I had looked around online for wedding venues in my price point and was struggling to find what I wanted. I wanted a building with character, a bit of a view, an outdoor area for b...oth the ceremony and reception, and I like separate spaces for people to retreat to.
When I saw The Retreat from Wedgewood I was pretty sure it was too good to be true, but I was hopeful. It ended up being the only venue I visited, and I am so glad I just went with that gut instinct. Let me just say, it has been almost a year now, and I still have family and friends tell me it was the prettiest, most fun, best food, best cake, they have ever had at a wedding (sometimes whispered to me at other weddings!). And the staff there made it so so so easy to plan, too, and we had a short turnaround of about 7 months. The binder, the regular check-ins, the FLEXIBILITY they had, they were so willing to accommodate and they seemed genuinely excited by my silly ideas for my little artist wedding. Also, the help doesn't end until you are literally closing the door to your car to leave at the end of the night, the staff was super helpful, bringing us snacks, drinks, keeping us on schedule all of the wedding day. You do not need to hire another wedding coordinator, they handle it all.
TLDR
Pros-
1) Food was amazing, and restaurant quality, we met the chef, she was great!
2) Drinks were wonderful, we got the medium package with two signature drinks, well drinks, beer, and wine and the bar kept lines down to a minimum, with fast service. People left feeling treated
3) Cake! Comes with the venue, and was extraordinary! Some of my favorite photos are me realizing how good the cake was when taking the first bite. We also paid extra for more decorating on the cake, and the Cucamonga Cakery killed it, so cute! Perfection.
4) Photobooth was loved by the guests! So many fun shots and they send you home with a photo album with copies of all the photos!
5) Planning made simple, pricing made simple. I knew pretty much exactly what I was going to get and it was nice having only a few unexpected costs
6) Staff was perfection, the whole crew from beginning to end, they make you feel special and important and they do their jobs well.
7) Building was beautiful, you need very little, if any extra decor inside, and they have stands and signs for you to use if you need.
8) DJ was a professional, he was an excellent mc and was on top of it for all the speeches and the ceremony.
Cons (minor)
1) There aren't a lot of outlets in the bridal suite, nor the best lighting for makeup, maybe consider getting ready elsewhere and faking some shots there, I should have done that.
2) The florist that comes with the venue always came off like they were annoyed at my questions and requests. They were nice in person, but then when we'd get emailed samples of what we "discussed" it was way off, as if we had spoken to another company before. Also, in the middle package, bouquets, boutineers, and corsages are not included, so that was a few hundred bucks extra to be aware of.
That is all I can think of, overall, I keep telling people to consider this venue, and to check into the other Wedgewood Properties, because if they are like this one, then they are in excellent hands!
(p.s. - I got married in April of 23, had 100 guests, had the biggest package with a few things removed and the cost before tax was 17k for everything I listed above.)
Hope this all helps!