at the same place! We got so many rave reviews from out guests about how delicious and fresh the food was too! I would not think twice about recommending The Pavilion on Crystal Lake to anyone for their wedding, I cannot say enough wonderful things about the Pavilion itself and Jenna!!!

Words cant describe how amazing our wedding was! Our wedding day was 5/12/17. Everything went so smoothly all night long thanks to Allie, Melissa, and the rest of the staff. The day started off gloomy but turned out beautiful for our outdoor ceremony. The decor, food, and drinks... Read More were all SO GOOD we are still receiving compliments on how it was "the best wedding we have ever been to". I can't say enough how awesome Allie was the day of, as well as the rest of CWG leading up to the big day. I highly recommend Connecticut Wedding Group!!!

The first time we met with CT Wedding Group and saw the Pavilion we knew it was the one for us. Just walking up to the lake we felt a sense of calm come over us. The venue was exactly what we were looking for. A fun, laid back, rustic venue that our guests would be able to... Read More enjoy. After meeting with the CT Wedding Group it sealed the deal! They were so friendly and organized we knew that the day would go smoothly no matter what! Through the whole planning process Mary Beth and Samantha were a phone call or email away, always willing to answer questions and give advice. Our ceremony was also held there (indoors because of rain) but our day of coordinator Lindsay was there every step of the way. Everyone had a blast and the food was amazing! We have been getting so many compliments from our guests! Great venue!

We could not have been more happy with the choice of venue. This was honestly the first (and only) venue we saw. There were only a few dates left for the time we wanted, and we liked it enough to chose one! Connecticut Wedding Group and everyone at the Pavilion on Crystal Lake... Read More were more than accommodating and were there whenever we needed. I have already recommended the group and venue to a few friends who are recently engaged and will continue to recommend them in the future!

Literally cannot say enough wonderful and amazing things about the Venue and the people who work here. CT Wedding Group is a great company. Our wedding, 4/15/17, was the best day because we didn't have to worry or stress about anything. We fell in love the moment we saw it... Read More and just knew it was very "us." We are so happy we picked here to get married and have our reception. They give you coordinators on the day to help execute their vision and they do that and enhance it! They made everything run so smoothly. The food is delicious - there is an abundance of appetizers, cheeses, meats, a three course dinner, open bar and we did the Blazing Donuts and Mondo Pizza station and everything was a hit!!! I just wish I could have eaten more. They pay attention to details so much and were always getting us what we needed, but were very inconspicuous with everything. Allie and Cate were awesome and I'm so happy we got married here. The ceremony site is beautiful and quaint with a gazebo and benches overlooking the lake with trees (they weren't in full bloom yet but the pictures are still amazing). I also used the cottage to get ready in prior to the ceremony and it was so nice to have that extra space and already be at the venue - it was beautifully decorated and was great for getting ready photos. They are very communicative, but not too much, and you have appointments to discuss the vision, expectations, etc. There was a tasting that was also great in helping pick the entrees and first course! It truly was a magical day for many reasons and you will feel so relaxed on that day if you choose to get married and/or have your reception here!!!

We loved this place the minute we walked into the space. Although we ultimately didn't choose it for our venue, i can't say enough about Mary-Beth and the experience we had just chatting and looking around the property. They offer to much and it would be a great party, that's... Read More for sure! I would recommend anyone to check this place out!

I couldn't be happier with our experience. From beginning to end the staff made sure the day ran smoothly. Our wedding planner was attentive and on top of everything from organizing our wedding party to working with our vendors. She definitely took a lot of the stress off my... Read More shoulders. The grounds are beautiful and the food is amazing. Our guests had a wonderful time.