In December, 2019 we signed a contract with Bramble Hospitality for a wedding to be held on December 11, 2020. The contract called for a minimum of 80 guests and we put down a deposit of $10,000. No one could have foreseen what happened with COVID-19, but by the summer it became clear that the wedding we planned would be impossible. Bramble offered us 3 options: 1. Hold the date of December 11th but cut down the guest list to 30-50 people. 2. Postpone the wedding to another date in 2021, but pay an additional $2500 to reschedule 3. Cancel the wedding and forfeit $6,053 of our $10,000 deposit. The first option was not even possible given the legal limitation on indoor events that were in place in July, 2020 and remain in place. We couldn't have had a wedding with 30 guests under orders issued by the Governor of Massachusetts. The second and third options were equally unacceptable for obvious reasons. We loved the venue and don't blame Bramble Hospitality for all of the problems caused by COVID-19. That being said, we shouldn't have to forfeit more than $6,000. We have been going back and forth with Bramble but have not been able to reach a reasonable compromise. Anyone considering booking with Bramble Hospitality at Willowdale should consider our experience before booking your wedding. read more

What a beautiful setting for a wedding. I love the food served. The food was above average for a wedding. The staff was great and efficient. The estate is beautiful and charming. If you like old homes and mansions; this place is for you. read more

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As much as I love living in Phoenix, AZ. And I love my life there. There is something nice about seeing endless stretches of green lawn and beautiful gigantic trees swaying in the wind. My sister got married here this past Sunday and the grounds are located next to a state park and just gorgeous. They have large, beautifully decorated rooms upstairs for bride and groom suites. And other rooms which can be used for other purposes such as a babysitting room. It was a picture perfect wedding in a picture perfect setting. Only snafu was when my sister had some last minute changes to her table seatings, there was some confusion and the staff were not the best at trying to help out with the situation. Other than that, this is a great place to have an outdoor wedding! read more

We absolutely adored every moment of our time with Willowdale Estate--from our first visit to our actual wedding day at Willowdale Estate! First of all, they have the best chocolate chip cookies I've ever had and after we toured the venue, they MAILED us a box of cookies--clearly, they really know the way to my heart! I first fell in love with Willowdale's gorgeous glass conservatory but after visiting, fell in love with everything about the venue. The staff are all so knowledgeable, responsive, and friendly. We first had the pleasure of corresponding with Belinda, then after we booked, we had a few months where the entire planning team was at our disposable, and finally, a month or two before the wedding, we were assigned our fabulous day-of coordinator, Nichole. Every single person we interacted with at Willowdale were so wonderful and attentive and happily fielded all of my countless questions throughout the whole process. One of the best things about Willowdale is that it has such a natural beauty that I didn't feel like I had to undertake a huge job of transforming the space to fit my vision. Presenting things in an aesthetically pleasing and polished way is a clear value of the staff at Willowdale and nothing is ever just set out randomly, but they really take the time to artfully display everything (i.e. the cheese and crudites table, the desserts table, our guest book table, the welcome table) in a beautiful, Pinterest-worthy way. As you can imagine, this made our wedding morning so much easier as Nichole and her team took care of setting out all the decor that we had brought in, and me and my wedding party were able to focus on getting ready and enjoying the morning! Another wonderful thing is that the food here is SO delicious. We attended their tasting event, which in and of itself was kind of like attending a mini-wedding (they had favors, hors d'oeurves, multiple starters and entrees, lots of drinks, music, and of course, their fantastic chocolate chip cookies). For our wedding, we chose two entrees for our guests to pick from: 1) salmon with sticky rice, miso glazed bok choy and 2) a pork roasted chop with sweet potato, brussels sprouts and mustard sauce. They have such an extensive menu to choose from for both hor d'oeurves and entrees and were flexible when we wanted to request an item from the winter menu for our spring wedding, and when we wanted to modify the menu item a little bit. The salmon was flavorful and tender and surprisingly, one of the best I've ever had (and I heard the same feedback from many of our guests)! I could go on and on about all the things I loved about getting married at Willowdale but I think this covers a couple of my favorites! TL;DR Willowdale is such a gorgeous venue and the staff there are all SO good at what they do. In the 9 months between first visiting the venue to getting married, I have only had positive experiences with Willowdale Estate. I seriously can't imagine a better place to have gotten married! read more

Was a guest at my sister in laws wedding. Food and service was great. Beautiful and intimate setting. Had a wonderful time.

There isn't anything but great thanks to Willowdale and its staff for hosting our ceremony and reception, but being the perfect venue to get married. From beginning to end, the staff our coordinator Courtney made planning soooo easy. Everything about the space makes having a wedding inside the mansion feel homey and intimate. You won't need to do much decorating because the mansion speaks for itself. Food was immaculate, bar service was top notch, and the cookie bar was delicious. Best decision to have our wedding here. Once as you get inside and around the grounds of the estate, you will see why this is a popular place to get married. Our families and guests loved every minute of it. Still talking about it to this day. read more

I got married at Willowdale recently (summer wedding under the tent), and it was WONDERFUL!! Everything was absolutely perfect and beautiful. The staff was extremely nice and helpful, the food was fabulous, and the event was a huge success. Thanks so much to Willowdale!!! I highly recommend it. (And also huge thanks to Linnea Tangorra, our fabulous wedding planner who made everything go like a dream). Also, Id note that I was very skeptical of tents when we were looking at venues, but the tent at Willowdale was really nice and not at all cheesy. One thing that was great for the tent was putting up lanterns (we got great lanterns rented from Boston Uplights). And we had great flower arrangements from Bow Street Flowers in Somerville. Might also be useful to note that we had our adult/family guests stay at the Wylie Inn in Beverly MA, which was really nice and a great atmosphere for people to hang out and get to know each other; and the late 20s guests (our friends) stay at the SpringHill Suites in Peabody MA, which was just average but fine for the purpose. read more

I was there for an outdoor wedding, and the estate was beautiful. The staff/facilities were charming and quaint. It's on the smaller side though - just perfect for something around 120 people. The only thing is, they ran out of parking, and some cars had to be parked on the lawn...not the classiest entrance. read more

Willowdale Estate is a fairytale venue. If you are lucky enough to snag an available date, you will be so thankful you did. First, we worked with the kindest and most thorough Sales Manager named Belinda. She listened to every detail, asked such helpful questions, and made sure she tailored things in our proposal to help make our day unique and perfect for us. I knew just from meeting with her that we would be in good hands at Willowdale. No sooner had we decided on Willowdale than fresh baked chocolate chip cookies arrived at our doorstep! We knew their level of attention to detail was exactly what we wanted. Working with our wedding coordinator, Courtney, was a dream. She answered every email quickly and knew how to calm my nerves. She followed up on important details and never let one piece slip through the cracks. Our whole day was perfect. She had incredible suggestions, and worked so well with every vendor. Several vendors actually asked me for her contact information to thank her directly for all of her help! To top it all off, the food is exceptional. We had our rehearsal dinner at The Hart House, and the owner there told us that the chef at Willowdale had actually worked at Hart House previously - what a great place to hone your craft! Willowdale was so smart to choose a chef from such a wonderful restaurant, and it pays off in spades - Ben worked with us during our tasting to perfect the menu, and we got tons of positive feedback on the food. If you want an intimate, charming venue with detail-oriented and truly kind staff who make your day feel SO special and tailor-made, PLEASE book with Willowdale. You will be rewarded with a lifetime of happy, cherished memories. Thank you so much, Willowdale team! read more

Willowdale is an amazing wedding venue. Though it was our first choice from the start, we did visit seventeen venues ... just in case. Nothing surpassed Willowdale, where it was clear that their use of space and the overall flow of the event would be seamless, unlike most estate/tent venues we visited. We were also drawn to how Willowdale becomes "yours" and you are encouraged to personalize throughout the mansion. This beautiful estate is the perfect foil for you and your Willowdale planning team to transform into your dream wedding. For our daughter's June 2017 wedding, we chose the courtyard on-site ceremony. Included, is use of the three upstairs suites for two hours preceding the ceremony. These suites are perfect for those "getting ready" photos and we opted for 3 1/2 hours as there was so may parts of this property that the bride wanted captured in her "first look" photos. As for the ceremony, the courtyard is beautiful on its own and can be the perfect setting for any bride, from the minimalist to the extravagant, as it can be finished a multitude of ways. Cocktails were inside the mansion. Here Amy and her staff, along with our florist, had carried out our vision with precision. The foyer tables and great room's shelves had been personalized with the family photos and decorative elements we had delivered two days before. More elements and flowers had been displayed throughout the mansion. It captured our vision perfectly. During the cocktail hour, signature cocktails were offered and Willowdale provided customized "His" and "Hers" cocktails. The bar was perfectly staffed (yay!) and the appetizers were delicious and plentiful. Meanwhile, Amy and team were finishing the transformation of the tent, and later the courtyard. For the reception, Willowdale had arranged for fairytale twinkle light swags throughout the tent, and the guest and sweetheart tables had been set flawlessly. The dinner service went seamlessly. Chef Ben had worked to custom design our menu with different and additional courses. The food was wonderful and epitomized fine dining. The service, even with the additional course, was coordinated between Amy, Ben, and our DJ to be perfectly timed with the wedding speeches, dances and activities. One of our friends, who owns a number of restaurants, made a notable comment. He stated that coming from the restaurant industry, it is rare for 150 people to be served their entrée within ten minutes of each other and for the particularly challenging salmon entrée to be cooked perfectly. Meanwhile, the courtyard had been transformed. The bar was moved outside with variety of cocktail tables. Espresso Dave and the Willowdale coffee and dessert table were setup. Flowers and décor from the ceremony and cocktail hour were creatively re-purposed by Amy and staff throughout the courtyard. With the bistro lights overhead, the ambiance was that of a European Piazza and was the perfect place for our guests to mix and mingle. With everything being so wonderful, the evening ended too soon, even with our extra hour. As Miss Doolittle stated in My Fair Lady, "I could have danced all night and still have asked for more." It was all so truly special. From the contracts with Belinda, to the amazing cuisine of Chef Ben and the catering staff, and to the meticulous coordination of Amy Sleeper, the planning team and event staff, you will not receive better care and attention than at Willowdale Estate. Willowdale in one word: Perfection. read more

Couldn't recommend more. Worked with Amy who made the experience absolutely seamless. We attended the food tasting event with our mothers prior to the wedding. The food was absolutely amazing and put us at ease. We were able to customize several of the options and even spoke with the chef regarding dietary restrictions. The day of could not have been easier as Amy and her team took care of everything. We were her number one priority as she routinely checked in with us to see if we needed anything. She was quick to bring us food and drinks while socializing, making sure that we had an opportunity to eat. Flawless. We got great feedback from our guests. The venue and service were well worth the cost. read more

Absolutely and Excellent experience. The Facility is chaming and the food was outstanding in it's innovation and quality. Wine paring at the Pop-Up event was very good. Will be going back periodically! read more

I cannot say enough good things about the Willowdale! I was a member of the bridal party in a wedding this weekend. Amy, the wedding coordinator was fantastic and so helpful! The venue itself is beautiful, and the bridge on the grounds is great for pictures. The staff did an amazing job setting up the gorgeous tent. They did a fabulous job with the signature cocktails (an espresso martini & an old fashioned). Then there was the food!! My salmon was to die for, and the one bite I had of someone's steak was mouthwatering. The chocolate chip cookies and hot apple cider are a must try! The dinner service was attentive but not intrusive. Overall if you are looking for a wedding venue in the area, put the Willowdale at the top of your list! Hands down the best venue I have seen. Thank you to staff for making the day perfect! read more

We are SO happy that we chose Willowdale Estate as our wedding venue! The venue is gorgeous and the staff is fantastic. Our event coordinator, Courtney, was such a rockstar. I honestly can't imagine going through the planning process without her. From beginning to end we had such a positive experience. We couldn't have been more pleased. Everything went off without a hitch on the big day and we had the BEST time. Courtney helped us stay relaxed and made sure the day ran smoothly. I never had to worry about a thing. We are still hearing from our guests about how it was the best wedding they had ever been to, and I give all that credit to Willowdale. Everyone was impressed with the food and service. My uncle, who owns his own restaurant, was so impressed that he asked to get a tour of the kitchen. If you are looking for an incredible and intimate wedding venue, look no further! read more

Was in a wedding here last weekend, and it was unbelievably gorgeous. Fancy without being gaudy, classy but understated. Beautiful construction and grounds. Amazing woodwork. It poured ALL DAY and the staff were so accommodating and calming. We had access to the rooms upstairs for getting ready and those were beautiful as well, spacious and well-furnished. Small touches really made it special. read more

It's truly an amazing place! I have been to several weddings there and it was nothing short of spectacular! The food is fantastic and the attention to detail is beautiful! The staff is incredible as well making you feel welcome and very special! read more

We had a beautiful winter wedding at Willowdale on Jan 4. Our coordinator was crazy helpful and took care of everything on the day of. She made everything so easy to plan. The food was great, the appetizers were so tasty! The little touches that Willowdale provides really made it special. We got so many compliments from our guests on the venue. If I had to go back I would choose Willowdale again. read more

I can not recommend the Willowdale Estate highly enough. We held a Celebration of Life ceremony there last month. Although this is not a typical event to be held at the Willowdale, both Noah and Kellan shared in our vision of the event. They were receptive to any ideas that we had and provided valuable input when we needed help. They were flexible and understanding. Every aspect of planning this event was pleasant. I was so impressed with how quickly all of our e-mails and phone calls were returned which was critical given that this event was put on with relatively short notice. In addition, Noah and Kellan worked so hard to help us put on a beautiful tribute while helping us stay within out budget. No detail went unnoticed right down to greeting our guests were with hot cider which was perfect on a cold winters day. The venue is exquisite. The food is amazing and the staff are top notch. You can not go wrong having an event here. As I said initially, I can not recommend the Willowdale highly enough. read more

Willowdale Estate is absolutely beautiful! We had our company outing there this past Monday and everyone had a wonderful time. We had a clam bake with lobster, chicken and beef skewers and a couple sides. The food was phenomenal! There was some miscommunication in regards to our desert, but Courtney pulled through and we got to enjoy their fantastic truffles anyway! I highly recommend Willowdale Estate! read more

Willowdale Estate - Food presentation - top notch! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Topsfield, Massachusetts

My daughter had a planned wedding date at Willowdale, and she and her fiancee decided to postpone the wedding for personal reasons; we lost the down payment for the date. It was communicated that if the date was rebooked, compensation could be made. The date was rebooked but compensation was not made. As time went by, they decided to move forward with the wedding, and hoped to rebook Willowdale. My daughter's fiancee went to Willowdale to try to book another date, and asked if it was possible to receive some of the initial down payment toward the new date. His request was denied, which was so disappointing to my daughter because she really wanted her wedding at Willowdale. This outcome was surprising for all of us. We really thought that the Willowdale leadership would make this accommodation because there are times when couples are not 100% sure of their decision to marry, so it's better to be sure than unsure before making the final life-time commitment of marriage. Willowdale is a beautiful place to have a wedding but not nice people to deal with when the day is not as perfect as you may plan. read more

My husband and I just had our wedding at Willowdale last month (January 2011) and were so very impressed by the venue and its staff. The estate is so beautiful and charming - it was such a romantic spot for a winter wedding. And the Willowdale staff does an amazing job - they make sure that every detail is taken care of. The decorations provided by the estate were so gorgeous and tasteful. The cocktail hour was beautiful - they had the fireplaces going and the bar set up was really elegant. Dinner was amazing - the food was great!! (We had gone for our menu tasting months before and were blown away). The bridal suite was so adorable - it has such a romantic, vintage charm. It was a great place to get ready with my bridesmaids (and we got some amazing photos in that space!). My husband and I stayed in the bridal suite that night and it was really cute (and convenient! it was nice not to have to travel after the reception). And the wedding coordinator we were assigned to (Caitlin) was amazing!! She was so friendly and organized and easy to work with. She was really responsive and helpful - and even when she was traveling for the holidays, the office was staffed and there a number of people in the office willing to go out of their way to help me. Overall, we were so happy with our choice to have our wedding at Willowdale. The estate is beautiful and romantic, the food is AMAZING, and the staff is just so friendly and responsive. I would definitely recommend Willowdale!! read more

The Willowdale Estate is a truly first class operation. I had my wedding in the mansion in January 2013 and it was absolutely exquisite. The beauty of grounds (even in the dog days of winter) is only matched by the charming details inside. My husband and I knew we wanted a unique venue that would leave an impression and Willowdale did not disappoint. Our guests have been raving about our wedding ever since, and the team at the estate played such a huge role in making it the best day of our lives. Initially, one of the most appealing parts of working with Willowdale (aside, as I mentioned, from the overall beauty of the place) is the fact that everything is included (venue, catering, cake, entire day-off staff, a personal wedding coordinator, linens and so much more). But as the planning process progressed, it became clearer and clearer that choosing Willowdale was a stroke of genius. Our coordinator, Monique Jeffrey, is a rock star. She went over every tiny detail with us ad nauseum, helped us set up a wine tasting with our fabulous alcohol vendor (Chebacco Market in Essex) and executed our evening flawlessly. I'm definitely a Type A personality, so to sit back, relax and cede control to someone else on the day of my wedding was difficult -- but I couldn't have left my wedding in more capable hands. Really, the entire staff at Willowdale is exceptional. Many of my family members and friends commented on how lovely and helpful the service staff was during the duration of our wedding. Special attention must be given to Executive Chef Ben Lightbody because his food was, undoubtedly, one of the highlights of the evening. My husband and I were so impressed after the tasting that we thought the food couldn't possibly be as good when produced on a larger scale during our wedding. It was better. As my father remarked, "There is wedding food -- and then there's the food at Willowdale." We gave guests a choice of Filet Mignon (at most weddings, a small slab of overcooked meat) and Seared Halibut. Both were cooked perfectly and portioned generously. The best additional money we spent at Willowdale was on the Butternut Squash Ravioli first course -- almost every guest cleaned his or her plate. A cousin of mine told me that she was sad that Willowdale isn't a restaurant because she'd go back and order her meal all over again. I could go on and on and on. Suffice it to say: Book Willowdale for your wedding; they will exceed your expectations and give you an evening you'll remember forever. read more

I got married here in May 2013 and choosing Willowdale Estate was easily the best decision that we made! We felt so well taken care of - they offered so much help and relieved so much stress. My husband and I had the most amazing and stress-free wedding and our friends and family cannot stop raving about the day! They were amazed at the beauty of the house and grounds, their ability to adapt with changing (it got quite cold!) weather, and the delicious food! Best. decision. ever! read more

My wife and I got married at the Willowdale Estate two weeks ago. From the minute we set eyes on the place, we knew that it was the perfect wedding venue for us. This place is absolutely perfect in every way. The mansion is an ideal location for cocktail hour. The courtyard is a beautiful, romantic setting for a ceremony. The outdoor sperry tent for dinner and drinks will guarantee you the party of a lifetime. The food is delicious and all of the staff members are so friendly and attentive. We had the privilege of working with the most amazing wedding coordinator named Alise. She made the whole planning process so much easier and fun and made sure that everything on the day went so smoothly. The venue is expensive but it's worth every penny. Any couple would be lucky to have their wedding at this magnificent place. We would HIGHLY recommend it. read more

I recently hosted an event at Willowdale with my company, and the experience could not have been better. The Estate is absolutely gorgeous, and anyone who hasn't seen it, needs to go as soon as they can. Whether you are hosting a wedding, corporate function, or big party, Willowdale is very accommodating and you are making a great choice. All the staff is super friendly and willing to work with you at all times. The food is top of the line and absolutely delicious. You won't go wrong by doing anything with the Estate. read more

I just had my wedding at Willowdale estate. We had our ceremony in the garden courtyard, cocktail hour in the beautiful estate and our reception under the gorgeous tent outside. Nichole helped me through all of my wedding details. I worried about nothing! Literally nothing! She took my vision and made it happen. She called all the venders to confirm everything. I just enjoyed my day. All of the staff worked there tails off to make my wedding amazing. They were all so kind and accommodating. The food was delicious too! If you are looking for a beautiful venue and wonderful staff Willowdale is the place!!! read more

This past fall, my fiance and I were searching for a wedding venue and we fell in love with the Willowdale Estate. However, dealing with their sales manager Lenna was a complete nightmare. She was so eager for the sale and made assurances during our two visits that she later reneged on, took weeks to respond to emails, wrote hostile and abrasive emails and was overall so unpleasant to work with. The final straw was during her last email when she offered to waive a minimum guest requirement that was never discussed in any of our conversations/emails/visits or in any of their brochure/website materials. As much as we loved the place, we realized that a friendly attitude was much more important for us and we chose to bring our business to another beautiful venue nearby. read more