My in-laws recently celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary, and friends and family were invited to celebrate with them at the Colonial Dames yesterday! I'd heard of this venue before but this was my first time experiencing it for myself. It's located right near Rittenhouse Square so pretty easy to find. There is a ballroom on the second floor but our party was kept entirely on the first floor, which has one large room and two smaller rooms that both lead to outdoor garden areas. It was really chilly so we didn't spend much time outside, but an event here on a warmer day would be absolutely gorgeous! I think in terms of catering, there is some flexibility as my in-laws selected their caterer (Schulson) before choosing the location. The staff at the Colonial Dames was wonderful and so accommodating; I'd love to attend another event there and would recommend it to anyone looking for a beautiful event space accommodating up to 100 (best guess) for a smaller wedding or party. read more

After my husband proposed to me on my birthday in 2013, we celebrated for a week before we dove head first into wedding planning. We instantly fell in love with the Colonial Dames for the following reasons: - 1921 historic two-story house, hard wood floors, true divided-lite arch top windows with original single-pane glazing (seeds and distortion present), tastefully decorated, in excellent condition - two interior entertaining spaces, one on the first floor for cocktail hour and/ or ceremony, one light filled ballroom on the second floor for the reception - two beautifully manicured private gardens, a paved patio, and loggia - space for up to 100 guests (we were aiming for 60) - location, location, location! affordable Rittenhouse Square space, off the beaten path, conveniently located near at least 5 hotels within a 3 block radius - a beautiful on-site library tucked away from the main spaces, perfect for a pre-wedding hang out space for our bridal party Adriana Robinson, Executive Assistant of the National Society of The Colonial Dames of America, was an absolute pleasure to work with. She granted us access to the Dames on multiple occasions -- our initial site visit, two walk-thrus with our caterer, and one site meeting with our florist. During our initial walk-thru Adriana cautioned against getting married along the west side of the gardens -- where a nearby medical office building's HVAC equipment could be seen and heard. We took this warning to heart, and ended up getting married underneath a brick arch closer to the eastern side of the site. (We still had the DJ provide a microphone for our officiant.) The Dames' list of preferred caterers is extensive -- three pages long to be exact -- so we were grateful when Adriana helped us cull the list, pointing out companies that would be willing to work a smaller wedding. All of the preferred caterers we talked to allowed us to byo-booze. It was a huge cost savings to purchase our own wine, beer, and liquor on our own (with no vendor markups). The Dames also has a wide variety of site furnishings, including some 60" and 72" round tables, several rectangular tables, and 240 white chairs (two sets indoor and outdoor) which helped us keep our rental costs down. Adriana was very accommodating, and worked within our budget. We were given the choice of renting just the first floor and gardens, or the entire property. We chose the latter, and added an hour to the standard 4 hour event time.* Another cost savings? Having our ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception all in the same location. In the end, every vendor we selected had previously worked at the Colonial Dames. It was refreshing to find vendors who appreciated the site as much as we did. We signed contracts with the following vendors: - Ashley Power, Power Catering Events - Amy Young, Leaves of Grass florist - Alyssa Maloof, Alyssa Maloof Photographique - Kim Alexander, No Macarena DJ *Please PM me if you have additional questions. read more

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We got married here in November 2018. The pictures of the venue on the site were underwhelming so we had fairly low expectations when we went to visit but the second we stepped in we knew it was exactly what we wanted. The staff were amazing, the venue was gorgeous. Location was nice for out of town guests to see and explore. One of the easiest choices we made during wedding planning. read more

We had our wedding here in August 2017 and it was beautiful. We lucked out and got gorgeous weather, which made it possible to have our ceremony and cocktail hour outside in the gardens. It felt magical, like a secret garden in the middle of the bustling city. Adriana (the event director) was amazing and so accommodating. She patiently explained and re-explained everything to us and even offered to come in and open the doors on the Sunday after our wedding so we could collect our leftover alcohol and decorations because we were leaving early Monday for our honeymoon. Every single guest commented on how beautiful the venue was-- it was truly spectacular, the vibe was classy and elegant while also feeling quaint and cozy. The reception room accommodated our 102 guests comfortably while also leaving enough room for a nice sized dance floor. The preferred vendors we used were all amazing as well. Here was our A team: Food- Diverse Catering Music- No Macarena (Josh) Dessert- Federal Donuts Photography- Chrissy K Photography Ceremony- Journeys of the Heart (Kipp Gilmore-Clough) If you are thinking of having your wedding here, you will not be disappointed. It is really a special place; we are so proud of how everything turned out. Thank you Adriana and team :-) read more

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I wish I could give this place 10 stars!! I love everything about it. We were married here two weeks ago. My husband (who is not as into spending money as I am) said he wants to do an anniversary party here because everything was so perfect. The venue is beyond beautiful- I looked at MANY venues. They obviously keep up on repairs, etc. There is a small, service elevator which was helpful for older guests. The lighting is lovely. The upstairs "ballroom" gets late afternoon light which gives it a beautiful glow. There is a very large amount of outdoor garden space and there are full kitchen facilities. I balked initially at the idea of using a caterer on their preferred vendor list but I have no complaints at all as the food and execution turned out perfectly- beyond my expectations. I worked in the business for a long time and am admittedly highly critical. Adrianna, the wedding coordinator, was a pleasure to work with. Maybe once or twice she didn't answer my email immediately. Being an impatient, anxious bride made that difficult but she always responded when necessary and was above accommodating. She made drop-offs and pick-ups very easy for us and was helpful throughout the experience. She has obviously done this a lot and helped to ease my anxiety. Her husband Kenny was very nice and helpful also. I can not say enough good things about this place, from both an aesthetic and logistics standpoint. I am now trying to think of excuses to have another even there soon. read more

Arianna and Kenny were a pleasure to work with! I am a wedding coordinator and they let me wait until the last possible moment to decide whether or not the wedding could be outside on a rainy day. The facilities are gorgeous, 2 good sized kitchens and just a good experience all around. I've done quite a few weddings and this one was in the top 5, definitely! read more

We were so happy to be married here - due to the natural beauty of the venue and the central location. However, the wedding coordinator Adrianna did everything in her power to make our most important day very difficult . I am giving The Dames one star: lovely venue, with atrocious customer service, random fees, and last minute changes. Throughout the planning process, the administrative assistant is grumpy, and the day of the wedding she would not let our guests bring their drinks upstairs, and had not told us about the loud AC unit - so our guests could not hear the ceremony at all. Do yourself a favor: Don't have your wedding here! read more

My friends were married here last June and it was absolutely georgous. So much space with a downstairs and upstairs, including 2 gardens for use outside as well. It was so lovely and tucked away in Rittenhouse Square, so away from the hustle of the city, but still directly in the city. The bathrroms were very nice, and the decor, although very traditional, is classic and simple so if you have a wedding here, you will not need much decoration. The wedding we went to had paper cranes hanging from the tall bushes, and simple centerpieces of candles and hydrangeas at the tables. I don't think it seats more than 100 upstairs, but there is so much room for socializing and wandering around. This would make a really lovely (although probably very expensive) venue for a bridal or baby shower as well. read more

This little oasis is nestled on a side street just off Rittenhouse square. It is a gorgeous historic property, with 2 floors of indoor space and a gorgeous secluded patio/lawn. I attended a wedding here and found the space to be incredibly inviting and comfortable. On entry, there is a coatroom to the right. Guests were able to mingle in the AC of the downstairs parlor or sun room, or head directly outside. At this event, there were bars in the sunroom and outside. As the sun set, the lawn was bathed in a golden glow, perfect for photos. And as if the outdoor scenery wasnt enough, there was a perfect spot indoors for a rentable photo booth (Photobot). Staff was incredibly friendly and polite. They accommodated high chairs for the little ones, and moved quickly and gracefully to serve food and bus tables. The dance floor was moderately sized, but everyone made due, and there was only one dancing-related flesh wound, to my knowledge. read more

We held our daughter's wedding and reception here just a few weeks ago and it was just wonderful. First, the venue is beautiful - a classic old colonial building, beautifully decorated. Just so lovely and the private garden with its trees and shrubs was the perfect spot for their ceremony. Adriana and Kenny were so helpful and supportive both ahead of the wedding, but more importantly the day of! Adriana was constantly reassuring us, staying on hand whenever we needed something, and keeping an eye on the weather when it threatened rain at the last minute! They worked closely with the string quartet as well, to ensure they could find a dry/protected spot where the guests could hear them. We ended up with about 80 guests, which I would say is pretty close to capacity. Everyone fit just fine, but I think it would start to get really crowded if you had 100. The banquet hall was beautiful and was cool and comfortable despite what turned out to be a humid day. I also checked from outside and noticed that you couldn't hear the DJ - so I felt better about not disturbing all the neighbors. Bottom line: a wonderful place for a wedding and a great team to work with. read more