The Allan House

We chose The Allan House for our April 30, 2022 wedding because the venue matched my husband's classic taste and style, had a great flow throughout the house and courtyard, and just felt like a naturally beautiful, neutral backdrop for our otherwise colorful event. I truly feel this venue can be taken a hundred different aesthetic directions to match the style of the couple. We were also *so* charmed by courtyard's old trees and greenery -- it felt like a sweet, natural refuge in the heart of the city. A fun floral color palette pops beautifully against the greenery! And after dark, the twinkly lights in the trees set a beautiful ambience and were so magical for dancing the night away. I will also add, as a lover of color, that adding streamers overhead amidst the tree branches was such a BIG, FUN touch.

Though the venue is gorgeous on its own, Juliana is the real star of the show. A joy to work with throughout our years of planning, Juliana was always quick to respond to questions, accommodating to new ideas, and just a great communicator with both us and our planner. Her expertise is also apparent in all the wonderful connections she has throughout the wedding industry - other vendors spoke highly of her and the venue throughout planning. Juliana's support and calm, collected manner were most helpful when having to make the decision to nix a rain tent at the very last minute. She didn't have to be involved in that decision, but we super appreciated that one more person was helping us make the tough call - and that she was invested in helping us have the best day possible for our wedding!

Overall, every piece of our special day fell into place perfectly at The Allan House, as if it was all meant to come together in that space. Vendors are comfortable working within the venue's space. And due to its history in the events scene, I feel the best planners know how to really spice this gem up to make it special for the couple. Guests loved the space as well - the balconies were wonderful for cocktail hour as the courtyard was transitioned from ceremony to reception. (Note: inside the house can get very loud when guests are mingling, which made me appreciate the balconies even more.)

A few tips/notes from our experience: 1) The upper balcony was perfect for capturing portraits at golden hour, and it was refreshing to step away from the party for a few quiet moments with just our photographer and videographer. 2) The bride and groom suites worked perfect for our group -- we did not have a bridal party or groomsmen, just our immediate family members present to help us get ready. All hair/makeup was done off-site. 3) I was slightly nervous about the aesthetics and quality of the courtyard sound booth but everyone assured me it would be great. They were right -- the DJ and other musicians that played throughout the evening sounded awesome, and the booth itself just fades into the background. It felt positioned perfectly to pull guests from all corners of the courtyard onto the dance floor when a crowd-pleaser played. 4) I was unsure how dancing on the cobblestones would be, and some ladies definitely had sore feet in their (block) heels, but there were zero issues and guests enjoyed all types of dance.

We love, love, loved our wedding day and The Allan House was the perfect venue for our colorful, party-forward, cocktail style, laidback event. I would recommend it to any other couple who appreciates the natural beauty of the venue, and that enjoys convenient proximity to the city. (Guests enjoyed spilling out of our event to a nearby, walkable bar to continue their night! ;))