Cairnwood Estate

I had a sunset winter wedding inside Cairnwood on December 10th. The venue is stunningly beautiful; you honestly have to be inside the home and on the grounds to fully grasp its appeal. The staff, especially Shannon, is exceptionally helpful and professional. They will help with any question you have and try and find a solution for anything that comes up during planning. Cairnwood is gracious, elegant, and warm. It provides an amazing backdrop for your photos and is definitely worth every penny. Our guests could not stop raving about the estate; they were in awe and at ease simultaneously. I would highly recommend Cairnwood as a venue.

If you are looking for elegant and unique, Cairnwood is the place for you. We stumbled upon this place by accident. It wasn't on our list to review, but one of our vendors recommended we take a look at it and BAM!... that was it for us. We signed on the spot. We knew this place was exactly what we wanted and they did not disappoint us one bit. From the time we signed with them, until the time we left after our reception, we never looked back. Our guests were in awe of this place and thought it was truely elegant and unique. Yes, the place is pricey, but well worth it. Shannon, our sales rep., was outstanding, very responsive and accommodating to any of our requests. From the bridal suites to the decor to the beautiful landscaping and grounds surrounding the venue, this place will make you feel like royalty for your special day! Awesome!

Amazing all guests were in AWE. This is more, much more special than a typical country club or catering hall. We were there for our friend’s reception for son and his bride. We never experienced the setting and environment as we did at Cairnwood. The cocktail hour was inside the Mansion and side patio, LOVELY the dinner took place on the patio / veranda and it was out of this world. I do not know what one of the reviewers is talking about having their guests sinking in mud as the veranda is all stone and slate. Excellent location. I will have my grand daughters wedding there.

The venue was more expensive than I wanted to do originally-I paid $3300 for a sunday afternoon wedding, but they were very flexible about the hours I wanted and with answering any questions I had at any time. The people were wonderful, the location was beautiful and I received compliments all throughout the day. I truly felt like a princess in a castle and choosing Cairnwood was one of the best decisions I made through wedding planning

Cairnwood was a perfect, beautiful place to get married. Everything was perfect. The ladies that work there are responsive and very kind. A dream location for a wedding!

My daughter was married yesterday, May 30, 2010. It was the most beautiful day and the Cairnwood made for a spectacular event. All of our guests were truly taken back with the beauty of the mansion. The grounds and gardens were bursting with beautiful flowers and color. Their ceremony was held outside and it was breathtaking. She and her Dad were driven up to the front in a horse drawn carriage which made this fairy tale wedding so perfect for this type of venue.The cocktail hour was inside in the different rooms of the mansion and the dinner was held on the terrace in a beautiful draped tent. During the entire evening, the staff was right there to help if necessary. We had dancing in the music room which was so much fun. The night seemed to fly by so fast.The year of planning this wedding with the Cairnwood staff was wonderful. I can't say enough about them especially Evelyn and Shannon. My phone calls were always returned and all of my questions and concerns were always addressed. It made this process so much easier.I highly recommend the Cairnwood to any future bride and groom. You will have the most fabulous wedding. I can truly say that our daughter's wedding will be spoken about for quite a long time. It will be a memory my husband and I will have for a very long time. So amazing.

This was the most beautiful place to get married and have our reception!! We had the wedding of our dreams!!

I couldn’t imagine having spent my wedding day anywhere else but Cairnwood. It provided us with a beautiful setting for our special day, and an experience different than a catering hall. The home allowed for a more intimate feel throughout the entire day, providing our guests with more to do than eat, drink and watch the bride and groom perform their wedding tasks (first dance, cutting cake, etc). Everyone seemed happy, and our pictures are beautiful. What more could you ask for?

I cannot say enough good things about Cairnwood and it's staff. The building is gorgeous and perfectly maintained. The staff really have their act together and were extremely helpful. The cost ranges they offer work with a variety of budgets. We chose to have a Sunday afternoon wedding in order to make it affordable for us.

This is a beautiful site that can accommodate indoor and outdoor seating spaces. The building itself is beautiful and has many windows so the daylight shines through while it's early. Just beware of wearing thin heels in the grass if your ceremony leads you into the lawn!

Cairnwood is the most magical place for a wedding. It is elegant, yet not overdone. We had to move the ceremony inside due to weather conditions and it was still a fabulous event, not disappointing in the least. If anything, the ambience of this beautiful place made for a more intimate affair. The staff was incredible all through the year of planning, answering every little question that arose and answering every e-mail, regardless of how miniscule the problem. Shannon Walko, in particular, was fabulous to deal with, walking us through every step right down to the scenario for the ceremony. The guests all commented that they had never attended a more beautiful wedding in a more fantastic setting!

The place is amazing! We found it on the knot, and fell in love with it as soon as we saw it. That day we sat down and tried to figure out how to make it work within our budget. We changed the wedding date from november 08 to february 08 because of availability and price. This was our first vendor booked, and we never second guessed. Our guests raved about how amazing the place looked, and our photos are amazing!

Cairnwood is AMAZING! Talk about fairy tale weddings, my bride (wife now I guess) truly felt like a storybook princess. This has to be the best location not just in Pennsylvania, but in the world. Shannon and the rest of the staff were accomidating, friendly and helpful throughout the entire process. Too bad I can only give them 5 stars, because they surely deserve 10.

It was the most amazing place! It's very unique and our guests had an experience of a lifetime there. The staff was great and very helpful. Quick to change and adjust when bad weather hits. They were outstanding!

Cairnwood was everything I had hoped for. The staff was always available during the planning process and a representitive was there the evening of the wedding. The location is magical and well maintained. Both the house and the grounds were gorgeous on my wedding day.

Cairnwood is an absolutely stunning venue. It was a gorgeous place to have our wedding, and all of our family and friends commented on how beautiful the space and grounds were. We had a rainy day, but if anything that only added to the ambiance! I really enjoyed the fact that we were the only wedding, so it was a truly private occasion for us, our family, and our closest friends.Leading up to the wedding I found Cairnwood staff to be very helpful and responsive to all of my e-mails and phone calls. They made it a point to answer all of my questions and encouraged me to be in touch with anything else I would need leading up to the wedding. Cairnwood is a historic venue so there are rules, but the staff are happy to work with you to come up with solutions to any issues/concerns that may arise.One note - I would ask if there is a room that can be locked to store valuables during the wedding. Unfortunately for us (we and our wedding party left our items in the bride and groom quarters) something was stolen out of the bridal suite during our wedding day. Being with our family and closest friends on such a special day, we felt very secure, but things can happen, and it just pays to be cautious. To be clear, we do not believe that anyone from Cairnwood is responsible. We would hate for this to happen to anyone else on such a special occasion, and regardless of what venue you choose for your wedding day it's just a note to be as careful as possible.

If you're thinking about Cairnwood, I can't encourage you enough. We had a January wedding, and I think the setting was even more lovely than it is in the summer time- candles in the fireplaces, garland and white christmas lights on the outside railings. This venue lends to a fairy tale wedding, in the truest sense. Our wedding was a stations menu, which I highly recommend for this setting- it encourages the guests to move from room to room, interacting with different people and keeping the party moving, literally, all night. It almost felt like we lived there and were hosting a party for our friends. Amazing. We had our ceremony in the great hall- it was a beautiful setting but two things to be aware of; there's not a lot of floor space for chairs (it was really cool to have people peeping over the balcony at us, though) and it's not a very deep space where you marry, so it's not great for large bridal parties (also our officiant kind of had to stand directly in between my husband and I, instead of a step back).The staff were so friendly from the start and really helped me with some of the finer details that I wasn't considering. We were married on a Friday in January, so we received a really amazing discount on the fee. If you're working with a tight budget but have fallen in love with this place, I would really recommend that you try to make it work for yourselves. Another thing that helped me save costs was the grandeur of the setting- instead of spending tons of money on flowers, lighting, etc to spruce up a generic ball room, I just had our florists make some simple, dramatic, romantic arrangements. Cairnwood is so beautiful it certainly did not need my decorator's touch. And if you have it in your budget to spend on a site, don't hesitate to book here.

I could not be happier with my Wedding Day at Cairnwood. The estate is enchanting and almost a year later I am still getting compliments. I have been told time and again that my wedding was by far the most amazing wedding they had been to. I highly recommend Cairnwood, with its wonderful staff and picturesque property, but definitely plan ahead! I ended up with a Thursday wedding (which saved me quite a bit!), they book up far in advance!

Cairnwood was a PERFECT venue for our wintertime wedding. The mansion was decorated beautifully for the holidays, so we were able to use minimal flowers and other decorations. We had our ceremony in the Great Hall, and it worked out perfectly for our medium sized wedding (80 guests). And with the Christmas tree lit in the corner, and candles glowing in the fireplace, it was stunning - our guests could not stop talking about beautiful our ceremony was. We chose to have a sit-down dinner reception, and we split our guests between the Music Room and the Dining Room. At first I didn't like the idea of having our guests split between different rooms, but at Cairnwood's suggestion, we had our first course in one room and our second course in the other room, so we got to spend time with all of our guests. It felt like an elegant dinner party, not your run-of-the-mill hotel ballroom reception. It was wonderful!I cannot say enough about the wonderful staff at Cairnwood. They helped make our wedding day magical, and I could not possibly imagine having my wedding anywhere else!!

If you want a unique and very romantic setting, this is a fantastic venue. Shannon and the rest of the staff were great to work with and always responded to questions. Our guests raved about the location and how beautiful it is. There are great photo ops inside and out.

Cairnwood is a beautiful and unique location. There is only one event at a time so you have the entire first floor of the mansion for your event plus the bridal and groom’s chambers on the second floor and two outdoor terraces. The night of our wedding we felt like it was our house! It was amazing! Everyone at Cairnwood is extremely helpful and always available to answer any questions. Over the course of planning we called with questions more than a dozen times and stopped in many times, we were always welcomed. Cairnwood has some rules due to it being a historic location, but overall they are very accommodating and I would highly recommend them for a unique venue.

I fell in love with Cairnwood right away, its absolutely beautiful! I booked a year & a half before my wedding and it was difficult to get the date I wanted. So if you really want this venue, start early!! Be aware there is a booking fee for the site. The place is amazing for a wedding, the guests were blown away. I'd recommend Cairnwood to anyone looking for a unique place to have their wedding.

Having a wedding at Cairnwood is a true fairy tale. You feel like you are in another world, in a very unique venue that your guests are excited to explore. The highlights of Cairnwood were the quality of service, the immaculate grounds, and professionalism. We did not have any major disappointments. The rental fee is high for certain parts of the year but we compromised by having a Friday wedding. Also the indoor library where the band sets up was very hot and not well air conditioned. Everyone was sweaty in pictures. Keep this in mind for summer weddings.

I really enjoyed working with Shannon at Cairnwood. She handled everything in a timely manner and always made me feel comfortable and not rushed to make decisions (I often felt that way in other parts of the process- it was nice not to feel it when discussing things with Shannon and the Cairnwood staff). This is an expensive place to get married at, there is no getting around it. Of course if you want a tent, heaters, etc. then things really start to add up. However the cost was definitely worth it to me. Many things are handled and taken care of when you choose Cairnwood (if you are willing to pay the price). The beauty of the architecture is unreal. If you want a truly unique experience (even though they do weddings constantly, you do feel that yours is special) and your guests to be stunned, then choose Cairnwood!

Cairnwood is a beautiful Estate. It was the perfect background for our wedding. It gave our day the exact feel I wanted it to have. It was elegant and soft, romantic and classy. It is a bit pricey and you have to bring everything in from the outside, as in, you bring your own caterer, alcohol, flowers, tables, chairs, lighting, everything. This was okay with me because I enjoyed being a part of every detail. If you are looking for a package deal, this is not the place for you. We worked mostly with Shannon W. She is over the top friendly. She will work with you to make any and everything happen! We only visited Cairnwood, spoke with Shannon for 15 minutes and handed over our deposit. She made us feel confident that we were making the right decision and we did! The other staff members were a bit standoffish but, I believe it is their job to look after the property first. I understand it is a historical sight and you will know this by the places in the house you are not to touch or access. There is plenty of room for you your guests. The space should not be a problem. Heads up, I would only rent the tent if you MUST. It just isn't worth it. The house is so beautiful. The tent takes away from it.

Cairnwood is a beautiful and well run place. There is really nothing bad to say about the place itself. Shannon is awesome to work with. Some of the other staff is not very friendly and we actually got two call saying we did not pay a bill that had already been paid, but once we corrected them, everything was fine. It just caused some unneeded stress. If you love Cairnwood- book early. We had to book a year and a half in advance to get the date we wanted.

We LOVED our wedding. That being said - we had several things go wrong. We had 200 guests and so we used the patio with a tent (it was early March). First - it had been raining a lot the week before our wedding and the Friday before we got a phone call to tell us we had a few options. We could let our guests sit on soggy ground and get muddy for no extra cost, they could put down some astro-turf and the guests would still sink but not be muddy for $800 OR they could put down cement board with the astro-turf over it for $1200. I couldn't believe they forced me into this decision the day before with NO prior warning. There was never anything in the contracts saying that this had the potential to happen. I was so upset, we ended up going with the $1,200 but it was not easy to come up with on top of all the other wedding costs. 2nd to go wrong was that it was 40 degrees out and the heaters were not working in the tent. To their credit - the wedding consultant who was there was trying as hard as she could. The guy who sets up the heaters was refusing to come out to fix them. About 45 minutes into our dinner with our guests and myself freezing they finally kicked on. The guests at either end of the tent were cold the entire dinner and the heat was blowing so hard by us I ended up sweating off half my make-up. This was a beautiful venue and everyone was very kind but they definitely need to work on their contract and fire their heater guy. Be advised that you also could end up with extra costs on top of an already VERY expensive venue at the last minute.

Cairnwood is a beautiful place to have a wedding. We had the ceremony in the front of the mansion outside and then also had the cocktail hour outside in the back. The photos came out beautiful on the grounds there. The reception was inside and took a lot of planning on who was sitting where since guests had to be split up into all of the different rooms and everyone was very spread out if you have a lot of guests (~200). The staff were great for the most part, until they tried to get extra money from us after the wedding saying that we had stayed past what our contract said, which was not true. I had to show paperwork saying that I had booked the caterer for the correct times and that we were all out of the place on time. We didn't have to pay the extra since we had paid so much to book the place, which we did 2 years in advance.