We used the Cabin by the Spring on The Hermitage grounds for our reception (our wedding was at The Hindu Temple) and we were looking for rustic, Southern charm, and that’s what we got. And for a great price. The tables and chairs are included with this place and our guest count was pushing their limit, but it’s a great location for 120 guests or less. They have a day-of representative there who is there to make sure everything that you requested is there and good to go and our guests were amazed at the charm and uniqueness of the locale. Because it is a historic location, they are not very flexible about what they allow/what you can do on the premises, but it’s not constricting. They want you to respect the space, and you have more than enough options within what you’re allowed to do.

From the first e-mail until the final goodbye this experience has been amazing! Samantha and her staff were always so helpful and gracious. We opted to include a tour of the mansion for our guest between the ceremony and the reception. My daughter was married in the church on the property and the reception was at The Cabin By the Springs.

My wedding was nothing short of amazing. All of my guests loved the venue. Sam and her staff were so great to work with and made sure everything went smoothly. Sam was always quick to answer emails and any questions I had about the property. Sue, the event manager, went above and beyond her duties to ensure that everything was taken care of on the day of. The whole Hermitage staff is wonderful and I highly recommend having a wedding here if you are looking for a gorgeous historic venue with superb customer service.

The staff was very helpful in planning and also on the day of the wedding. They were very professional and it seemed we were the most important people on our special day. The wedding was perfect. I could not have asked for anyone for anything more.

Samantha and the Hermitage staff were great and catered to my every need! Everything went perfectly for our wedding thanks to the amazing Hermitage staff. They will even work with you if you have a special request. Samantha was also quick to respond to any question that I emailed to her. I really enjoyed my experience with the Hermitage.

Beautiful and historic location for an outdoor wedding. Staff was responsive and coordinated well on our wedding day. Only issue was that the area was still publicly accessible and some people walked around reception. Other than that I would recommend this location to anyone looking for a pretty venue.

The Hermitage was a gorgeous venue for our April wedding. The staff was extremely courteous and helpful. Our attendant for the ceremony and reception went above and beyond what was expected to make sure that the day went as smooth as possible. We would highly recommend this site to anyone who is looking for a beautiful ceremony or reception location that is steeped in history!

Wonderful location to have reception! We were in constant contact with Sam, who coordinates the events at the Hermitage. She was very helpful in making sure we had everything we needed to have a very smooth day. The hostess at the Hermitage was very nice and helpful. We had a horse drawn carriage take guests back to the reception site. They really enjoyed that. Great place for a reception with a rustic feel!

The Hermitage is a beautiful place to have your wedding. The staff is very helpful, however since it is a historic site there are several rules that you have to follow. Overall, it is a great place to get married, and since there is so much charm at each of the sites you can hold your ceremony and reception, there is not a need for a lot of decorations, which saves money! I got so many complements on the venue and the pictures turn out beautiful!

When Rachel and Kenneth decided they wanted an outside venue for their wedding I went into panic mode... Being an event planner for 20 years I knew the risk and logistical issues that could potentially arise. After site visits to numerous places we settled into Tulip Grove Mansion. Samantha Spector, The Hermitage Event Coordinator; Sue Pate The Hermitage Hostess and The Hermitage Grounds Crew were amazing!! Samantha was easy to communicate with through numerous emails, phone calls and site visits making Rachel & Kenneth's Wedding Day fabulous. The grounds crew busied themselves by painting, mowing and uncovering a beautiful garden area behind Tulip Grove Mansion where Rachel & Kenneth held their ceremony. Ms. Pate was on site for the rehearsal and ceremony/reception and helped us with set up. Ms. Pate was so knowable about the grounds and was able to give a brief history to each curious guest. At the end of the day I felt like I was able to host my daughter’s wedding at my own home. The old house rejoiced with us in the happiness and beauty of that day. Thanks again, to The Staff of The Hermitage. You guys were wonderful!

The people at The Hermitage cannot keep their employees long enough to actually be helpful. We signed a contract (3 months before our wedding) with one woman and then about a month later ended up working with a seperate person for the actual event. They promised many things and didn't deliver on any of them. They basically tell you whatever you want to hear to get your money. My husband was so upset the day of the wedding he wanted to leave and go somewhere else to get married. For the price ($3000 for a garden wedding & lobby reception) all you get is a pretty place no help, no customer service, and no peace of mind. The whole process was VERY STRESSFUL which is not what you want on your wedding day. The Hermitage Garden was beautiful but other than that we were not happy with anything. I would not reccommend them to anyone.

If there was a setting option, it would have increased the star score. My main complaint would be the alcohol and the "customer service". I was allowed 2 entries to The Hermitage for photo sessions and each time I came the woman at the ticket office sighed and rolled her eyes at me. I think if I am paying ridiculous amounts of money to have my wedding there, they could at least fake a smile. In addition, alcohol is only allowed to be provided by The Hermitage. We asked for a quote at the beginning of our planning and the number of people that we thought would be there did not change. We were given one number at that time and then 2 weeks before the wedding, the bar tender told us it was going to be $1500 MORE than the original quote. Ridiculous! And getting in touch with the bartender was an obstacle in itself. She would return emails weeks after the initial email and rarely answered her phone. Overall, I would say strongly consider other options before choosing The Hermitage.

We had a beautiful reheardsal dinner by the Cabin-by-the-Spring at the Hermitage. Linda was great to work with--very responsive and professional. The price to rent the cabin was very good, though the catering prices seemed high (although quite typical for catering). The location was beautiful and the food was quite good!

It was great to work with Linda. She helped me plan everything. They do have strict rules about things, but as long as you understand them and work with them you will do well. They do have their own caterer and if you choose not to use them it will cost you $5/head. Their caterer had to provide the alcohol, but other than that I found them quite flexible. Linda was always accessible. She helped me by allowing several site visits and setting up joint meetings with the rental company for the tent. When it rained the whole week of my wedding, Linda was there to give me ideas and help me make it all work out despite the rain! It was beautiful and I could not have found a better place to have my ceremony and reception.

The location was beautiful, but they made it very difficult to have an event there. They were very inflexible and I spent most of my energy trying to find ways to have the wedding I wanted while still working around their restrictions. Even though it is an important historical site, and certain safty percautions have to be respected, I feel they financially take advantage of the people who plan weddings there.
For example, I was required to use their cafe on site for my catering (unless I wanted to pay an additional $5 a head) and I felt the menu they offered was similar to that of Cracker Barrel, which is fine if you are paying Cracker Barrel prices. Garden Gate's prices, however, were that of an upscale restaurant.

In addition to that, I had no choice but to use Garden Gate for my bar. Once again, the price was not reflective of the quality. Not only was I forced to pay upscale restaurant prices for cheap wine, but she came unprepared for my number of guests and she had a TIP JAR at the bar! This infuriated me! In addition to the gratuity being added the bill, they were asking my guests to tip as well!

Finally, the representative from the Hermitage who was required to be there to assist and oversee the event failed to show my guests where the restroom was when there was confusion! Instead of assisting my guests and pointing them in the right direction, she allowed them to walk back and forth to the visitor's center in the cold rain.
If this wasn't embarrassing enough, she ate the food that the caterer (who I brought in personally and paid for) set aside for my husband and I!!
Although, I will always have fond memories of my wedding day, the Hermitage employees and the Garden Gate Cafe will never be part of them. I have nothing good to say.