We chose Amarante's for our July wedding after looking at several waterfront venues in Connecticut. The location is stunning, right on the water, with a charming New England feel and a beautiful wooden deck. We had our wedding ceremony on the lawn by their beautiful gazebo surrounded by lush hydrangeas. Cocktail hour was on the deck with lovely passed hoes d' oeuvres and an open bar. We had a tapas style dinner served at stations in their Grand Ballroom. Guests raved about the food and mingled between the cool ballroom and dance floor and the outdoor deck as the sun set. It was a beautiful event and the staff--Peter, Grace and Jose Junior--certainly know weddings inside and out! Everything ran so smoothly and it allowed us to truly enjoy our guests while Amarante's tackled the logistics!

Craig and I got married April 30, 2011. We chose April to keep our costs down a little bit. We chose amarante's because their prices were good, their view was spectacular, and the provided everything we needed. They included the cake, the center pieces, open bar. They took all of wedding day materials such as flutes, cake servers, flowers, etc and made sure it was all out. We had our ceremony at amarante's inside because another Bride was using the gazebo. We were allowed to use the gazebo for pictures, however. It was still beautiful. Doreen (I hope I got her name right) was outstanding. She was our maitre'd and she communicated with the DJ, photographers, and other vendors to make sure everything went smoothly. If I needed anything she was right there to get it for me. Even if it was a cocktail! The Grand Ballroom was beautiful. We did not change any of the decorations or really add to them. You could if you want to. We had a brilliant sunset and the pictures were unbelievable. The electricity in the area went out. They worked with the DJ for conflict resolution and I didn't even know anything was wrong. The food was incredible. For the price, I was really expecting your standard crappy wedding food. The lobster was so tender and cooked perfectly. We had the clambake wedding. I unfortunately was too busy to eat any of the appetizers during the social hour, but I didn't hear any complaints! I'm a no frills type of person so I didn't add any of the extra's to the wedding menu. But they did have options to add a raw bar, venetian tables, etc for additional dollars per head. You can make it as fancy or as informal as you'd like. If you chose amarante's I'm sure you and your guests will love it.

The day your daughter is born you begin to dream of her wedding day, all I can say at this point is that my daughters wedding not only met but exceeded my dreams. I cannot not say enough wonderful words about the Amarante’s venue and staff. From the first day we met with Peter through the tastings, final planning meeting with Grace to the rehearsal. I left every meeting feeling more confident in our choice of venue. Then came the wedding day….again you everyone exceeded my expectations. Your staff kept the flow of the event moving appropriately but with a respectful approach. The food was incredible and everything was served in a timely manner allowing us to enjoy the night.

Darlene the maître d of the evening was wonderful…I cannot say enough good things about her.

Thank you again for helping us create the wedding of our dreams.