HELP! Westbury Manor garden room 8pm!!

Hi everyone!

My first post on this forum! I have read so many helpful advices and tips here; you brides / brides to be are truly amazing in helping each other. I have a few concerns/questions and am hoping that someone can share their thougjts with me.

I just signed the contract with westbury manor this past Sunday, to use their garden room in the evening for my Saturday May 28th 2016 wedding (Memorial Day weekend).

My concerns are:

1. 8pm too late for the outdoor ceremony/CH - How does the outside look in May after 8pm? Can any WM brides share some post 8pm outside ceremony/CH pix?

2. 9:30pm too late for the actual reception - people usually have dinner before 8pm; this just seems very late. The whole thing will end at 1:30AM which is super late for me. Do I have to host the whole thing until 1:30AM? Can I ask them to bring out the dishes a bit quicker and we can all finish sooner?

3. Overall start time - is there any possible to convince WM to move up the entire event 1 hour earlier? Or does it make sense to do CH first and then ceremony, followed by reception? I read in this forum some WM bride was able to do CH first 1 hour earlier to move up the whole event. When I spoke to my BM, she wasn't willing to negotiate anything.

4. Dark wood color in the garden room - I want my wedding to have a soft pink look. Does the garden room feature any bright white color? Can any WM bride share some pix?

5. Deposit refund - with all the above concerns... I'm keen to understand the cancellation and refund policy. Has anyone cancelled with WM before and were you able to get your deposits back?


I'm sure you guys are now all wondering why I booked the place if I have all these concerns....

I booked it for the following reasons:

1. We have done some looking and most places are not willing to take our party size (80ppl). It has become frustrating with reason #2 below.

2. We want it to be a May/June wedding, so leaves us less time to plan everything.

3. I really do like the elegant vibe at WM.

4. The BM told me she only has 5/28 left and kept telling me I'm gonna lose it if I don't book last Sunday.

I emailed her last night WRT my concerns on starting at 8pm. I will talk to her again today via phone. Hopefully she can help and adjust the time. In the meanwhile, I would appreciate if you ladies can share pix/thoughts/reassurance!!

HELP! Westbury Manor garden room 8pm!!

I think they're starting you late cuz they probably have a party in the Manor room that starts at6:6:30 so this way both parties dont run into each other they started you off later.

Re: HELP! Westbury Manor garden room 8pm!!

That's possibly the case. I also asked if its possible to ask the manor room guest if they prefer to start late by any chance, and BM said its not possible... But do you think 8pm is too late and would the outside be too dark for ceremony and CH?

HELP! Westbury Manor garden room 8pm!!

i think it may its still bright. at least ur wedding is a saturday night and majority of people have off sunday. What i learned from all the planning ppl will stay and have fun as long as they're having a good time.
The only time i saw CH first is at jewish weddings where they had a long ceremony.
The weather is pretty good in May and im sure the outside will be beautiful - april showers brings May flowers lol. From what i remember about the garden room when i went to the showcase 2 weeks ago it wasn't so dark. i think the soft pink roses and white flowers with some candles will look great.

HELP! Westbury Manor garden room 8pm!!

I wouldn't be so concerned about the start time. It's a Saturday night! And check the sunset time. I think late May sunset is like 8:30 so it would be perfect

HELP! Westbury Manor garden room 8pm!!

Thank you ladies! Do you know any posts here have WM night pix?

HELP! Westbury Manor garden room 8pm!!

I know recently a few girls got married at Westbury manor. IF you do a forum search you could find their names and some pictures they posted

Re: HELP! Westbury Manor garden room 8pm!!

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Posted by FutureMrsGomez

I know recently a few girls got married at Westbury manor. IF you do a forum search you could find their names and some pictures they posted

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Thank you future MRS GOMEZ!
I am not able to find recent night pix at WM; can you please share some links? Thanks again!

HELP! Westbury Manor garden room 8pm!!

Your wedding starts so late because the manor room time is the early time. They do this so events are staggered and brides don't see each other, and also so the Valet and coat check (in colder months) don't get backed up. They also don't have the staff to be serving dinner in both rooms at the same time. They most likely won't be willing to change this for you. Everything in a venue like this is timed perfectly and done the exact same way every weekend, so they won't be likely to budge because they know this system works. As for the dark wood, that's something you clearly cannot change. You should go back and ask to see what the different color uplighting options look like. I'm sure they have a white amber or pale pink lighting to soften it.

All in all, I really think you should go back and sit down with them to hash out concerns and see if you truly want to get married there.

Re: HELP! Westbury Manor garden room 8pm!!

So have you gotten any kind of resolution to this? We have the same problem. Just signed the contract on Saturday and it is just occurring to us that 8pm is wayyy too late. I called and asked if there was anything they could do with the time and pretty much said that it is set in stone. Next option is to request a refund on the deposit and start over. I really loved the place and the staff that we met but it's really stressful thinking about this for a whole year. I appreciate any info you can provide.

HELP! Westbury Manor garden room 8pm!!

In May sunset is around 8:15 so you'll have a beautiful sunset ceremony which I think will be very romantic. Personally, I think an 8 pm start is amlittle late as a guest because like you said you don't eat until 10 probably which is obviously abnormal. But if there's nothing you can do about the time and you absolutely love this venue then it will be fine!! People will know once they get the invite and they can eat a later lunch.

HELP! Westbury Manor garden room 8pm!!

My Reception starts at 9 and goes until 1. I feel like with weddings people always expect to eat later on. My ceremony begins at 730 and is at the end of November.

HELP! Westbury Manor garden room 8pm!!

I think that 8pm in May would be a perfect amount of sunlight to have the ceremony. It is rather late for a wedding to start- but like others stated, its a Saturday night - and people will expect this from the invitation. If you are going to request a refund for any reason I would do it soon. I had a big issue with the Scotto Brothers back in 2011 with my cancelled event being at Chateau Briand. They kept every penny of my 13 thousand dollar deposit and progress payments and refused to refund any. This was even after they told me they re-booked my date and had a wedding. Clearly not a fan of them, but the venues are gorgeous none the less! I know tons of people who have gotten married at WM and had beautiful weddings. If you love it and it works for you- people who love you will come and stay!

HELP! Westbury Manor garden room 8pm!!

I recently got married at Westbury Manor. I don't think your start time is too late...it is a Saturday night so you will be fine! Westbury Manor is BEAUTIFUL and I have nothing but amazing things to say about our day, the service, and everything was just top notch...you seriously will not be disappointed. The reason they're starting you late is like someone else said because the Manor Room parties usually start at 6:30 so they do that so you don't run into eachother. It will be amazing and you're in good hands...you seriously have nothing to worry about. Out of the 160 people that were at our wedding we have not heard one complaint!

Re: HELP! Westbury Manor garden room 8pm!!

If you're still worried about this, have you considered doing a cocktail reception? Instead of a sit down dinner, it's a non-stop cocktail hour for the party. This way people can munch as they please.

I wouldn't be too worried about the times. Like others have said, the guests will know what to expect from your invitations. Plus, like every wedding, they're going to eat a ton at your cocktail hour! Make that your focus for food with extra stations and maybe offer simpler entrees.

HELP! Westbury Manor garden room 8pm!!

So, if you are still concerned after speaking with Westbury manor, and looking at each response on here, I have a suggestion, ever hear of Bella Verde's??? It's on a golf course, white walls with wooden floors, very classy and would fit perfectly and spacious your wedding invite size!!! It is in Brentwood, next to the heartland golf course :) Let me know if that helps, also it's a one event at a time place and is beautiful :)

HELP! Westbury Manor garden room 8pm!!

Hi, I'm a fellow WM bride getting married in June. I have a similar concern about the dark wood. How do you feel about it now? I think it looks better in person than in pictures so it helps to go look again.

Also, did you take advantage of their 70th anniversary special? I'm feeling very frustrated with their sales department and feel that things weren't transparent enough. Just wondering what your thoughts are? If I'm the only one feeling this way?