The Starting Gate at GreatHorse

m the first time I met Chris Sullivan, the event coordinator, I knew this was THE place. She is professional, intelligent, and she is an enjoyable woman to work with. She really took the time to understand my glitz and glam vibe. She made wedding planning FUN! She was there every step of the way, e-mail, phone calls, touching base, and making sure we were always on the same page. She made recommendations without overstepping- she knows her stuff!! She is EXCEPTIONAL and SHE is the reason that made me say yes and lock in our date! (And the beautiful venue as well of course) On my wedding day, Chris was there for all of it, the most attentive coordinator there is. She made sure we were on time. She helped with guests, she helped with our processional for the ceremony, she fluffed my veil as I walked down the aisle with my dad, she helped bustle me, she was there for introductions, she was serving on the floor with her staff, she was there moving the cake table when it was time, she made sure everyone was happy and had what they needed, she was everywhere at one time to make sure the night ran as smoothly as it did. She is the person you want on your side as a Bride! The set up at The Starting Gate provides your guests a seem-less night from ceremony to cocktail hour to reception. The views are stunning and the entire venue is easy to maneuver and handicap accessible! The culinary team here is outstanding. The entire night we received nothing but compliments on the hordeurves passed during cocktail hour to the main entrees to even the way the cake was presented. You can tell the chef takes pride in what they do starting with the fine details in how the meals are plated to the raspberry coulis spread on our cake plates! Presentation, taste, attention to detail again all 10/10 just like Chris. The morning of the wedding my bridesmaids and I got ready in the gorgeous bridal suite. It is spacious and has two bathrooms which was fantastic! — Kat helped take care of us- she served us our light breakfast spread, cleared our messes, made sure lunch was served and always knew when to bring more champagne. The spread was unbelievable, delicious, and even the small details like the cute napkins and signs for food were so nice! Kat was polite and she was discreet in a way that you knew she was there if you needed anything at all. She was fabulous & and she made my morning stress free! She was there not just in morning but for the evening as well. She made sure my fiancé didn’t see me before I walked down the aisle and that guests weren’t in the reception area went I went down for first look with my dad. She is fantastic at what she does. The bartenders and wait staff at The Starting Gate were above and beyond as well. They were pleasant and funny!! They made great drinks and every time I looked they always had smiles. They engaged in conversation with my guests and it looked like they were having fun too. Guests would get up to use the restroom or bar, and wait staff would notice and their settings would be scraped clean of crumbs and napkins neatly placed. The wait staff was on the floor but never in the way. Thank you x10000000 To the Starting Gate Team! (The knot needs longer space for reviews )

ly traveling from France felt right at home. The venue is incredible and we had the pleasure of staying in their beautiful lodging for the weekend. 10/10 Thank you so much !!!

of the wedding, she was consistently checking in, making sure we had everything we needed, and even went as far as fixing/sewing the bride’s dress mid-reception! The Starting Gate is a beautiful venue with stunning views. The deck for cocktail hour was an awesome spot for guests to mingle and enjoy the sunset. Every one of our guests are still talking about how amazing the food was and how spectacular the service was. Both the appetizers and entrees were creative and delicious. Bread was constantly replenished at each table, as well as all waters and wine refilled swiftly. The staff was very friendly and so efficient. Cannot recommend the Starting Gate enough! We are so grateful we chose this venue for our special day.

Sullivan’s level of attention to detail. There isn’t one thing about my wedding I would change! She is a consummate professional and I would not hesitate to recommend the Starting Gate and it’s staff. From the waitstaff, to the bartenders and everyone involved I cannot say enough. We are still hearing how much guests enjoyed the food and were overwhelmed with the beauty of the setup and the grounds. We are forever grateful to have found such an amazing place that will forever hold a special place in our hearts.

beautiful view, the AMAZING food and the enjoyable atmosphere. As a extremely type A bride, Chris kept my stress to a minimum, answered all of my constant questions, ensured every tiny detail was perfect, without us having to life a finger. If you want to be able to actually fully enjoy your wedding day, call Chris now!!! We also had 13 kids who attended the wedding from 3-10 years old and she managed to keep them all smiling and having the night of their lives (with extreme patience). To the entire Starting Gate Team, we cannot begin to express our gratitude for hosting the most perfect day for us.

stic. She was professional, organized, knowledgeable, experienced, prompt on responses, but most of all- honest. She would give sound advice on what has worked and not worked in previous events and why. Chris was honest about prices and options with absolutely no pressure. We did not hire a wedding planner but having Chris and her team as resources was incredibly helpful as we put everything together. I don't think we could adequately express the level of attention to detail the SG staff had on the day of. The little touches of decorations, from the signature drink signs, some extra florals, and the food stations, all helped make the day as magical as we wanted. Every single person we interacted with (from the bartenders to bridal attendants to wait staff) was so nice, caring, and helpful. As we right this, we just joked that we are going to miss talking with Chris all the time! Thank you to Chris and the SG team! 5/5 stars.

eople, the accommodations, the personal touch, the food, the atmosphere, the space, it was all perfect for us and our guests.

uren and Chris helped plan the wedding to be less stressful despite through the pandemic. They will answer all your questions. Lauren was attentive to make sure we got what we wanted out of the day. All our vendors which were provided as options from the Starting Gate were patient with us while we postponed the wedding 2 times. The Covid-19 pandemic has been a challenging time for all of us but that didn't stop them from assisting in making our wedding day the happiest day of my life.

of our wedding due to COVID and making sure everything we wanted was taken care of. They are so organized and really help with the stress of planning a wedding making sure every detail is thought about and discussed. When Lauren went on maternity leave we were given Chris who was just as amazing. She is organized and responsive and so sweet! She asks you what your vision is and makes sure that it’s carried out perfectly. She took care of our entire day and it went off without a hitch. Guests were talking about our wedding and how perfect is was which of course we agreed. From the ceremony to apps, dinner and beyond they made sure everything was amazing I really couldn’t have asked for a better wedding team and I can’t say enough about the staff there. The morning of our bridal attendant Emma was outstanding serving us food and making sure our needs were taken care of. I really can’t say enough good things about this venue. If you are unsure in any way JUST BOOK IT you won’t regret your decision. The day was so perfect and I’m still in awe about how everything was excecuted! Even the tastings were amazing! We became vegetarian halfway through and we were able to do another tasting to try vegetarian options for our wedding. I could go on and on so I will stop but thank you to the staff at the starting gate you all are amazing!

cess. She made it so easy (or as easy as planning a wedding during a pandemic can be ;)) and helped keep everything so organized. She planned out every little detail you can imagine for the day of and as a type A bride, this was INCREDIBLE to have. She also was always very responsive and helpful with any and every question that would come up. As our wedding day got closer, we found out that Lauren was pregnant and was due the day after our wedding. Of course we were so excited for her, but were bummed that she would not be there on our wedding day and also a little nervous of the transition to someone new after working with Lauren for so long. Lauren assured us, though, that we were in great hands with Chris, the other coordinator, and boy, was she right!! Chris caught up on all our little details in such little time, and the transition was seamless. On the day of our wedding, Chris was AMAZING. She kept our rather large bridal party in check (because they needed it) and was on point for every little thing. My husband and I were able to enjoy our entire day and not have to think twice about anything, she and the incredible staff clearly had it all under control. The food and service all around was outstanding. From the girls that were with us in the bridal suite, to the servers, bartenders, chefs, etc. Now, two months later, we are still being told by our guests how incredible our wedding, The Starting Gate, staff, and food was. I truly can not say enough good things. We are so thankful for everyone at the Starting Gate for making our wedding day as memorable as it was for not only us, but also for all of our guests!! If you are in between places or trying to decide if this is the venue for you, trust me, IT IS!

oughout the day as the girls were getting ready in the bridal suite. Julie was always two steps ahead of us- a true motherly touch and keeping everyone calm and having fun. Chris without a doubt helped us immensely between normal wedding planning stress, post poning our date, and the new hoops that arose with that. We both felt completely stress free about the event knowing Chris had a handle on everything. She even body guarded us to make sure we ate during cocktail hour and our meals! Without a doubt would recommend this breathtaking venue to anyone- you truly will not be disappointed. Even in the drizzling rain, our pictures were spectacular and everyone enjoyed themselves !!

were gasping, oohing and aaahing on the coach bus as they passed through the iron gates for the first time. The food is amazing! So many of our guests are still talking about the hand passed hors-doeuvres, raw bar and dinner. “Best wedding food I’ve ever had” has been said to us so many times. All 250 of our guests were served their dinners in such a timely manner that you would have thought there were 5 fully staffed kitchens cooking in the back. If getting married on site, the wedding garden is a perfect spot- for us it served as the most beautiful backdrop for our guest and wedding party photos. The deck is breathtaking and one of the main reasons we chose the Starting Gate. Our guests enjoyed the views from cocktail hour until the end of the night. I can’t tell you how many guests are still posting couple photos and group photos with the sun perfectly setting in the background. The ability to utilize the space regardless of the weather with the remote controlled roof and sides is huge. The inside of the venue is classy and elegant, while still allowing your personal style to shine with the florals and decor that you choose. The staff is AMAZING. From the crew who set up, to the chefs, to the guys driving the golf carts, to the waitstaff and bartenders (especially Cheryl and Betty)- every single person was friendly, professional, and enhanced our wedding. Most importantly Lauren and Chris are incredible. Lauren was our initial coordinator when we viewed the venue and booked back in 2019. Lauren started our entire wedding process giving us recommendations and advice which would influence the course of all of our wedding planning. Lauren was so helpful and understanding when we had to postpone our wedding due to COVID and she worked with us to find a new date that would be perfect for us. Lauren had a baby about a month before our wedding so Chris took over a few months prior to our date. All I can say is that anyone who gets the opportunity to work with Chris is in the best of hands. We love Chris. She was there every step of the way during the months leading up to the wedding. She was responsive and honest with any questions that we had. As someone who likes to have complete control over an event I am hosting, I would fully trust Chris to plan our entire wedding. Chris understood the importance of personal touches and family ties at our wedding and found ways to bring these to the forefront. For example, creating little cards to sit on the wine glass that held our family’s homemade wine. On the day of the wedding, Chris did everything from greet us off the party bus, pull bugs out of my dress from walking through the tall grass during pictures, bustle my dress, ensure all guests were happy, get my husband and I every single appetizer at cocktail hour when we weren’t able to make it two steps through the crowd, gather up our wedding party for intros, get all of the guests on the bus at the end of the night and so so so much more. Our guests have not stopped talking about our wedding and neither have we. If you are considering the Starting Gate for your wedding, look no further. This is the place to have the best night of your life. wedding experience you are about to have is far beyond

d the views, the FOOD and the entire party they put on for us. They also provided excellent vendor recommendations. Very very pleased.

ssionalism and attention to detail. They really made us feel special on our day and all the days leading up to our wedding. I had no doubt in my mind they would make our day everything we wanted it to be. They did more than anything I could have imagined.

ion was incredible. Our guests raved about the food and how they just couldn't stop eating. The appetizers were so yummy. Note: the food for the bridal suite is worth every penny for the day of getting ready. The Service: Chris, Julie and the rest of the team made us feel like royalty. They were so organized and executed the night flawlessly, thinking of every detail for us. From the early stages of planning, to the day of event, I was blown away. My fiancé didn't have a strong opinion about much when it came to the wedding. I was very touched that the few things that meant something to him, Chris picked up on and made sure that he was heard and followed through on those details. It seemed that everything that mattered to us, big or small, was their top priority without us even asking. The Venue/View: All I can say is, WOW. It was like something straight out of the movies. Our ceremony in the garden was magical and intoxicating with the smell of lilacs blooming. The sunset views off the deck were like a painting. Our guests were all out taking their own photos and couldn't believe it was real. The gorgeous chandeliers inside and the spacious bridal suite were just so perfectly elegant. They even accommodated the groom with his own grooms suite downstairs for he and the guys to hang out in pre wedding. We all know how difficult it was to plan a wedding during covid. The Starting Gate was so good to us. They were accommodating and eased our minds every step of the way. My only complaint is that it went by so fast. I wish I could have slowed down time. Note to every bride: soak up every second of the day. Luckily they kept our night on track in a way that didn't make us feel stressed or rushed. I would recommend the Starting Gate at GreatHorse in a heartbeat. Hands down the best night of our lives and the picture perfect start to our life together! Thank you Christine and all of the Starting Gate staff. You are one of a kind.

s. Through changing Covid restrictions and some inclement weather they made sure our big day was everything we wanted. Our friends and family are still talking about the views, the amazing food, and level of service. We love Starting Gate!

dding and they took almost everything off of our plate to make it so special. Our wedding coordinator was Chris Sullivan and I must say that this woman is unbelievable - every little detail of our wedding day was immaculate and went exactly as planned because she runs the show! I also want to touch on the food because it is unbelievable, every one of our guests couldn't get over how delicious it was & also the VIEWS - absolutely stunning. Thank you to everyone at The Starting Gate for the best day ever!

. We worked with Lauren Pastoreck the wedding coordinator and from the second we met her she blew us away with how kind, helpful and attentive and just overall a BOSS at making your day absolutely stress free and seamless. She does it ALL! you don't lift a finger on your big day having it at the starting gate. It's the most magical venue by far, the food is not like any wedding food I have ever had , it is a fine dining experience..we had many people coming up telling us how blown away they were by the entire experience. I would love to give a shout out to Julie who was my bridal suite attendant , she made me feel like a princess from the second I walked in. She is extremely sweet and helpful during the getting ready process , I dont know what I would have done without her! and when I say no stress, this place makes your stress disappear instantly. I could go on and on and on. This place is absolutely 100% the place to get married of you want an insanely gorgeous venue, incredible food and service, and the most incredible wedding coordinator, Lauren who makes you feel more bridal than you ever imagined. Thank you everyone at The starting Gate !

rried. However, little did we know that the picturesque views were not even the most amazing part of having our wedding at The Starting Gate – that was hands down the staff. Everyone was amazing from start to finish – from that first tour, to our many questions regarding COVID-19 changes, to pulling off the most amazing event the day of. Chris was there for us every step of the way. She even talked us down from canceling and losing out on our deposits when we decided we wanted to move our wedding up and have an intimate, safe wedding during the pandemic. She was able to make the wedding of our dreams, even in these crazy times! I am a perfectionist and was anticipating a stressful wedding day, ensuring everything was taken care, but I didn’t have to lift a finger! I was able to relax throughout the whole day and the staff took care of everything – it looked even better than I could have imagined! Finally, I can’t forget to mention the food! Everything was incredible and all of our guests were raving about it all night. I highly recommend adding the Viennese dessert bar, and everyone loved the macaroni and cheese bar! Plus, thanks so much to the waitstaff and especially Paige for taking care of the groom – he’s a picky eater and they were all happy to give him extra of anything he wanted in substitute for something he didn’t like. That being said, all of the food was so good he even ventured to try some things he doesn’t normally eat! Thanks so much to everyone at The Starting Gate for helping us navigate this last year and helping us pull off the wedding of our dreams – we couldn’t have done it without you!

Starting Gate, we drove up a picturesque hill that left our family in awe. We were then greeted by Chris for our tour, and it felt as if she was welcoming us as family into her home. Being in the business industry, both myself and family recognize good work ethic when we see it - it was evident from our early interactions with Chris that she was a seasoned professional and extremely knowledgeable in the industry. At that moment, I knew I wouldn’t want to trust anyone else to manage our 250+ wedding. We initially wanted a winter wedding, but Chris suggested that getting married in the fall would allow us to utilize all of the space the venue had to offer (wedding garden gazebo, sunset cocktail hour on the deck, and indoor reception space), in addition to having the gorgeous fall foliage as a natural backdrop. As you can imagine, we are SO GLAD we followed her advice! Also, if you’re on the fence on renting the patio furniture/fire pits ... DO IT ... you won’t regret it - creates such a nice space for guests to mingle. From the grounds, to the food, to the service, this venue is top notch and five star in every respect. Wedding planning is not the easiest, and can be very stressful and emotional, especially in times with a national pandemic changing everything you had planned for your special day. However, we truly could not have been more fortunate to have Chris by our side throughout it all. Not only did she serve as our event manager, coordinator, and liaison, but she was also there to act as our mentor, mother, and occasional therapist - no need to hire an outside event planner! On the day of our wedding we kept finding details that Chris surprised us with that had us smiling from ear to ear. It’s not everyday that you find someone so passionate about their job, but Chris truly hit the ball out of the park with the execution of our event. Despite having to make many last minute adjustments due to COVID, Chris and the entire team at The Starting Gate seamlessly created our wedding to be everything we could have dreamed of and more! Our guest and table counts had to be drastically reduced to comply with guidelines and Chris literally came up with a last minute design layout change that transformed the ballroom into our very own wine room for our Tuscan/Italian themed intimate wedding, making it feel like all of the space was perfectly occupied despite the small number of guests. The layout also allowed for all of the guests to be able to see the special moments without having to turn a chair! We’ve received such great feedback from those in attendance of how unique and wonderful it was. Special shoutout to Betty on wait staff for ensuring we were well taken care of the entire night and even making sure my drink was in a bigger glass so that I wouldn’t spill it on my dress! If you are looking for a wedding venue that is on top of their game, provides an exquisite culinary experience, feels magical, and leaves your guests in awe, I cannot recommend the Starting Gate at GreatHorse enough. I already can’t wait to find the next opportunity to work with Christine Sullivan and the rest of the team at the Starting Gate at GreatHorse!

hat everything would be perfect with our micro wedding at this new venue. She ( and the entire staff ) DID NOT DISAPPOINT! Truly everything from planning, menu tasting, getting ready in the bridal suite, the entire day/ night of the wedding were absolute perfection. The professionalism is top notch as well as the food, grounds maintenance, and THE VIEWS! I cannot recommend this place enough! ❤️

ique times. Allow me to remove all that stress and share with you the secret to having the most memorable event of you and your special someone’s life. With all the options, choices, and decisions to make for the special day, the easiest decision by far for my husband and I was the location. The Starting Gate at Great Horse in Hampden Mass is the only place to get married. With stunning views, exceptional staff, and food you and your guests will be talking about forever, the Starting Gate at Great Horse delivered to us a day we will truly never forget. Our wedding planner Lauren Pastoreck created an accurate expectation for us from our first conversation and visit to the property, then over delivered at every turn from there. We cannot wait to go back next year to renew our vows!! Ladies, don’t just take my word for it, check them out online and book a visit for yourself, you won’t be disappointed. Have that special wedding you deserve and make the easiest decision by choosing The Starting Gate at Great Horse as your venue today! Good luck, and congratulations in advance! -Sara and Greg Piechowicz

during sunset and after seeing the breathtaking view overlooking the hillside and the trees, we knew it was the one. We wanted to get married outside and the Wedding Garden is absolutely beautiful and we loved that we could have Cocktail Hour outside on the patio at Sunset. Their ballroom is also stunning, but we didn't end up needing it because of our modified 2020 wedding :) Our original date for our wedding was Friday, August 21, 2020. Going into wedding planning, I really didn't want to do a Friday wedding but for a quick turnaround that was really our only option if we wanted to get married while the weather was warm enough to do the ceremony outside. It goes to show just how much we loved this place since we decided to compromise on day of the week and do a Friday just so we could have our wedding there. From start-to-finish, our wedding planner provided by the Starting Gate, Lauren, was the most helpful, understanding, accommodating and assuring person. When the pandemic started to get serious in early Spring, we had no idea what was in store for us. As weeks and months passed without things improving much, we started to realize it was a very real possibility we wouldn't be able to have a wedding in August, and definitely not with more than just a handful of people. Lots of couples decided to postpone a full year, but we were set on getting married sooner rather than later. However, we didn't want to sacrifice having at least our family and our absolute closest friends there. Lauren was our rock throughout that whole time. We put a few back-up dates on hold at no charge and when it became clear that August 21st wouldn't be possible, we nailed down a date only about a month later and Lauren helped guide us on the logistics of postponing and then re-inviting for the new date with a smaller number of people. There were plenty of restrictions in place for our wedding which made holding that kind of event really tricky, but everyone at the Starting Gate was flexible and gracious while also doing everything required to be able to hold a wedding safely. Our ceremony, cocktail hour, and the reception/dinner had to be outside, and the team at the Starting Gate came up with a wonderful plan and layout to make that possible. We were able to utilize the wedding garden for the rehearsal dinner, the ceremony, and the cocktail hour, as well as post-dinner for fire pits and cornhole and socializing in lieu of a dance floor. The dinner was outside on the patio at sunset which was truly breathtaking. The week of the wedding I had tons of questions and Lauren was my go-to person; she would answer every text to her within minutes, she coordinated with all my vendors to make sure they knew what the plan was and what precautions to take, and everything went off without a hitch. Our wedding day was absolutely perfect and we wouldn't have changed a singe thing. So many of our guests have said it was the most beautiful and fun wedding they've ever been to which is a testament to what a wonderful job Lauren and the staff at the Starting Gate did for us!

rvous about COVID. Had the most perfect day with a perfect sunset and perfect service; thank you starting gate!