The Essex Resort & Spa Reviews

We had a phenomenal experience at the Essex. Despite some staff turnover when we were first securing the venue, everything has been seamless.

We had the chance to take part in one of their large wedding tastings and it was incredible. It gave us a chance to try everything and talk to the chefs. It also gave us a chance to see the Farmhouse again and meet vendors.

Also, the Farmhouse, their new venue, is stunning. It has 2 getting ready rooms built into the venue which was super convenient. My mother was able to be part of getting ready but also help oversee all decorating. Because the getting ready rooms are in the venue we were able to have a cool place to wait before the ceremony and regroup.

In terms of the actual wedding, everything was perfect. The food was amazing, our gluten free cake was delicious, and no one could tell it was GF.

One of the biggest perks of booking at the Essex is that you get assigned a wedding coordinator 4-6 months before your wedding. They walk you through all decisions and helped us stay on track with wedding planning. We were assigned Katarina and she was incredible. She helped with everything from our ceremony order, making sure we stayed on timeline, to helping clean my dress when it got muddy during pictures. She truly went above and beyond. I wasn’t stressed at all and I truly attribute most of that to Katarina and the amazing Essex staff. Everyone made sure we were taken care of.

We loved it so much that we are already planning our next visit for our anniversary. They made the Essex feel like home.

My husband and I have very high expectations of what the dream wedding for our one and only daughter would look like and the Essex Resort and Spa exceeded our expectations. We were very happy staying at the resort, it was accommodating to all of our family and friends that had traveled from afar. The barn venue that my daughter and her groom chose has a Joanna Gaines feel to it! There was plenty of space the stone fireplace is gorgeous. The staff was so accommodating. We received so many compliments on how delicious the food was and how pleasant the wait staff was to everyone! Being gluten free, I appreciated all of the accommodations the chef made for me and other family members.

We really owe a special thanks to the event manager, Katarina Edelmann! She really understood my daughter's vision and handIed all of the details! I was so impressed with her managing the vendors and keeping everyone on the same page. We had asked for an ice sculpture carved like their dog, Bailey and Katrina and the staff made it happen. She was so full of ideas and we appreciated her expertise. She was able to quickly troubleshoot behind the scenes before something would happen. She kept the timeline flowing so no moment felt rushed. Her professionalism and communication were outstanding! We appreciated her meeting with us many times and her communication via emails and in person made us feel like we mattered! Thanks to her I was able to enjoy my daughter's beautiful wedding day without any stress!

Truly cannot express how grateful we were to have chosen The Essex Resort for our wedding. Not only was the space absolutely beautiful, but the entire team was so easy to work with.

Most importantly, Kat made the entire process—and our wedding day—truly magical. She listened, was attentive, and always had a smile on her face no matter what was going on. She remained calm, cool, and collected through everything.

If you’re thinking about booking, I couldn’t recommend it more. The food was fantastic, our guests raved about the space, and the team was beyond organized. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience!

The Essex Culinary Resort and Spa is ANAZING! Monique has our hearts forever and always. Thank you for helping turn all our dreams into reality!

We got married 8/3/24 and had a fantastic weekend at the Essex's new venue, the Farmhouse! It is a beautiful venue that is modern and specious, but still has a Vermont feel. We loved that everything could be on site from the rehearsal dinner through the reception. Being able to stay on site with our guests added to the fullness of the weekend and made it easy to transition between events. All the staff worked hard to make our day go smoothly. Our day-of-coordinator, Cindy, was great. She was organized and helped the day flow smoothly and made sure to take care of us. As expected based on the tasting, the food was delicious and they were able to adapt to all of our guests' dietary needs. We would highly recommend the Essex and the Farmhouse to other couples!

I had reviewed MANY venues and nothing had the “it” factor quite like the Essex! As soon as I saw it online I knew we had to visit but was pretty sure it was the place to have our wedding. Once we visited and met the staff, we knew it was the place! The grounds are beautiful, the rooms clean and the resort breathtaking. We wanted a venue with accommodations onsite and the Essex did not disappoint. The entire staff was accommodating and friendly. Having multiple eatery options onsite and being close to downtown Burlington were key features for our guests! We loved the spa and pool to relax before our big day! Bekah was our coordinator and was so helpful while planning. On the day of, she was professional and helped make our dreams come true. She made sure we never had to stress! The food is incredible too! Our guests keep telling us after the wedding that they are planning to go back to spend more time there! Highly recommend the Essex for your wedding weekend!

Working with the Essex was wonderful start to finish. Rebekah made the process so easy and kept us on track. all of our guests kept telling us how nice the staff was, and how beautiful the resort is. Book your wedding here if you want a stress free event!

We had the great fortune of being married at The Essex Resort and Spa. The venue had everything we could have ever wanted. Everything was on site which made planning less stressful. We could not have done it without the amazing staff at The Essex. We were lucky to start our process with Emily Ellis who showed us what The Essex has to offer and helped answer all of our questions. After we booked, each event planner at The Essex helped us make our day perfect. We were lucky enough to work directly with Rebekah Woodin who was AMAZING! Her professionalism, organization, and oversight made our day perfect and memorable. Rebekah was there to make sure everything went smoothly and it did!!! She helped us stay on track and reminded us to enjoy every second! The entire event staff were kind and professional. The food came out exactly when we wanted it and all plates were hot! We cannot recommend The Essex Resort and Spa enough!

I don't know how to summarize my amazing wedding experience with The Essex. Everything was perfect. They were communicative, they were organized, they didn't miss a beat. When I was feeling stressed or overwhelmed, Colleen was there to help me every step. I would have my wedding there a million times again. My friends and family also had an amazing time at the venue and in the hotel. 10/10 amazing experience.

The entire team at the Essex Resort & Spa was wonderful to work with. The place is absolutely beautiful and big enough to fit a lot of people. Plus, all the guests at our wedding raved to us about how good the appetizers and entrees were. On top of that, the people running the show over there were all perfectly lovely. Would highly recommend.

We chose the Essex Resort & Spa because of its location and value. Our venue coordinator Bekah, was an incredible bonus help in guiding our planning process and helping piece our wedding together. We had our ceremony outside on the East Lawn, a perfect outdoor garden location to get married. Our guests were raving about the other amenities, but especially how delicious the food was! Working with the Essex was simple and they were very responsive with all of our questions. Our day went incredibly smoothly thanks to Bekah's help in guiding our day along, and we would 110% recommend working with them to make other wedding dreams come true!

The Events Team at the Essex was extremely responsive and professional during our entire wedding planning process. Bekah, our day-of coordinator, was a rockstar in every way. She checked in with us throughout the planning process and gave us so much peace during the wedding day. She handled everything and made sure the day was flawless in our eyes.

Also, the food was some of the best food we've eaten at a wedding!

The Essex was great throughout the whole process. We worked with Colleen as our coordinator, literally she is a champ. She crushed everything and made it all so incredibly easy for us. Starting with the Grand Tasting thru the ceremony, nothing could have been smoother. The food was great, venue, bar, dance floor, etc. Would definitely recommend to anyone, especially if you get Colleen your wedding will go off perfect. I’m sure all the other coordinators are great too!

We had our wedding at the Essex May 6th 2023 and it was the most perfect day!!! Our coordinator was Monique - who was fabulous! She stayed in constant communication with us leading up to the event, and during the weekend of. She promptly answered any questions or concerns we had. The day of went off without a hitch and we owe a lot of that to Monique's coordination! We did our rehearsal dinner and wedding at the Essex and the food at both was fantastic! For the rehearsal dinner we enjoyed the backyard BBQ menu and on our wedding day the lamb was everyone's favorite! Our wedding cake was also made by the Essex - it was gorgeous (exactly like the pictures I had shown for inspiration) and tasted amazing. We ended the night with some late night snacks which was a huge hit - the chicken sliders were bomb! On top of the food being delicious the service was also excellent. We had our ceremony outside on the green and the reception in the atrium. Both were lovely. The atrium is so beautiful that it hardly needs much for extra decor. Our rehearsal dinner was held in the ballroom (a last minute decision because the weather was slightly cold) but they still set up the lawn games and a bon-fire with smores materials for our guests. We are so happy we chose the Essex! It was the perfect place to host our wedding weekend

We had our reception at The Ponds on Nov 19 2022. It was, hands down, the best night of our lives.

We hosted our Welcome Drinks party at The Essex on Friday as well as an "after party" in their tavern on Saturday, and a breakfast on Sunday.

The highlight of our Essex experience was Bekah. She was our venue coordinator and is a true rockstar. We cannot sing her praises enough! The Essex team is truly lucky to have her onboard.

The food was AMAZING!!! Better than we could have expected!! Order the beef en croute (mini beef wellingtons) for passed apps - we have guests who still talk about them!

Most of our guests stayed onsite at The Essex and it was overall extremely positive. There were a few comments made to us about the front desk staff not being up to the "luxury" advertised calibre, and we experienced this ourselves with some confusion over our welcome gift bags. We also experienced a theft from The Ponds venue. My sister's wallet as well as all the remaining favors + a few other items were stolen from the table we were told was safe to leave items for a pickup on Sunday morning. We were highly disappointed in The Essex's response and conflict resolution to this, but as we were their last wedding at The Ponds, we imagine it won't be an issue for future couples so we are not letting it impact the total star review. Overall, we would choose The Essex again.

The Essex was the perfect place for us to celebrate our wedding. The team there did an outstanding job not only helping us plan the big day, but execute it as well. I would recommend the venue, along with Colleen and her team, to anyone looking to get married in the VT area!

The Essex was a wonderful place to get married. We hosted two events on the resort property, a welcome dinner in the backyard of the hotel and a brunch in the garden terrace. Both were great venues. The staff was very accommodating, and when there was rain on Friday causing the welcome dinner to be inside, they were quick to come up with alternatives, and went the extra mile by having some staff set-up a space outside for once the rain had cleared. We had our reception off site at the Ponds location, and it is an absolutely gorgeous late summer venue. The space is some distance from the hotel and you need to arrange your own transportation, but it is well worth it for the spectacular views and scenery. Our wedding coordinator, Bekah, deserves a special shout out. Prior to the weekend she was willing to meet with us whenever we needed clarification on questions, both in person and remotely. During the weekend, she stayed in constant communication and coordinated both with our vendors and us to make sure everything was perfect and running smoothly. She was essential in making it feel like our special weekend. Overall we were very happy with our experience getting married at the Essex, and we would definitely recommend.

The Essex is a beautiful venue, and the team there was incredibly responsive and helpful every step of the way. One huge perk is the day of team that helps everything run smoothly. Would highly recommend The Essex to anyone!

We hosted a wedding weekend at The Essex. Friday night Welcome BBQ ending with s’mores, Saturday wedding reception at the Ponds and Garden Terrace Sunday brunch with bloody Mary’s and mimosas, it was all perfectly executed with the help of Bekah, our Essex event planner. The food was delicious and the various settings were beautiful! We were thrilled and can’t wait to get our professional photos back to relive every magical moment!

We just recently got married at the Ponds at Bolton Valley and it was incredible! The team at the Essex was fantastic and super helpful throughout the entire process! We loved our experience working with them and would highly recommend them to others!

I just got married at The Essex Inn and Spa on 8/6. It was an AMAZING wedding. I couldn’t have been happier with the outcome. I stayed in constant communication throughout the process with their event manager Emily. As I got closer to the wedding, I started working with the day of coordinator (Monique) who guided me every step of the way. She made sure that no detail was overlooked and made me feel confident going into my wedding day.

On Friday 8/5 we had our rehearsal and Monique did amazing dealing with our rowdy bridal party. Monique was patient and gave us enough practice rounds to make sure everyone knew what they should be doing. Monique didn’t miss any detail from how the bridal party was positioned, down to making sure all the guys had their hands the same way.

After rehearsal we had our rehearsal dinner in their backyard area. Out of all their options for rehearsal dinner packages, this turned out the best in my opinion. We had a buffet style dinner outside. They set up a bar outside just for our party. We opted to purchase drink tickets for our guests and then cash bar afterwards. The entire dinner was very relaxed and enjoyable. After dinner we could enjoy the backyard games, fire pit and goats.

On the actual wedding day.. minutes before the ceremony started, Monique came to me and let me know that rain was expected. I made the decision to move the ceremony inside. I’m glad we did, because it started down pouring minutes later. The staff at The Essex were SO quick in making the transition from outside to inside. My guests were amazed at how quick they were able to pull it off (like 5 minutes). As the bride, it was a little disappointing to not have the ceremony outside, but Monique and her staff made it a seamless transition that I didn’t feel one ounce of stress. The ceremony took place in the Atrium (where my reception was) and it was just as beautiful. They even brought in the arbor!

After the ceremony, The Essex staff had my entire reception area back to the way it was in another 5 minutes. By time I got back from family photos (which were quick btw), all of my guests were sitting and enjoying the cocktail hour.

The reception itself was flawlessly executed. I luckily picked vendors that have worked with The Essex and so the communication between everyone was on point. I also felt supported and never felt the need to watch the clock to make sure everything was happening when it should (I’m a project manager with a type A personality.. so that’s saying a lot).

For the food - we picked steak, salmon and a mushroom ravioli. We were able to taste all of the food during a private tasting months before our wedding. The chef brought in each entry separately followed by different cake options that we were able to mix and match. It was such a fun experience that my spouse and I were able to enjoy with our moms. We left the food tasting very full and excited to serve our guest the food on our wedding day.

Overall it was an amazing weekend! About 80% of our guests were from out of state, so it was nice that everyone could stay at the venue and not worry about driving after the reception.

Overall 10/10.

VENDORS:

Photography/Videography: Todd Stoilov - Still In Motion 10/10
DJ service: Top Hat Entertainment (Darren was our DJ - also 10/10)
Photo Booth: Top Hat Entertainment 10/10
Flowers: Flowers by Nicole (Nicole Nappi) 10/10
My Hair/Makeup (10/10): I worked through Amanda Hopcroft Hair and Makeup Artist. The actual artist who did my hair and makeup was Sarah Crowley from Finishing Touch VT.

I also worked with Amanda Hopcroft for bridal party hair/makeup. The actual artist were Jodi Anthes (independent through Amanda Hopcroft) and Rheanna Gaudette (Elan Hair Lounge)

Table cloths - The Linen Company

I cannot say enough positive things about The Essex. The venue, hotel, and grounds are so incredibly beautiful. The staff was helpful and proactive starting from the day we put our deposit down. Bekah, our day-of coordinator was literally unbelievable, and we would not have had as great of a day without her expertise. The food was so good, and we were so happy that we chose this venue.

I cannot say enough good things about The Essex! Our wedding in July went from 100 down to 23 people (due to the pandemic) and the staff did an incredible job accommodating the change and making the whole weekend perfect. Our coordinator Julia is an actual angel, and worked with the staff to make sure us and our guests had a great time, while remaining safe and adhering to guidelines. Every event, from the Rehearsal Dinner on Saturday, to the Wedding on Sunday, and the Farewell Brunch on Monday, was meticulously planned and went by without a hitch, thanks to the team there.

Us and our guests stayed at The Essex for the whole weekend, and the staff made sure we were taken care of the entire time. Julia and Amanda were at each event making sure things ran smoothly. Chef Dante led a super fun private cooking class for our wedding party. We rented out Junction and Chef Nicole made a world class dinner our guests are still talking about months later. And Aleksa, the hardest working waitress I’ve ever met, helped make sure our needs were always met, including helping the bridesmaids plan room service for a surprise bachelorette brunch.

If I wrote about every single incredible thing the team at The Essex did, this review would be pages long. They took away all the stress of planning a wedding during a pandemic, and I cannot thank them enough for that. Needless to say, I wholeheartedly recommend having your wedding there.

Even though we had to wear masks due to COVID-19, The Essex made everyone feel comfortable and safe. They were an absolute pleasure to work with and did everything within their power to make sure that my husband and I had the wedding we had always dreamed of. I would absolutely recommend this venue, Hannah is absolutely amazing as well!

Everything was amazing, our coordinator Julia was so friendly, responsive, flexible and fun to work with.

Sitting back looking at things there is nothing we would have hoped to have been different. This location is amazing!

We got engaged late in the season and only had a limited amount of time to plan our wedding, but the minute we saw the Essex, our decision was made and our stress went away. The atrium space is absolutely GORGEOUS, but still a blank canvas that you can show your own personality! Not to mention, it meant piece of mind in case of inclement weather for our fall wedding. Emily Ellis and her team were a dream to work with. They were always responsive and provided us with the guidance we needed to plan our dream wedding. The Essex supplies everything you can imagine from tables, chairs and linens to easels, table numbers, and a cake stand. The food was DELICIOUS (as was the cake, which was so beautiful and designed exactly as I had imagined). Everyone in the bridal party did hair and makeup onsite at the spa and they did a wonderful job. They helped us to make a schedule that wasn't rushed, and everyone looked amazing. The Essex also let us setup the day prior to the wedding and were available to assist with everything. Emily was our coordinator and day-of she made the day run SO smoothly. I didn't have to worry about a thing, and she was flexible in making adjustments as things changed. She also took amazing care of us - always offering to grab us something to eat or drink (and even suppling endless gluten free options to meet my dietary restrictions). Plus, the venue and grounds are absolutely gorgeous with many amazing spots for photo ops. Finally, it was amazing to be able to have all of our friends and family staying onsite in their very nice accommodations. We had the best day of our lives and thanks to the Essex it was stress-free and perfect. We would highly recommend this venue to anyone looking for a seamless, wonderful day!

Emily Ellis and Julia were amazing coordinators! The process of settling all the details was easy with them in our corner, and they really go above and beyond in every way to make sure you feel special, stress-free, and so helped with everything! They even helped me stuff welcome bags and set up the gardens for our rehearsal dinner cocktail hour since the weather was nice! The venue is beyond gorgeous. the gardens and grounds were immaculate which is saying a lot since we had our wedding later in the season after so many weddings all summer.. but you would never have known! Many guests told my husband and me that it was the most fun and beautiful wedding they have ever been to, and a lot of that is kudos to the venue for making it that way!

It was a great experience. They were extremely helpful in planning and with the music with my playlist.

This review is for the Ponds at Bolton Valley. Our planners Julia Preston and Emily Ellis were the most incredible planners throughout the process and were amazing to work with. They answered every detailed question and request and threw in so many unique touches to make our day extra special (like a giant five tiered peanut butter cake for our dog)
The venue and grounds were beautiful! Loved the bridal suite at the Ponds for pre-ceremony to stay cool...
The food was incredible --our favorite was our Friday night welcome bbq with the best pulled pork, mac and cheese and potato salad!-- but everything throughout the weekend was so good.
Can't say enough good things about this place!

The Essex was the perfect venue for us and I am so grateful to our wedding coordinator Arienne and the entire staff for making our day amazing! With The Essex providing the catering, wedding coordinator, equipment (i.e. tables, chairs, linens), much of the usual stress of planning a wedding was alleviated and everything ran so smoothly. In terms of the venue, the lawn and atrium are gorgeous spaces for the ceremony and reception, respectively. Our guests were largely from out of town and it was so convenient for all of them to be able to stay at the resort (which also provides courtesy transportation from the Burlington airport). Our wedding coordinator, Arienne, was incredibly responsive and helpful with inquiries and was organized, calm and flexible throughout the entire planning process and on the wedding day. The food and cake were so delicious and we had many guests with dietary restrictions for whom the chefs made several special plates. All of our guests were very complimentary of venue and services provided. I cannot say enough positive things about the Essex and highly recommend for a wonderful wedding experience.

Words cannot express how grateful we are to Arienne and the staff at the Essex for our wonderful wedding. From day one they were welcoming and accommodating, always answering emails promptly and with great care, oftentimes answering the same questions multiple times. On the day of, Arienne made something that could have been quite stressful quite easy and could not have been more helpful. Every piece of our event turned out exactly as I had imagined it. The food was phenomenal, the cake beautiful and delicious, the staff superb. When we entered the Atrium on the way to the east lawn to begin the ceremony I was blown away by what it had been transformed into. It was simply gorgeous. Thank you to everyone at The Essex for helping us to make lasting memories in a beautiful setting.

My husband and I planned our Vermont wedding from Chicago, so we knew we would need a responsive venue in order to pull everything together since we had limited time in Vermont beforehand. When I met Emily at the Essex and she brought me to the Ponds I knew we had found our venue. Emily is incredibly professional, responsive, and willing to offer suggestions. I really appreciated her input throughout our wedding planning process, she was not pushy but did let me know if she did not think something would work. She also had suggestions for vendors, all of our vendors were from her suggestions list and they exceeded our expectations.
The wedding day went perfect, Emily was there every step of the way, but again not overbearing. The venue was put together beautifully, Emily put out a lot of the decorations we brought and made the space look great. The food at our wedding was so delicious too. We did have feed back for the chefs during our menu tasting, they clearly listened because the food was beyond delicious.
The Essex has made the Ponds into a stunning venue space, prepares incredible food, and Emily was a great wedding coordinator to work with. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for their wedding venue!

Amazing! The Ponds is an absolutely gorgeous venue and the staff at the Essex was so helpful in answering all our questions and providing day of coordination! Emily was extremely helpful and helped to make our special day positively perfect. A definite "must see" for those interested in a rustic yet classy venue with breathtaking views but not super interested in being on a ski run or golf course.

I cannot say enough positive things about the Ponds at Bolton Valley and The Essex Resort. From the moment we booked the venue through our Wedding day on Sept 2 2018, we were treated with exceptional service and care. Emily, our Wedding Coordinator at The Essex was there for us every step of the way and was always quick to answer my (many) questions! My parents also thoroughly enjoyed working with her. The staff during the wedding were amazing and incredibly professional. The food was amazing and many told me it was the best food they have had at a wedding, ever! The Ponds is one of the most beautiful venues in Vermont with outstanding views. Emily truly made this the best day of our lives at our dream venue!!

Shana Farer-Feld was our wedding planner and we couldn't have been happier! We got married over a year ago but the day is still fresh in my mind. She was so responsiveness during the planning months, very willing to entertain ideas about food/beverage/setup in order to accommodate our budget, flexible and attentive on the big day (she did a lot of the table setup herself!), and just a plain joy to work with. She understood our needs and NEVER made us feel rushed or judged. It was truly a calming and effortless process to work with Shana during the prep week and of course the wedding day itself...she even brought us drinks right after the ceremony knowing we'd be too busy to get them ourselves. We'd get married again next year just to work with Shana and the folks at The Essex again! (*I think Shana now works at The Stowe Mountain Lodge, so if The Essex Resort isn't your style, look her up in Stowe.)

Definitely recommend this venue to anyone looking to having all of their festivities on-site. I could not have picked a more perfect venue (East Lawn/Atrium) for our wedding that fit our styles, and the woodsy but modern feel we were going for. The resort itself is super family friendly as well with goats, bonfires, and pools! I cannot speak higher of the service we got from the salon, to the kitchen, to my personal highlight, Emily! Emily was there every step of the way and was always on top of everything.

My husband and I were married at The Ponds at Bolton, VT and we are SO HAPPY with our experience!!! We HIGHLY recommend this venue to all future couples!!! The food was excellent and so many guests commented that this was one of the most beautiful weddings they had ever attended. The scenery of VT is amazing in itself, with The Pond and Camel's Hump in the background, but a lot of credit for our perfect day goes to SHANA, our amazing wedding coordinator!!

Not only did we sign with The Ponds as our venue site because of our experiences with Shana, but she was also my wedding coordinator, planner, vendor-guide, wedding advice-giver, and friend in so many ways. She went out of her way for us countless times and exceeded all of our expectations.

Shana was always responsive to every single one of my (countless) emails, met with me/my family several times, provided advice and guidance, set-up our venue to make it look beautiful and helped with take-down. She would email me back within a day, even while on her vacation!

The little details made a huge difference for us as well - one of the waitstaff came to us on the dock after the ceremony while we were taking pictures to offer appetizers and hand us a drink - this was so nice! The food was delicious, the venue site was beautiful, and our day could not have been more amazing. Thank you to The Essex and to Shana for the wonderful memories that will last a lifetime! We are so grateful - Susi and Paul

My daughter's reception was held at The Atrium at The Essex . Emily Ellis was our wedding planner and she did a fabulous job! She was always willing to meet with us and gave us great advice. Our guests remarked about the great food, the accommodations and the lovely staff. We are so grateful to The Essex for making my daughter's big day so memorable!

This review is long overdue and exceedingly well-deserved! Our wedding day was perfect at the Ponds! Nestled in the scenic mountainside of Bolton Valley, the Ponds provides the most secluded, intimate, special place for a wedding. Shana is incredible! She is responsive and works hard to meet every single want and need for the couple, and for us that was two brides and two bride moms!
The food was delicious! The flexibility offered through the talented skillset of the chefs at the culinary resort, allow you to fully design your own menu, which is extremely unique and supportive of all budgets! The staff on the day are attentive and ensure that you have everything you need through the whirlwind!
A very important piece of advice that made our weekend even more special and personal, was doing our room block at the Bolton Valley Ski Resort, just a mile up the mountain. With the size of our wedding, we fully booked out the resort, making the mountain completely ours for the weekend! They provided shuttles to and from the venue and gave us the space to host a welcoming party, an after party and offer a plethora of fun and games for our guests including disc golf, volleyball, basketball, hiking, corn hole and much much more!
THANK YOU SHANA FOR MAKING OUR DAY PERFECT!

Our wedding at the Essex beyond exceeded our expectations. Our wedding coordinator Shana was absolutely amazing! The service was impecable. The food was delicious!!! The atrium is such a beautiful room!! We were so pleased with everything!!!!

My wife and I had our reception at The Essex on August 19th, 2017 and it was literally the best day of our lives up to this point and The Essex played a huge role in that. From the start of the wedding planning process Shana made us feel so comfortable and at ease with the process and the big day. As we searched at other venues we knew from the second we met Shana and was introduced to the staff and the venue that we found exactly what we were looking for. Shana was super helpful and accommodating leading up to the special day and was just as great on our wedding day to help us relax and enjoy the day worry free. We can't thank Shana and the entire staff enough for everything they did to make our wedding day a day we will never ever forget.

I cannot say enough good things about the essex resort, their entire staff, and specifically their off-site location the ponds, where we had our actual wedding celebration! The venue is absolutely breathtaking (we just got our pictures and they are unreal!) and it doesn't break the bank compared to what's out there! They provide pretty much everything you need, with the option to make it all your own with flowers and details, which was a huge relief to me, someone planning it from afar! With so many "barn" options in the area, I found the mountain elegance of the ponds so refreshing and a bit of a lighter/happier feeling option which I think really showed in not only the pictures, but the overall amazing time all of our guests had. I'm still hearing from them how beautiful the venue was! The location really speaks for itself as it doesn't get much better in my mind! That all being said, more than anything, it was Emily and her team, making the entire weekend seamless and worry free, that truly made the weekend perfect for us. We had welcome drinks for our guests on Friday night at the Essex Resort, and our ceremony and reception at the ponds on Saturday night, and Emily helped coordinate every detail prior to make sure nothing was missed! She was also there the day of, making sure everything was going according to plan, and helping with those few last minute issues (that always happen!) which was amazingly reassuring to have on the big day! Overall, again, I could not give the venue, and staff, a higher review - they helped make our day truly magical!

We got married at The Essex this past Sunday, August 6, 2017, and we couldn't have asked for better staff or a better place to celebrate our big day! Both Shana and Emily were MORE than helpful and on top of every little detail throughout the entire wedding planning process that made everything come together so smoothly and stress-free for us. We would highly recommend this gorgeous Vermont venue to any couple who is looking to have the most memorable day of their life!
Elizabeth & Rich

My rating above is based solely on the amazing work of our wedding coordinator, Emily Ellis, and the amazing staff at the Essex. The salon at The Essex left little to be desired and their review is written below my glowing review of The Essex. Emily Ellis was was amazing throughout the entire process including the day of. We were married at The Ponds, but stayed at The Essex, rented the fire pit, and had our rehearsal bunch there. All of the staff were professional, polite, kind, and accommodating. My husband and I couldn't get over how well they coordinated everything. The food was absolutely delicious. My wedding guests couldn't stop talking about it. I have gluten free family members and The Essex didn't hesitate to accomate them. Emily even went out and bought gluten free graham crackers for smores the night prior to the wedding. The Ponds was gorgeous! We could not have asked for a more perfect Venue. It was private and the grounds were amazing. Any time I emailed Emily with questions or concerns, she responded quickly and was very helpful. It was worth every penny.

My only complaint was the salon where we had our hair and make-up done. At first, I was talking with Nicole, who didn't respond to me in a timely fashion. Emily quickly fixed this when I brought it to her attention and put me in touch with someone else. I found some, not all, the girls doing salon services to be inexperienced. If you get hair and make-up done there, ask for Chelsea. The girl doing my hair the day of nearly ruined it, but Chelsea was able to come over and fix it for her. I had also wanted to schedule massages, manicures, and pedicures for my bridal part (a total of 4 ladies including myself), but I was told they did not have enough staff to handle all of the nail services, so I had to book at another spa. This was a very big inconvenience. I would recommend any bride find an outside cosmetologist to do your hair and make-up.

I can not say enough good things about having my wedding at The Essex Resort & Spa. Everything was amazing, from the quality of the service, to the delicious food, and the beautiful venue. We decided to have the ceremony and the reception in the Apex room and it was truly magical. The staff was extremely accommodating and our wedding planner Shana Farer-Feld was beyond words in how wonderful she was to work with. We not only had an amazing wedding at this venue, we were able to set up a romantic couples massage at the Spa for some newlywed relaxation time! If you are searching for a professional staff, beautiful venue, and an amazing experience to host one of the most magical days of your life look no further the Essex Resort & Spa is that place!!

We had the wedding of our dreams at the Essex Resort on August 5, 2016. The grounds are beautiful and are the perfect backdrop for wedding photos. Shana coordinated our reception in the Atrium. In the months leading up to the wedding she was always available to answer our questions and help with anything we needed. We are so grateful for her flexibility working within our budget and accommodating our needs. She is incredibly creative and went above and beyond to help us bring our ideas to life. She set up the room beautifully and we didn’t have to worry about anything on our wedding day. We had a few minor hiccups and even though they weren’t related to the Essex Resort and she stepped in to remedy them for us without hesitation. We truly felt that she had all the details under control and we could relax and enjoy our special day in the company of our guests. We were also pleased at how well she worked with our other vendors. It was clear to us that she has an outstanding rapport with the other vendors. And, of course, the food was exceptional at the Essex Resort. They were also very accommodating to our guests with food allergies. We are truly grateful to Shana and the Essex Resort and we highly recommend the Essex Resort and Spa.
-Stephanie & Patrick

Thanks to the extraordinary service provided by the team at The Essex combined with the picturesque setting and ambiance we had the wedding of our dreams! We would not have changed a single thing and our wedding guests have done nothing but rave about the event. We would absolutely recommend The Essex as a wedding venue. Thanks so much to Emily, Shana and the entire team at The Essex for coordinating our perfect wedding day dream!

My husband and I had always wanted to have our wedding at The Ponds, but were unsure if we would ever be able to afford the venue. After looking into some other venues, we still could not stop thinking about The Ponds and decided to go ahead and inquire. We immediately heard back from Shana Farer-Feld who informed us that they were more than willing to work with our budget so that we could have the wedding of our dreams, at the venue we felt was the perfect fit. Shana was with us every step of the way. She was very attentive to our needs and responded in a timely manner whenever we contacted her. Living out of state while planning a Vermont wedding had its challenges, but Shana made the process so smooth and I always felt that we were in good hands. Even when things didn’t go exactly as planned, I felt at ease knowing Shana and her team were there to support us. Overall, this venue is breathtaking with an amazing view of the Vermont Mountains. We had our ceremony outside next to the pond and the scenery was so beautiful. The space inside for the reception was perfect for an intimate wedding and its beauty is truly unmatched. I cannot praise Shana and The Essex staff enough. The food and beverage service was superb and all our guests commented on how wonderful the staff made them feel. Special shout out to Deb who is an absolute gem; she took care of us the whole night and was truly one of the nicest people we have ever met. The food was delicious and our cake was exactly what we had wanted. Shana and The Essex helped us to create the most perfect wedding day. We could not have asked for anything better. We highly recommend The Essex and their services, as well as The Ponds as a venue.

If you are looking for a more intimate venue with the best wedding reception food you have ever tasted in your life, look no further than The Essex. Shana Farer-Feld and her team put together an absolutely perfect reception, rehearsal dinner, and post-wedding brunch for us. Shana was always responsive and put up with a lot of emails from me and my in-laws during the planning process. Bless her. Although I grew up in the area, I live out of state now and she made planning much less stressful with frequent communication and attention to detail. She had excellent recommendations and advice and her team made everything happen without missing a beat. Even the tiniest hiccup (which in hindsight was not a big deal at all) was addressed and resolved without anyone noticing at all.

We had an offsite ceremony, so I can't comment on The Essex as a ceremony cite. As for the reception and other events, however, the food and beverage service was top notch. Shana arranged a beautiful menu tasting during the planning process and the food was just as wonderful on the day of the reception. Our guests universally said that it was the best reception food they had ever tasted. The pastry shop at The Essex also provided our amazing wedding cake. I sent Shana a picture of a cake that I liked and the team executed it flawlessly. It was simple and elegant, and the cake itself was the best I've ever had. The food and beverage service for our other events was excellent as well.

I also have to compliment Shana on her knowledge of, and excellent working relationship with, my other vendors particularly my DJ and florist. Everyone worked together to create an absolutely perfect day. We couldn't have asked for anything better.

This luxury resort was absolutely everything that we wanted for our guests and our Wedding! The Ponds was a little peice of heaven in the mountains and perfect for I DOs! We were able to have our cake and eat it too using the hotel for our accommodations! Everyone loved the food , ambience and everything else this amazing place had to offer!!

This is a great place to have a wedding reception. They catered to our every need, including ice sculptures and an intimate family style seating arrangement. It was also great to have a wedding coordinator to think of everything we forgot and ensure the day of goes smoothly. Overall, the entire staff, venue, and flexibility are unmatched. It also helps that they have an amazing culinary team that put together a meal that will impress anyone!

BEST PLACE TO GET MARRIED. First off- Shana is awesome and answered all our questions. She was so easy to work with. The Essex location is awesome. I was able to meet with Shana before the wedding and went through all the small details. We originally wanted to have our ceremony outside but it was so cold that we decided to have it inside and it was perfect. The food was amazing. Also after the dancing was over, we were able to have a bon fire outside and then who ever wanted to stay late at the tavern bar could do so. Highly recommend The Essex for a wedding venue !

The Inn at Essex Resort provided a wonderful venue! Exceptional food and service!
Shana was a professional, friendly, and efficient. It was a wonderful day!

We had the Essex cater our wedding at an offsite venue (the Barn at Boyden Farm). They provided cocktail hour, dinner, dessert, and our bar service. They exceeded all of our expectations. The food was phenomenal and the service was impeccable. They worked with us to create the exact menu we wanted (including some unique items such as cider doughnuts for our guests pre-ceremony) and everything was executed perfectly. They were also able to include two signature drinks for us that had several hard-to-find ingredients.

We were very happy that they were able to provide so many services for us. It was much easier than having to work with several different vendors. They were very responsive and accommodating. We really can't say enough good things about the Essex. They were wonderful to work with and really went above and beyond!

This Inn is wonderful for a wedding! Everything was beautiful! I couldn't have ask for better service!

My daughter just had her wedding at this beautiful venue. Even though she used one of the smaller rooms(40 people), her wedding was handled with the utmost care and professionalism. Every detail was taken care of and nothing was overlooked by their amazing and dedicated staff.

The grounds of the Essex Resort and Spa are just gorgeous and there is plenty to do as well as plenty of relaxing. We also used their catering which was second to none. The food and hors d'oeuvre were just delicious and plentiful.

I would recommend this venue to anyone planning a very special day/weekend.

We just had our daughter's wedding at The Ponds. It was spectacular! The food was amazing and Shana was extremely helpful. The venue is beautiful and everyone had a great time. We at first thought it migh t be out of our budget, but found that they were very flexible and really wanted to help you make their venue work out for you. We did have a "surprise" two days before the wedding (some workmen dug up part of the lawn where the ceremony would be, unknown to the staff). When we told Shana what happened, even though it was her day off, she still organized for it to be all fixed for our rehearsal the next day. I am so glad that we looked into this venue. It was perfect!

We planned our daughter's wedding with her fiancee at the Ponds. Over 120 guests were traveling from New York and 15 other states. Sixty guests were from Vermont. As we had so many guests as out-of-towners, we had to plan an extensive weekend. With Shana's help we were able to provide a private dress rehearsal dinner for the bridal party, a welcome reception for the out-of-towners, a bonfire with S'mores after the welcome reception, a Sunday brunch for the morning after. Each event including the ceremony and reception was executed with the utmost of professionalism and service. The food was excellent and our guest stated that, "It was one of the best weddings they had ever attended.". Because the Ponds is not air-conditioned, the room did get warm for the guests but the success of the reception very much outweighed this part. Thank you Shana for making our daughter and son-in-law's wedding weekend the Best Ever.

The Essex Resort and Spa is an amazing place to get married. It's very "Vermont" and the staff is amazing. Shana was our coordinator and I don't think we could have done it without her - she made it so that I didn't have to worry about anything the day of the wedding! The atrium was beautiful, the spa was awesome (though a little expensive). The best thing was that the food was out of this world. Tons of people told me it was the best wedding food they had ever had. I am so happy that we chose the Essex.

We had the incredible pleasure of having The Essex cater our cocktail hour, reception, and make our delicious cake! They accommodated our guests' dietary needs. One of my vegan friends (who has been vegan for 18 years) said that his meal was one of the BEST vegan meals he has ever had. The Essex creates amazing food with fresh, local, and deep flavor. Their entire crew created such an amazing catering experience for us and our guests. I am very proud to have them exist in my home state. I would recommend them to anyone who wants a truly delicious, custom, and rememberable meal!

The Essex and all the planners and helpful people there did an excellent job in all aspects of our wedding. The planning, selecting the food, the linens, the ceremony setup, dealing with all the vendors and the reception went off without a hitch! Couldn't be happier!

The Essex Resort is the Premier place to have a wedding in Vermont. It is modern, classy, elegant, but still the Vermont feel. We were treated with respect, and our Planner, Shana, was great. Our wedding weekend was busy, they were hosting 6 other weddings on and off site. The only negative to that was our planner missed our rehearsal dinner and there was a lot of confusion that evening, that ultimately worked itself out. All in all, a great place and we will go back and spend many more nights there!

The Essex team led by Chef Shawn catered our wedding in Stowe, VT. The Essex exceeded any and all expectations we had. Chef Shawn and his team put out unbelievable food, from the appetizers at the cocktail hour through our plated dinner and dessert. The service was impeccable. The plating was gorgeous. The food was amazing. Our guests made it a point to come up to us to tell us that this was the best wedding food that they ever had.

My fiancée and I set out to plan this romantic and unique Vermont wedding in his Aunt and Uncle’s backyard overlooking beautiful Mount Mansfield in Stowe, VT. We live in New Jersey so for us this was quite an undertaking. Based on the recommendation of our wedding planner, we decided to go with the Essex for our catering needs. The Essex worked within our budget to give us everything that we wanted and more.

We went to the Essex at least 3 times for tastings. The first time we were there, we sampled appetizers and several main courses. It was at that time, we decided to choose the Essex. We went back several months later to do a cake/cupcake test. After that, we went back one final time to finalize the menu and of course taste everything we were to order.

Throughout the planning process, the Essex made sure to be off-site meeting us at the house to go over the layout of the event. Chef Shawn personally came to the house we had the wedding at more than once to make sure everything would be in place to have a successful wedding.

The team at the Essex is incredibly hard working. The topography of the backyard was challenging to say the least. Just getting the food on site to be prepared and served was a struggle. Nevertheless, the Essex knew how to tackle the issues and made sure we had enough servers to make the event flow smooth.

We cannot say enough about how good the food tasted. It was really amazing. We are not easy to please when it comes to good food. The Essex truly delivered over and above what we expected!

We used The Ponds which is owned by the Essex. The staff was amazing, the ceremony & reception gorgeous, the food phenomenal! I couldn't imagine my wedding being anymore perfect than it was.

My sweetie and I went to The Essex to celebrate our 10 year anniversary and it was beyond our expectations. The staff were friendly and professional, the grounds were impeccable, and the food was daring and delicious. You will not be disappointed!

Amazing venue and thanks to wedding coordinate Kara who helped us a long for one year straight. From the food to the venue it is the best place to get married. I wrote a letter to the General Manager to advise him that his staff is what makes the Essex special.

My husband and I spent our honeymoon at The Essex Resort & Spa. We had an amazing time. It is absolutely beautiful there. Every detail has been thought of. The staff are friendly and professional. The food was amazing. Our honeymoon suite was spacious and luxurious, yet had a comfortable, homey feel. I spent some time in the spa for massages and a facial. The staff are well educated, friendly, and professional. The spa is an amazing experience in itself. My husband attended two cooking classes and learned a great deal from the very talented chef. There are stores and shops just down the street from The Essex, and Burlington is less than 10 miles away. My husband and I had such a great time at The Essex that we plan to go back for our first anniversary!

We were married at The Ponds in May 2013. The place was beautiful and Kara was amazing to work with. She made sure all the details were covered and helped calm nerves along the way. The food was amazing, especially the cake. Couldn't have asked for a more perfect venue!

The Essex was amazing to work with and the food is fabulous! They are quick and ready to answer any and all questions you have and work with you to accommodate you and your guests. I highly recommend them to everyone!

They did a great job doing everything I asked and helping it be a stress free day for me. They made sure all my little details were done and the night was magical. They really took care of everything since the service was also held there.

We live in Indiana and chose the Essex, quite honestly, by the chocolate cake on their website. that was the initial reason anyway. once we dug deeper we felt very comfortable with the Essex. However, as with any destination, site unseen, wedding venue we were a bit anxious. Once we arrived at the front entrance of the Essex all of our cares were put at ease. It was perfect, everything was absolutely perfect! the staff was incredible, the food was fantastic and the scenery was gorgeous. Stacy, our wedding coordinator was superb. Very reassuring and accommodating. The girls at the spa were great too. The wait staff, the rooms, everything... We plan to return for our 1 year anniversary.

I could not be more happy with having out wedding at The Essex. Stacey was their everytime I had a question. The food was great and they did everything they could to make our wedding go smoothly. The down side was I didnt have all my paper lanterns hung I guess they ran out of string but their was more hung for a wedding the next day. You pay to much money to have them hung so just make sure they use them all. The cake you take home for your first anniversary didnt look like what my cake for the wedding looked like so we didnt save it and will have one made next year. Other then that they did a great job.

Thanks to the staff at the Inn at Essex we were worry free. They did a great job of capturing our every thought and putting to the decorations as well as the wedding cake. I would have not wanted a better location and place to have our wedding reception. They were very accomadating to our needs and how many rooms we needed for our guests. Thank you so much to the Inn at Essex!!!

An excellent location, with awesome staff and service! I would recommend the Inn at Essex to anyone looking for a personal, intimate wedding!

The Inn at Essex did a beautiful job for our wedding reception. Everything exceeded our expectations. Mimi did a great job guiding us through everything. Once they took all of our "stuff" from us a few days before the wedding, we did not have to worry about anything. Most of our guests stayed at the Inn with us and the rooms were fantastic and reasonably priced. The food was awesome and the cake was beautiful.

My wedding was absolutley beautiful! I cannot be more thankful for the work they put in! They were extremely helpful! Everything was perfect!

The staff at the Inn were always available to us, We had ordered our flowers from an online vender and the staff arranged all of our flowers for us. We felt like Kings and Queens on ou wedding day. We DID not have to worry about anything. Our Wedding cake was included in the package and the food was incredible.

When my fiancé and I saw The Ponds for the first time, we just knew it was the venue for us! We married at The Ponds in July of 2017, and although we were planning long-distance from CT, the distance was never a problem. Our wedding coordinator, Shana, was helpful, professional and always there when I had a question or concern. She worked with me on our budget and our vision for the day. I was able to coordinate times to do additional visits and a tasting, and Shana was always very accommodating. She went above and beyond to help calm my nerves the week before the wedding and even assisted with signage and set up. The venue was just beautiful and the day was everything we dreamed of. The staff was professional and courteous, and our guests could not stop raving about the gorgeous view, the beautiful venue and the delicious food. They kept asking how we ever found such a perfect spot! In addition, we had a day after brunch at The Essex. This was a nice laid back way to enjoy some additional time with our guests before the weekend ended, and again Shana and her staff were very accommodating in meeting the needs of our budget and our guests. I would highly recommend The Ponds and the staff of The Essex for your special day.

I can't tell you how many people came up to me during our wedding to tell us how great The Essex was as a venue. We had our reception in the Atrium which provided a lovely view for our guests during cocktail hour and the reception. On the day of the wedding, we did not have to worry about a thing. The Essex team did an amazing job with everything and made it a seamless day! The food was delicious and it was nice that our guests could also stay on site. The planning process was so easy with Shana. She was knowledgeable, responsive, and helped us along the way. I would highly recommend this place to anyone!

The Essex Resort & Spa exceeded our hopes and dreams for the wedding. The food was delicious and the staff was very responsive. They really paid attention to the little details, and made the day exactly what we wanted. The atrium was beautiful. It was amazing!

I cant even express how thankful I am to have done business with this venue. Shana, one of the wedding planners, was truly a gem. She really made our day the best we could have ever imagined and I will be forever grateful for having her. She went as far as doing something way out of her job description, just to satisfy our wedding party. Something we did not even think about asking her to do...but it truly separated her from the good and put her in a class of her own. She made sure things ran smoothly and again, made things perfect, taking all the stress of the day away from us. She couldnt be recommended anymore highly than I am recommending her and the venue. Oh yea, the Ponds is extremely beautiful up in Bolton, VT, but Shana was the true gem of the day.

Our daughter was married at The Ponds at Bolton Valley in June, 2014. Everyone at the Essex was so attentive to our needs. When we were concerned about a change in our wedding coordinator, Naz, the Resort Director, arranged for us to meet with the whole team on a Sunday afternoon! The staff is clearly dedicated and talented. They carefully considered our requests and found the best ways to make them work. We were pleasantly surprised on the day of the wedding when we saw that Shawn, the chef, personally attended to the seafood bar. The Ponds was the perfect venue for the wedding my daughter visualized. It is elegant, but natural. Set in a wooded area with a beautiful pond and the mountains in the background, you couldn't help but feel relaxed. The ceremony site accommodated our 120 guests nicely. We had quite a few children attend the wedding, and the surroundings were perfect for that. There was a grassy area all around the pond, an outdoor porch across the back of the venue, and plenty of open space inside the building. We even set up a corn hole game outside. One of the reasons we chose this venue was that it was associated with the Essex. We knew of their reputation and the quality of the food was very important to us. The food was outstanding! Every detail was carefully attended to. One of our guests said that the wedding was a "culinary event." Everyone told us that, as parents of the bride, we would be too busy and preoccupied to enjoy the food. Not true! Our meal was so good, we sat and enjoyed every bite of it. If you are looking for a wedding venue in Vermont, you will be very pleased if you go with The Essex and The Ponds at Bolton Valley.

We had our wedding ceremony and reception at the Essex resort in October 2013. Every aspect was easy to coordinate and the venue was responsive to our budget (and didn't go over it). They were also accommodating to our special requests (most of which were specific wines and beers we wanted served) and made the whole experience easy. Like other reviewers have mentioned, we had two coordinators during our planing process (which was over a time period of almost a year) but were warned in advance of the change and no details were lost in the transition. Both women we worked with (Tiffany and Lindsey) were very professional and took care of all of our details, so I have no complaints about working with multiple coordinators. The staff at the Essex was also fantastic - from the desk staff to the bartenders at the Tavern - always making sure the wedding party was having a good time. We also used the spa services for hair and make up and we were very pleased with the outcome. The guest rooms were nice and a good price for that area during peak leaf peeping season - as out-of-towners, 90% of our guests stayed at the resort and had only good things to say. The only hiccup we had was rain which moved our ceremony indoors and the backup room we were hoping to use wasn't available so our ceremony was in the same room as the reception, but the whole thing ran so smoothly it didn't put the slightest dent in our day. I would highly recommend this venue.

My wife and I could not be happier with getting married at the Ponds at Bolton Valley, which is owned and run by the Essex. They are highly organized, providing excellent service and made every effort to ensure that our day ran smoothly and worry-free. The food was spectacular and all of our guests couldn't stop commenting on how wonderful everything was. Our wedding manager, Stacey, was beyond phenomenal.

My husband and I LOVED our wedding at the Ponds at Bolton Valley! The venue is absolutely beautiful, and the staff and food were incredible. We received many compliments on the venue and the food provided here (and we also loved it ourselves)! Everything was delicious and taken care of for us -- we had few responsibilities for setting up and arranging - which was much appreciated! We requested Stacey to handle our wedding, because we had heard she was wonderful. We are pleased to say that she is! She was on top of EVERYTHING we needed her to be! She was very flexible, and made countless adjustments for us (even when we had annoying last minute requests). She responded to emails and phone calls and text messages rapidly, so we always had a good handle on what was going on, as well as quick answers to our many questions. When it came to the rehearsal and the big day, she was beyond crucial to its success - she made sure that everything ran smoothly. I don't think we could have done it without her! Most of the staff at the Essex, (the hotel where we stayed that owns the Ponds) were so extremely kind and went out of their way to make sure we were comfortable and had what we needed. We cannot imagine our wedding being any more perfect - and that is highly dependent on how wonderful the venue and its staff were with us! There were certain aspects that were a big pricier than we had hoped for (which is the only tiny ding in our review) - but we also recognize that wedding prices are a bit on the nuts side! The Ponds was at least far from the most expensive, which is surprising based on the quality of service we obtained. All in all, it was a magnificent place to get married!

We had our wedding on 5/18/2024, and it was everything we had ever wanted! The venue was beautiful, and the setup was perfect. The food was incredible, everyone had commented how great it was. The bridal suite was amazing and was the perfect place to get ready. Monique was very helpful throughout this process, and I can’t thank her and the venue enough for making our big day so wonderful! The Theriaults❤️

The Essex Resort & Spa was amazing! The food and atmosphere was unmatched. We had the best time of our lives on our wedding day and a huge part of that was the Essex.

Our wedding took place on 10/9/2020, at the Ponds at Bolton Valley (an Essex property). It was beautiful and everything we could have hope for during this global pandemic. There's a wide range of packages to choose from which include appetizers, food, beverage and the cake. The Essex team works with a lot of really great local vendors (DJ, Florist) and alleviated a lot of our stress by helping facilitate the day-of setup and breakdown. My husband and I highly recommend this venue to anyone looking to host not just a wedding but a larger event.

Our wedding was scheduled for May of 2020 and due to the pandemic, we postponed until August. Julia, our planner was a joy to work with and incredibly flexible. Our wedding day was a dream and everything was perfect and beautiful. The entire staff at The Essex made sure our day went smoothly and they all provided such warm, genuine service.

We got married at The Ponds at Bolton Valley almost 2 weeks ago (September 2, 2019). When we got engaged and were looking for venues, we chose to check out this one and some others, but the thing that stuck out to us with the Ponds was that everything was included there, from a wedding coordinator and team, to the food prepared on site, etc. It seemed more stress free and that is what we needed. I knew as soon as we pulled into the driveway that this would be the place I fell in love with. Our wedding coordinator, Arienne, was lovely. Emily, the other manager, was also great too, and both answered countless questions (the same ones over and over at times!) and always got back to us in a timely manner. We had several meetings with them and I felt confident to be in such good hands. We had a menu tasting before the wedding and the chefs were open to a couple of our suggestions and listened to our requests perfectly. Everyone repeatedly told us how beautiful everything was and how awesome the food was, which we agree with 100%! When we asked to have a brownie sundae bar instead of a cake for everyone, they worked with us to provide the brownies and nice cream if we provided the toppings, so this was very accommodating and worked for everyone. They ended up throwing in a cutting cake for us, free of charge and that was gorgeous as well. The day of the wedding I could just relax in the bridal suite and get ready, while also being on site to see my vision come to life, which was awesome. Arienne served us mimosas and truly made my wedding vision come to life before my very eyes and it was exactly as I had imagined it and wished for it. It was an amazing day, and everything went so smoothly with Arienne there to run everything and guide us throughout the day and night. She was calm and collected and so positive, which helped my stress and nerves as well. If you're looking for a rustic but elegant venue, The Ponds at Bolton Valley is the perfect spot. You won't regret it! Words can't express how happy we were with our special day!

We had our daughter's wedding at The Ponds recently. It couldn't have been a more beautiful day. The surroundings are gorgeous. That said, we knew that if it rained, the building itself is lovely... lots of windows, airy and full of light. It has an elegant, rustic look, but we appreciated the fact that it is modern with air conditioning, lots of bathrooms and a separate suite with couches, private bathroom, etc. where the bridal party can get ready. It was really nice for nursing moms during the reception! Lots of Vermont charm and beauty with all modern conveniences.

My daughter was married in September at The Ponds — Shana was our assigned wedding coordinator and she was outstanding. She made the planning process so painless and the day went flawlessly. 5 star experience!

July 24, 2016: My daughter had her wedding at The Ponds (part of Essex Resort) and it was absolutely beautiful. Shana, our wedding planner, helped us with all the details to help make the day a success. Even though our guests had to take a shuttle bus up to The Ponds, no one seemed to mind and everyone was pleasantly surprised to see how pretty the wedding venue was. Our buffet dinner was delicious, the service was excellent, and the lake view was spectacular.

We chose The Essex Resort and Spa for both our ceremony and our reception. The Atrium room was great, and the lawn would have been perfect for the ceremony if it didn't rain. The food quality was excellent and the timing of the service was right on - guests were not waiting for food or did not receive cold dishes as I've experienced at other weddings. Our wedding coordinator Kara was wonderful. She was our 3rd due to the two previous ones quitting. While it was frustrating with the lack of communication, I am happy that we left off with Kara because she did an amazing job. We also had our rehearsal "dinner"on site and did it as a bonfire with s'mores and it was great. The food package choices were great and there were many to fit all budgets; in the end we chose a personalize menu that was still very reasonable and we did not feel like anything was missing. The only disappointments I had were that the desserts were not replenished fast enough and we did not receive the extra desserts that I had requested be saved. We were given some in our room afterwards but did not receive forks which was a little awkward. We (myself and my guests) had several problems with the hotel/accommodations that the GM addressed personally.

We got married at the Ponds and the space was absolutely beautiful! Working with Shana was wonderful, especially on the day of.
Shana was so attentive to every detail and went above and beyond from the set-up and decor, to driving our older guests to the front door from the parking lot, to fixing my broken bustle, and helping with so many other details during our before, during, and after our reception. I don't know what we would have done without her! She is truly a problem solver and helps you feel so confident that everything will work out perfectly!

The entire staff was very friendly and attentive - they made us feel so taken care of. It was really hot the day we were married and the staff made sure they brought us aplenty of water during our photos when we were out by the pond.

The food was the best! Almost every single guest commented on how delicious the food was (especially the mushroom ravioli) and people are still talking it over a month later!

Thank you for everything!!

Definitely a great place to get married. You'll get an almost all inclusive package. Most photographers and DJs in the area have already worked there in the past and are familiar with the place and the staff. Emily was our wedding coordinator and she was fantastic. Professional. Flexible. Friendly. Now obviously if you are looking a this place it means you already know it's gorgeous, spacious, quiet and romantic and the location is a big plus. We picked this place in a blink of an eye being stroke by the level of professionalism of Shana and Emily and we weren't disappointed. Sure Emily wasn't always responding within the same day we wrote to her but considering how many weddings they handle over a single week, that's understandable. They were fantastic at setting up the decor following our instructions too. I think the only thing we were disappointed at (you know, the day after, when you reenact everything to see what could have been done differently) was the bridal suit that's kinda old and nasty looking. Do NOT use the hair/make-up salon, the poor girl has no clue what she's doing and you'll look either like a prostitute or a 15 yo who stole her mom makeup bag.

Shana and the team at the Essex were so great to work with and did everything to make our day flawless! Very responsive, detail oriented, and helpful throughout the process. We felt very pampered and lucky to be celebrating with them on our big day!

They are wonderful! The wedding coordinator is beyond helpful, and the space is beautiful.

We originally set out to find a Vermont-based wedding venue that was completely rustic (picture an abandoned barn). While those options certainly exist, once we visited the Essex we realized we could get the Vermont feel without all the extra work and vender coordination it would take to turn a barn into a dream wedding. Both my husband and I were planning the wedding from afar and the Essex could not have been more responsive or created a smoother process for us. We were given a generous Sunday discount (which you should ask for from ALL of your vendors, even if it's not advertised!). Choose the Essex if you want the assurance of a smoothly run big day without the extra hassle of finding your own bakery and catering company and table/chair/flatware rental. They also provided an indoor/outdoor ceremony option which was a HUGE plus for us, since we were getting married in October and wanted to be outdoor while still planning for any weather possibility. A special shout-out goes to Tiffany Bailey who somehow answered our seemingly endless questions with detail, humor, patience, and super-human speed. The minor half-stars I removed are because there was a very slight snafu with our cake (which had to be remade and sort of melted a bit) and because it's not the cheapest place you could ever pick to get married (though as for the VALUE, I actually think it's great!) But overall, I would highly recommend the Essex!