The Gassaway Mansion
Reviews for The Gassaway Mansion
GUEST
I really liked being able to sit down soon after booking the venue and deciding on everything then and there and getting to see the “big picture.” I also liked how almost everything was included (food, flowers, rentals/decorations, venue), packages were customizable-you can add or remove services, change the number of guests, etc.- and a payment plan is available. However, you have to use their vendors, you can’t bring in your own. The overall price was phenomenal compared to all the other places we considered. Even comparing the price of having all services individually at a different venue, you got so much for the same or less money in their packages. You also don’t have to coordinate all your vendors the day of your wedding, as they’re a family business, and they can also be your backup plan if you want an outdoor wedding and the weather isn’t suitable. You can have anything from a simple, small wedding to an elaborate shindig.
This review is LONG, but it tells the good and the bad, the pros and the cons of our experience. Even with all the issues we had, I still recommend the Gassaway, but wanted to thoroughly explain my ratings.
Flowers – The flowers were a MAJOR disappointment for me. I wanted very specific colors and I explained this multiple times because I was worried that Linda didn’t seem to get my vision. I even brought pictures to my consultation, e-mailed and printed them for future reference in my file, re-sent the pictures when I needed the silk flowers made for my portraits, and explained the vision I had again at the meetings the week before the wedding and at the rehearsal. The only flowers that were to my specifications (and they were GORGEOUS) were the flowers in my bouquet the day of the wedding and I think that was right only because I told her the day I picked up the silk ones that the colors weren’t right. The flowers decorating the porch and staircase were also right, but I think Colleen was responsible for those. I specified very dark, almost black-red flowers, like burgundy or crimson, and dark purples like eggplant. I specified NO light colors except a few touches of white, including no lavender or traditional bright reds, etc. There were fuchsia colored flowers, light purples, and bright red flowers in the boutonnieres, the bridesmaid bouquets, the corsages, the centerpieces, and the cake decorations.
Food – We had a full sit down dinner served buffet style because they don’t do plated dinners. The food was ok, pretty much your standard wedding fare. They don’t allow a tasting, so we weren’t expecting too much, but there are many choices on the menu and you can make special requests. The food wasn’t overcooked and everything was still warm. I was a little disappointed in the mashed potatoes (HUGE potato fan here) because they were very runny. We had discussed the menu several times before the wedding and yet there were a few mistakes that Linda caught only because I had printed a little menu to display for the guests. Apparently what we had discussed was going to cost an extra $1000+, not something a bride wants to be surprised with the day of the wedding…so we changed the menu but I didn’t have time to print a new display menu. The servers were great and we were even allowed to take home some leftovers.
Rentals –I loved the chairs and linens we picked, the linens were even special ordered at no additional cost because they didn’t have a color to fit with our color scheme and they were sure they could reuse them. I was so excited to have the option for chivari chairs as I really don’t like the look or hassle of linen-covered chairs and bows. The centerpieces were not what we had discussed prior to the wedding and the flower colors in the centerpieces weren’t right either (see above), but we made them work. We had several tables that we had planned on arranging throughout the house but the day of the wedding they weren’t set up how we had planned. Because of this, hardly anyone even noticed our favors (sparklers) because they were on an already crowded picture table, the fruit was not with the champagne as requested, and the bridal party had to stand across the room from us during our receiving line, not with the bride and groom as we had rehearsed, because the cake was in the center of the staircase room instead of the piano room. Because of this, a lot of our guests overlooked the bridal party as they walked into our reception.
Music Limitations – This venue is in downtown Greenville and subject to noise ordinances…understandable, but inconvenient for a wedding reception. If you want music at an outdoor reception you’re required to rent the tent with sidewalls which can be a big expense. Or you can have the music inside with the staircase room as your dance floor, which is rather small and set apart from everything else if you have an outdoor reception. It’s perfect in the winter when all your guests dine inside. We rented the tent with sidewalls, so the dance floor was the concrete slab outside with a huge support beam for the tent in the center of it, which complicated our first dance choreography. The music also has to be turned off by 10 PM due to the noise laws.
Alcohol – This venue does not have a liquor license, but you can bring your own wine and/or champagne, which is great for people with a limited budget. We went to Green’s and returned unopened bottles and didn’t have to pay to hire a bartender or pay a corkage fee. No liquor or beer allowed, which a lot of guests expected…
Time Constraints – I’m not sure if we were the only ones who had this issue, but the 6 hours of rental time seemed not quite enough and we even added an extra hour when we first sat down to plan the wedding. Our wedding was scheduled for 5:30. We got there at 3 and did all of our pictures before the wedding. We did a receiving line, first dance, sit down dinner (approximately 60 people), and the cake cutting immediately after. We set up our exit at 9:30 to be out by 10 (remember the noise ordinance) and so we only had about an hour for actual dancing which we would not have had without the extra hour.
Planner - Colleen was great to work with and I loved her enthusiasm and creative vision. I appreciated her experience when I needed suggestions or had questions. We decided to use her as our “day of” director because we were nervous about having everything come together. She was always good about getting back to me when I contacted her. She also did her best to correct the things I mentioned to her on the wedding day that were wrong. She even helped when my bridesmaid’s dresses malfunctioned. That being said, Colleen was pretty adamant about the sequence of events for the wedding due to her experience and I reluctantly agreed to do it her way despite never having been to a wedding with the sequence of events she suggested. I ended up not liking the flow of the reception at all and felt like it left little time for dancing and socializing. Also, I told her everything looked fine when we went through the house the day of the wedding. I didn’t say anything because I didn’t think there would be time to fix everything I saw that was wrong, it was too late the change the flowers, I was sick and tired of stressing about everything, and I knew I would completely lose it if I started listing everything that I didn’t like.
Overall, most people thought the wedding was beautiful. However, it was very upsetting to me to have so many things not be right, because in the end it didn't matter what my guests thought, but what I, the bride, thought, and I am very detail oriented. I was just disappointed that we saved up so much money for so long to not have things look the way we wanted and I didn't want to be THAT girl by making a big fuss about it. So, I waited 5 weeks to allow myself to cool off, but it still really upsets me.
I still recommend the Gassaway for all the reasons I stated in the beginning, plus I’ve heard wonderful things from guests that attended other weddings held there. Hopefully my experience isn’t a common one, but I thought this review could help other brides know the pros and cons to make the decision that is best for them.
GUEST
Loved the venue! The staff was amazing, personable and talented. They gave me a personalized wedding that was over the top! They are affordable too!
GUEST
I LOVE the Gassaway! They make planning a wedding so easy. They provide all of the decor, flowers, and food, in addition to the location. Colleen, the decorator, is brilliant. She always comes up with new, trendy designs and always goes over the top. The food is great and the mansion it's self is stunning. You can't go wrong if you choose The Gassaway Mansion for your wedding & reception.
GUEST
The Gassaway Mansion was the perfect place for a wedding. Colleen did a fantastic job getting us what we wanted. Linda was amazing with the flowers and food. I would recommend them highly. Once we sat down and picked everything out, they took it from there. They are very creative, the flowers were spectacular and food amazing. It looked perfect. It made it so much easier on us not to have to worry about the location, decor, flowers, food and keeping us on track.
GUEST
My husband and I were married at Gassaway Mansion on November 6, 2010, and I must say, Colleen and Linda are two of the most hardworking, talented ladies in the wedding business. They went above and beyond to make sure that our wedding was everything I dreamed of. With us living out of town and planning a wedding 750 miles away, it was important for me to find a venue that not only fit my style, but that would provide many of our vendors for us. After looking at Colleen's wedding blog and doing a little research, I knew Gassaway would be our perfect fit. I gave Colleen an idea of the style I wanted and she ran with it. Linda worked with my style as well, and created amazing flowers. Colleen also acted as our wedding coordinator, and made sure that EVERYTHING went smoothly, from the time we arrived at the mansion to the time we left the reception. We were so pleased with the attention to detail that these ladies provided. I couldn't be happier with the service and hard work they put into our special day.
GUEST
The Gassaway Group is amazing! We are very picky and they came through and made everything perfect! I was stressing out about the decorations and everything and when we came for our rehearsal I was taken back by how beautiful it was! Everything was so perfect it almost seemed like a dream! It was everything we wanted and more! I can't say enough about how comfortable Colleen made us feel about everything! We had her direct our wedding as well and I'm glad we did!
They definitely have it all together and really know what they are doing! One of the really nice things is that everything is kind of "all inclusive", they do the flowers, food and decorations. This makes it a lot less stressful so you can enjoy this special time in your life!
I would recommend them to anyone! I can't say enough about how pleased we are with the way everything turned out!
GUEST
I was married at the Gassaway Mansion on 8-14-10. It was an amazing wedding and I have received many compliments. The staff, especially Colleen, were all very helpful and sweet in the process of planning and running the day. I was a bride in law school and planning from a distance. The package deal was ideal for me and my situation. All i had to do was print pictures of the flower arrangements i wanted, choose table cloth colors, food from the menu, then sit back and let the staff prepare and run the show. On my wedding, my worst fear happened, RAIN, but they quickly within 10- 15 mins rearranged seating and moved my front porch ceremony inside, this was a great option, and should give a piece of mind to any bride who worries about controling the elements. I would recommend The Gassaway to anyone, its beautiful and a great place to have a celebration.
Thanks again Terry & Colleen. Love Chris & Jena Craft
GUEST
I would recommend Gassaway Mansion to anyone! They helped to create the most magical and stress-free wedding my groom and I could have ever imagined and I could never thank them enough for the perfect day they helped create.
I did my bridal portrait at Gassaway and they had my bonquet replica (artificial to keep forever!) and the bridal suite ready and they were so helpful throughout the photo shoot.
We did our rehearsal dinner at Gassaway and it was wonderful! The food was delicious and our guests were able to enjoy a wedding weekend at this breathtaking South Carolina Mansion. When I came to the rehearsal, I was beside myself with the decorations! I did a coral color theme with orange, blush, and red accents and it was incredible the work they had done! The flowers were perfect and there were ever lanterns with ribbons in the trees! I could not have imagined that a short meeting 12 months before and a color swash could be turned in to such a beautiful day without me having to do anything!
The wedding day was wonderful! Gassaway worked well with our planner and everyone was where they needed to be and everything perfect. I wanted only roses and the flower arrangements were absolutely perfect! The guests were speechless when walking up to the beautiful mansion and the surprise factor I wanted for the summer South Carolina wedding of my dreams was a huge success! We continue to get compliments on the venue, asking us how we found them and how beautiful the experience was for our guests around the home.
The reception was perfect as well! The food was divine and people told us how delicious it was during the reception! The cake setup and everything was perfect! It was truly magical and more than my groom and I could have ever hoped for! It was a stress-free way to do a wedding and our directions on color, flowers, and food were followed perfectly and the staff kept to our instructions and only made the whole idea more beautiful! It was wonderful, beautiful, and perfect! My groom and I wanted a simple and elegant summer South Carolina wedding. Gassaway Mansion and the staff gave us our dream wedding and so much more! This venue and its staff are truly remarkable!
GUEST
My husband and I were married on May 15, 2010. We were married with close friends and family present, and two of the most amazing wedding coordinators (and people) that I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. I never in my wildest dreams could have put together or imagined a more perfect wedding. Every detail embodied the essence of my husband and I and our tastes perfectly*. Colleen and Marc Wheeler are diligent workers, aiming to perfect your vision of your wedding day. They both took so much time and effort to create the perfect day for me and twenty years from now I will still remember how helpful, dedicated and comfortable they both were and made me feel throughout my whole wedding planning process. The Gassaway Mansion is a historically beautiful and breath-taking place, with the most pleasant and incredible staff and owners! I would and certainly do intend on recommending Marc and Colleen and their business to every girlfriend I have... engaged or not!
GUEST
AMAZING! made my wedding planning process soooo easy and made our day perfect!
GUEST
I would definately recommend this company to anyone my son was married here on june 27,2009 and they did an awesome job it was so nice not to have the worries about decorating or flower arrangements. Their prices were not any more than any other wedding. I just had another wedding this december for another one of my children and I spent just as much for that one and I had to do all the planning which is stressful in itself my oppinion it is much better to let someone else do all the stressful work so you can enjoy this time. Thanks again gassaway for doing such a wonderful job!
GUEST
Colleen, Linda, and Janet made my wedding picture perfect. Over the past several months I have worked closely with these ladies, as my family held our Rehearsal Dinner at the School House as well as our wedding and reception at the mansion. The service, decor, food, and special attention to detail far exceeded my expectations. The mansion was decorated for Christmas in classic gold and silver, which blended beautifully with my colors of silver, white, and slate blue. Laterns were hung from the large tree on the lawn, silver branches and blue ornaments adorned the stairways and mantle. It was so much more beautiful than I ever imagined!
Colleen and Linda were there to help every step of the way, including when I momentarily misplaced our wedding bands, and when they quickly helped me remove red wine stains from my dress. Over this process I feel that we have become more than customer & vendor, we have become friends. The Gassaway Mansion will always have a special place in my heart! Thank you again for making my wedding exceptionally beautiful and classic!
GUEST
From start to finish, I was so impressed with the attentive and helpful attitude all of the staff at the Gassaway gave me and my upcoming wedding. The house was beautifully decorated for the holidays, plus they added that extra touch to make it my personality. The food was delicious, flowers were beautiful and great quality. The service from the staff was out of this world. They really gave me my dream wedding and made me feel like a princess. I have already referred my engaged friends to check them out. I never knew a place like the Gassaway existed. It was a perfect wedding day for me and my new hubby! Thank you Gassaway for going above and beyond! We love you guys!!!!
GUEST
We would like to thank Mrs. Colleen, Mrs. Linda and Mrs. Janet for making our wedding day the most beautiful day in our lives. I never knew that we could have a wedding so elegant with no problems to occur. All of their staff were so professional and helpful with everything we wanted. From the first day of meeting them we LOVED their vibe in every aspect of them helping us. Even though it rained before the ceremony, it created a beautiful ambiance to which our guest were blown away at the Autumn Theme inspired. With a warm breeze flowing, historic black lanterns hung from leafless branches filling the huge 20x40 tent with a warm crimson glow. The Head Table was set with chocolate, champagne, and burnt orange cloths while being accented with lanterns and greystone pebbles. EXCELLENT!!!! My wife and I chose to let Mrs. Colleen create freely what she seen from our ideas and we could not have been more happy. From the floral arrangements, to the food, to the waitstaff everything was so professionally provided.
From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU ALL for creating and providing the most memorable moment ever in our lives!!
KIM & DRE" ~wed on 9/19/09~
GUEST
The Gassaway group gave me a better wedding than I ever thought possible! I couldn't have asked for a better director than Colleen Wheeler. Her wisdom and experience calmed my nerves because I knew that she had it under control. She and her crew offered so much kindness to me, my husband, and the whole bridal party.She was always concerned with how I felt about everything while offering the advice that I needed.On the day of the wedding everyone was nervous and at first i was loosing my mind, but they were calm cool and collected. It made me feel so much better! She and her husband also help with the decorations and they were AWESOME! Our wedding was a hit to all of our guest. As soon as we got back from our honeymoon our inboxes were full of texts and voicemails saying it was the most beautiful wedding ever! We were so amazed with their work. i would highly recommend them to anyone.
GUEST
the wedding was beautiful. there are 3 ladys that run the place mother and daughters. the mother is very strict about the way things are done and insist that you make payments alongthe way each month and that they are non refubdable if something were to occure and they make you sign a contract to that. the older women just seemed anoyed when i called to ask questions same as the lady that controlled the flowers and catering for example i asked to see the flowers prior to the wedding and she said that they normally did not do that but if i really wanted to she would show me an exaple of how they would look like the friday before. now my mother was a florist and i know that is not how things are to be done i thought that it was very unprofessional. the one person that helped me and saved me from telling the others my true opinions was the daughter that was the cordinater (seperate fee) she tried to make sure everything was just like i pictured it
GUEST
The Gassaway Mansion made my wedding so easy and beautiful! They were wonderful to work with and I've received so many compliments on how beautiful my wedding was!
GUEST
They did a lot of work for my wedding, but the price was definitely high.
GUEST
Everything was very beautiful, but the wedding coordinator that I paid from the mansion was rude acting towards not only my wedding party, but also myself. When your paying someone to do a job on such a special occasion, the least they could do is smile & act like they are having a good time. She wasn't very approachable, had an attitude, and kept walking off during things she was supposed to be assisting with. Also I had given her directions that she did NOT follow.
THIS IS AN AMAZING PLACE TO HAVE A WEDDING, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!! The food was delectable, the flowers were gorgous, and the venue is breath taking. Just be sure NOT to get Colleen for your wedding coordinator.
GUEST
The Gassaway Mansion made my wedding planning a breeze. I was in college at the time, so I didn't really have time for all the appointments that a regular wedding would call for. After going to the mansion for 1 two hour appointment, I had my menu, flowers & decoration scheme picked as well as a foundation for all the general plans of the day. Not having to worry about the decorations before or after the wedding made the day so much nicer for me and my family! Our pictures are beautiful because the mansion is so beautiful, and I couldn't have loved my flowers any more. They were perfect! Overall, the Gassaway does a superb job at providing wedding services.
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