We highly recommend the Branford House (plus, the cost of renting the mansion goes towards the university's educational programs, so that was a nice added bonus). Then as it got closer Randy stepped in and he was GREAT. Vanessa gave us a great tour and overview of what their options include. Beautiful setting, gorgeous building, wonderful House Manager & staff. Even with all the people, your occasion will be stress-free with the attention of the trustworthy even staff whose job is to take care of all details. Located in picturesque Branford, Connecticut, Bill Miller's Castle is an extravagant family-owned banquet facility near the Connecticut shoreline. Bridget and Thomas, a radiant and very chic couple, decided to go for a winter wonderland wedding and, even if it was freezing cold outside (think Arctic cold, to get a feel of it), they did not really seem to mind. I am looking forward to hosting other events at the woodwinds! ing for. I cannot say enough about Woodwinds. Thank You again! Neka adjusted my dress and train before my procession and at the altar so I looked flawless. Despite all of the wonderful things I can say about Woodwinds, we are undoubtedly most grateful to Neka!! He hit the highs and Lows of our day with such grace I felt safe and ready to enjoy the long awaited day! Her bubbly personality and caring heart definitely shined through within minutes of us meeting her. Scott and his wife were unbelievable. All communication leading up to the event was timely and professional. Thank y We are beyond happy that we chose The WoodWinds as our ceremony/reception venue! Sergio you are fantastic at your job i cant say it enough! Our ceremony was set up for outside on the lawn facing the water, but the storm that rolled through forced us to re-evaluate our plans and we moved everything inside. The entire staff at the Woodwinds immediately impressed us with their open attitudes, positive energy, and professional service. I can't thank everyone enough. Joanna created the most gorgeous bouquets and centerpieces, adding another ease to planning and coordination because she works for Woodwinds. The timely,attentive responses to emails loaded with questions were noteably impeccable and we found the venue to be very flexible and accommodatin Booking our Wedding at the Woodwinds couldn't have gone easier. They were so quick to get me and my husband whatever we needed. Definitely fit for royalty. Wrong. He did such an amazing job with everything. A little tricky for some guests to get to, but an overall convenient location for those craving pics of oceanside nuptuals (like we were). Any questions I had they were answered within minutes! They loved how everything was organized and put. Each and every one of you were fundamental to making our night fabulous! Vanessa was amazing from the start up until the very end. If you're on the fence about the Woodwinds, I hope this steers you in the right direction. I thought I had odd requests during drop off but Randy didn't bat an eye, nothing affected him and he made me feel like I wasn't as crazy as I sounded to myself. Ken kept us up to date and made sure our vision was being carried through all the reschedules! I didnt have to worry about anything because everything was taken care of. The front door to the mansion is a great place for family photos as its shaded and cooler in the afternoon and easy to get to for grandparents. Our We had such an amazing time! Ken was also totally accommodating when we made several changes to our guest list and seating chart in the week leading up to our wedding due to last minute cancellations. You'll notice that the grounds are very well maintained, the interior and exterior of the building are in excellent condition, and paint and carpets are maintained. This wedding can accommodate up to 600 guests, presenting you and your loved ones with ample space for your elegant event. He kept us organized and he made sure the ceremony & reception was top tier! The price point was fair and their packages pack a great value. Vanessa was a lovely host and made us so excited about the venue! We know it was a difficult task because there was construction going on, but she got it done! The night was flawless. You're guaranteed to get beautiful photos on this site. However, the ceremonies were taking place in the same spot. in everything and is so helpful with the planning. The Branford House is a beautiful location for a wedding. Big thank you to the rest of the woodwinds staff for all their help! It was exactly what we envisioned and when I tell you that nothing went wrong. The price was right, their staff was kind and helpful, the food was delicious, and the grounds and inside were beautiful! The views out to the ocean are stunning and you really feel as though you have stepped back in time. We had our wedding at the Branford House Mansion on 7/17/15 and it was absolutely perfect. Sergio was our maitre d and he was amazing. Curse because it's a lot of work! The woodwinds exceeded our expectations! We were able to fit everyone in the main room and one of the wings, giving us another room empty for the dancing, which was perfect! UConn can provide tent service, too, for additional fees. I both cannot think of a moment our drinks got empty or our food plates werent filled due to the staff being so on top of everything. The staff was beyond helpful and made us feel at home instantly. They were there for our every need. t for us to come see everything and it was game over after that. Its much nicer than a hotel room for getting ready or for putting the dress on. We attended another wedding there this past June - the grounds are fabulous, the food is even better. Very reassuring and understanding with the craziness of a pandemic wedding. The wrap-around terrace is amazing and affords a great view of sailboats. And thats the truth! The booking process was painless and we would recommend it to anyone!!! who know the space and you wont have any issues. Next October cannot come soon enough! Ana kept our drinks/food coming the entire night! They were the absolute best. Along with the amazing packages they offer, she really Rehearsal Dinners, Bridal Showers & Parties, Flower Girl Dresses and Ring Bearer Outfits. My fiance, parents, and I met with Vanessa to take a tour of the venue on 9/16/17 . The day after the wedding, they had all of the decor packed up and about 10 trays of food. Guests are stillreeling over the place! This venue is stunning. When Scott heard about my dress, he contacted his wife and she was there fixing it within minutes. The staff is very helpful and nice. I can't wait to have another reason to go back! I would recommend verifying with the Woodwinds if there will be another ceremony taking place on the same day, so you can verify the times of the second wedding, and give yourself enough of a time cushion should the first wedding be running behind, and your wedding is the second of the day. The stress blew out the window, and my excitement for the day took over. Randy was the best along with my bridal attendant! Vanessa, Ken, Michael, Sergio, truly everybody went above and beyond and it was clear how highly not only they value what they do, but how highly they value you having the day of your dreams. They were friendly, understanding, affordable, and made the most magical day happen! Thank you Woodwinds!!!! Our guests are still raving about the food, drinks, and service. They have everything down from planning to executing! The venue is absolutely beautiful and we ended up with a late-summer afternoon wedding on the lawn as the sun set and sail boats quietly coasted in the water. This wont be the last time we use Woodwinds! I worked with Katherine who is responsive and kind and easy to work with. Randy and Ken were awesome and made the night go smoothly! She went above and beyond all night! easy. We were doing our rounds greeting and thanking all our guests at the time and she even brought it up to me with a straw so I can get some in my system immediately. Overall our family and friends were extremely impressed with Woodwinds! Her flexibility in scheduling is great as well as her response time. When my now husband & I locked in this venue, we worked with Vanessa. I loves the decor she did! Menu options are fantastic and so reasonable, good quality for a fair price. Even for those who did not attend. All of our guests raved about the food and the bartenders. My fianc and I both had so much relief after we booked. It was a Saturday in October, as most weddings are. will make sure we tell the masses that they should get married at the WoodWinds!!! It couldn't have gone better and we would like to thank the entire staff crew who helped us out through this entire process! I love the fact that we booked with The Woodwinds! Id always heard you never eat at your wedding but when we came back to our table there was so much food on our table it was amazing! Everyone loved the Branford house and all it's grandness. guided us though the entire day. The staff that worked our event made our experience a dream and for that I am thankful! Our wedding there was all I had imagined & more. The whole staff was so great. Working with you, they can create a personalized menu tailored to your desired tastes. Then we saw Woodwinds. I had guests raving about the different appetizers and our Venetian table!! They are incredibly knowledgable and helpful throughout the entire process. I went to a wedding there years ago and it absolutely blew my mind. Even better, proceeds go to the mansion upkeep & to local campus programs, which we loved. I would like to thank t We can't say enough about Woodwinds! Theres a lot I can say about the woodwinds and the amazing job they did for our event! The food was absolutely AMAZING, everyone raved about the venetian table, I highly recommend it! at you are able to have make me feel I can have a wedding without it being cookie cutter. They made everything so easy, and walked us through all the steps to prepare for our big day. The food was absolutely delicious, and the staff was always making sure we were fed, happy and had something to drink! She also made sure the wedding party was holding up and that made us feel taken care off! Sergio who is our day of coordinator helped us rehearse and laid out my decor for me the exact way that I wanted it he also helped me to enjoy my wedding by letting me know when things needed to be done (cake cutting, toasts etc). The venue also allows you to bring in all your own vendors - a blessing and a curse. The natural stone exterior, elegant decor, and spacious outdoor lawn areas will make you and your guests feel like you're stepping back in time. Our guests are still talking about the food, and how delicious it was! Joanna did my flowers, let me just say SHE HAS TALENT! When COVID forced us to cut down our headcount, the Woodwinds worked with us to set up a heated tent outside to allow for the maximum number of people to safely gather. Minimal decor is needed at this venue due to the amazing architecture. Randy was an excellent event planner. A big advantage of hosting a Branford House Wedding is the fact that it is not an all-inclusive wedding venue. She was easy to get along with, flexible, accommodating and just plain nice. love the newlyweds All Around great day! The reception space is beautiful, with high ceilings, neutral colored walls, and a lot of space so it doesn't feel over-crowded which is exactly what I was look WoodWinds helped make all our wedding dreams come true. I knew when we first toured that The Woodwinds was my first choice, and only choice really. Everything they do is professional and perfect. The woodworking on the walls, large windows, lovely chandeliers and overall rich and glamorous interior made for a lovely ceremony and striking photos. who is super sweet and knowledgeable! sured my husband and I ate a full delicious meal, he kept me updated on the plans for the night, and even had a compact mirror so I could check my teeth after cutting the cake. Our wedding was one of kind with the space and decor.