Relish Events at Independence Grove Reviews
Reviews
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4.9 out of 5 rating
4.9
Excellent
18 reviews
Recommended by 98% of couples
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Quality of service 4.9 out of 5 rating4.9
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Average response time 4.9 out of 5 rating4.9
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Professionalism 4.9 out of 5 rating4.9
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Value 4.9 out of 5 rating4.9
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Flexibility 4.9 out of 5 rating4.9
Awards
18
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User photos
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Ian Sent on 01/11/20265 out of 5 rating5.0-
Quality of service 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Average response time 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Professionalism 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Value 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Flexibility 5 out of 5 rating5.0
Perfect Experience for our Wedding
The Relish team at Independence Grove was wonderful from beginning to end. From our incredible food tasting experience, to the communication leading up to our wedding, to the day itself, we were stunned by how beautiful everything was, including the people who made it all possible. Colleen, our day-of coordinator, was a gem and made the whole experience easygoing and truly magical. We were able to share what we wanted our DIY decorations to look like and the team made that dream a reality. All of our guests commented for weeks later how much they loved the food, especially the butternut gnocci! The area around the main venue space was also gorgeous, even in late November, so we got incredible photos inside and out. I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants a dreamlike wedding!-
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+5 photos
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Jenny Sent on 12/03/20255 out of 5 rating5.0
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Quality of service 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Average response time 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Professionalism 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Value 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Flexibility 5 out of 5 rating5.0
Would Highly Recommend Relish Events
Working with Relish and specifically Madison was nothing short of amazing! The entire staff is so professional and passionate about what they do. My husband and I cannot be more happy with the value and overall experience we had working with Relish events. Madison was so kind and helpful throughout the entire process. She is so knowledgeable and truly takes the time to get to know the couple and help customize the perfect day. The food is delicious and so unique. We were so happy we were able to work with the chef to help curate a menu vs. having the set standard wedding food. Our wedding day was nothing short of amazing and we have Relish to thank for that. -
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Tiff Sent on 11/11/20255 out of 5 rating5.0-
Quality of service 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Average response time 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Professionalism 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Value 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Flexibility 5 out of 5 rating5.0
Beautiful Venue
We had a wonderful wedding reception at a beautiful venue in October 2025. Working with Colleen was a pleasure - she was knowledgeable and helpful at every step, including on-site support the day of the event to ensure everything ran smoothly. And it did! The food was delicious, the tables were elegant, and the ambiance with lit fireplaces and hundreds of candles made it unforgettable. Highly recommended! -
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Brandon Sent on 10/21/20255 out of 5 rating5.0
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Quality of service 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Average response time 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Professionalism 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Value 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Flexibility 5 out of 5 rating5.0
Fantastic!
Couldn't have asked for a better wedding venue. Incredibly attentive and thoughtful staff. Extremely caring throughout the entire process! -
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Cyndi Sent on 10/02/20255 out of 5 rating5.0-
Quality of service 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Average response time 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Professionalism 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Value 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Flexibility 5 out of 5 rating5.0
Flawless Wedding Experience: Beautiful Venue & Incredible Team
Our wedding at Independence Grove was absolutely magical, and we couldn’t have done it without Colleen and the Relish Events team. Colleen was an incredible wedding coordinator: patient, attentive, and always one step ahead. She ensured we felt supported from start to finish, and we never had to worry about a thing.
The staff was professional, kind, and so detail-oriented. The reception hall looked stunning, and the outdoor cocktail hour space was just as beautiful. We appreciated how the team handled everything seamlessly, even politely guiding non-wedding guests away from our reserved areas. Little touches, such as the golf cart driver being both funny and thoughtful (and the cart’s adorable decorations), added a great deal of charm to the day.
The food was outstanding, and our guests are still talking about it! Every detail, from the flow of the ceremony to the breathtaking photos taken in the native garden, was thoughtfully executed.
If you’re considering hosting your ceremony and reception at Independence Grove with Relish Events, don’t hesitate. You and your guests will be in excellent hands and will walk away with unforgettable memories. -
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K O Sent on 09/09/20255 out of 5 rating5.0
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Quality of service 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Average response time 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Professionalism 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Value 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Flexibility 5 out of 5 rating5.0
Dream wedding venue
Colleen is so kind, enthusiastic, and so helpful. She makes you feel seen, heard, and special through all the planning and the big day. We felt so reassured by her, she really goes above and beyond. Relish/IG is such a beautiful venue on its own, but they outdid themselves helping us set up our decor and keeping the evening on time and flowing naturally. They were also flexible and helped keep things flowing when it rained. The chef is amazing, we heard from so many of our guests during the night and afterwards that the food was the best they’ve ever had at a wedding (we totally agree). The bartenders and servers were also awesome. They all really helped make our wedding day incredible. We wish we could do it again! We definitely recommend them for a wedding or any event. -
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Katherine Sent on 09/07/20255 out of 5 rating5.0-
Quality of service 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Average response time 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Professionalism 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Value 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Flexibility 5 out of 5 rating5.0
Best choice I could have made
The best thing we did for our wedding experience was to hire Colleen as our Wedding Day coordinator. She was absolutely fantastic - I truly don't have enough good words. She worked with us to update the plan as we made adjustments and reacted to changes in headcount. She stayed organized with all of our feedback around food choices and layout and timeline. She organized setup and takedown on the day of our wedding. We had a phenomenal experience because of her. Additionally, the food and general staff from Relish were absolutely fantastic. So many of our guests have come up to us to tell us, unprompted, how amazing the food and service was. I am so grateful we had our wedding with this group at Independence Grove - it was a magical experience that was made so much less stressful to plan for because of them. I very, very strongly recommend them!!! They are beyond worth it and their price is very reasonable.-
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+12 photos
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Michelle Sent on 08/14/20255 out of 5 rating5.0-
Quality of service 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Average response time 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Professionalism 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Value 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Flexibility 5 out of 5 rating5.0
The BEST Experience
Where do I even begin?! At the beginning of our wedding journey, finding a venue seemed so stressful. However, when we went to tour Independence Grove & met Colleen that stress immediately felt lifted. She made us feel like family right away and we felt at ease and left knowing this was the venue for us. Colleen made the wedding planning process FUN, smooth, and stress free. I can look back and say I full heartedly ENJOYED every moment of wedding planning and it was all because of Colleen's expertise, excellent communication, organization, & positivity. We had our dream wedding with the guidance of Colleen and our guests are STILL talking about how beautiful and perfect our wedding was - we are forever grateful. Not only are our guests still talking about the overall beauty and enjoyment of the wedding, but also the FOOD! Chef Juan is SO talented - not only is the food INCREDIBLE, but his artistic eye for the presentation is something that blew our guests away. One of our guests texted me the very next day saying "that was the best wedding food I have ever had and I have been to a lot of weddings". My uncle, who is VERY picky, told my mom "you know the chef and team are really good when I am wanting more vegetables". When I say you are in the BEST hands with this team with one of the most important and memorable days of your lives, I truly mean it. I feel like we became family in this process and there is not one thing I would have changed from our day. It was PERFECT. The views of the venue are incredible as well. You have EVERYTHING you need all in one spot with a team you can trust and most importantly a team that truly CARES about you & your guests. We are still on Cloud 9 from our experience with Relish Events & plan to return for any other life events that come our way :). -
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Teresa Sent on 06/13/20255 out of 5 rating5.0-
Quality of service 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Average response time 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Professionalism 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Value 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Flexibility 5 out of 5 rating5.0
Exceptional Wedding Venue and Services
Finding a venue that fits your vision can be a very daunting task. Finding a venue with exceptional staff and food is beyond a bride’s dream! Relish Events at Independence Grove in Libertyville was everything we could have wanted. Water views – Check, exceptional grounds – Check, AMAZING event coordinator – Check Check, remarkable food (still being talked about) – Check, outstanding staff during the event – Check. Literally working with Collen was more than just a pleasure. She made the entire process seamless and easy. Even when I said Hey there is this tick tock video of cheese pulling… any chance we can get that? Why of course, she said, happily! Easy-going, joyful, organized, helpful and most importantly calming. The food – ohh the food…Chef Juan and his team created such delectable food from the cocktail hour through dinner, desserts into late night bites that people are still talking about how amazing all the food was! Not that we had a single doubt. Every point of the experience from booking to our tasting, to changing details last minute – seamless and easy! I cannot recommend this venu and staff enough. If I could give 10 stars instead of 5 I would in a heartbeat.-
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+3 photos
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Nicole Sent on 06/12/20255 out of 5 rating5.0
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Quality of service 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Average response time 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Professionalism 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Value 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Flexibility 5 out of 5 rating5.0
Magical Day!
Independence Grove as a venue all around is top notch! All areas were just so well thought out, even the bridal suite!It was perfectly set up and so spacious even for a large bridal party & family!
All our guests were raving how the cocktail hour was the best they had ever been to. Perfect location out on the veranda of the Audubon Hall.
Now the reception- large space to fit comfortably at least 250 guest, wonderful service from dinner to drinks! The execution of the entire night was just perfect. Madison & Riley, you 2 are amazing & we are so grateful. You truly made the day/night magical and met all my expectations and more.
Xoxo
A&N -
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Sara Sent on 05/10/20255 out of 5 rating5.0
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Quality of service 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Average response time 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Professionalism 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Value 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Flexibility 5 out of 5 rating5.0
Wonderful!
Colleen and her staff were wonderful. Responsive, professional, nice. They even took care of things I didn’t expect them to like setting up and packing up a memory table and table cards. I wanted a good meal. Got a great meal. Probably the best dinner I’ve ever had at a wedding reception. And you can’t beat the location and setting. -
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Heidi Sent on 04/21/20255 out of 5 rating5.0
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Quality of service 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Average response time 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Professionalism 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Value 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Flexibility 5 out of 5 rating5.0
Amazing People and Amazing Food
I had my wedding here and Relish Events was amazing to work with. Our event coordinator, Madison was so great to work with. She made sure everything ran super smoothly and made sure that there was nothing I had to worry about for that day. She was communicative and efficient. The food was amazing and they even provided some custom options if you wanted something more personal. We also had an open bar and I loved the drink options they provided - they even had signature his and her drinks made up for us. I would definitely consider Relish Events at Independence Grove for any future events and would also recommend them to anyone looking for an event space. -
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Jill Sent on 11/04/20245 out of 5 rating5.0
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Quality of service 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Average response time 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Professionalism 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Value 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Flexibility 5 out of 5 rating5.0
10/4/24 Ceremony and Reception
We just got married on 10/4/24 and had the BEST experience with the Relish team at Independence Grove. Everything was top-knotch from their customer service and responsiveness to the quality and value of the venue and food. Colleen LoBue is an actual gem and made the entire process easy, fun, and so effortless. We could not have had the amazing wedding experience we had without her. This is a gorgeous venue with amazing staff and food - 10 out of 10 recommend! -
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Haleigh Sent on 10/07/20245 out of 5 rating5.0-
Quality of service 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Average response time 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Professionalism 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Value 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Flexibility 5 out of 5 rating5.0
Wedding for September
Enjoyed working with independence grove. The venue is gorgeous for a wedding. Colleen is the sweetest to work with. Chef Juan is an amazing chef! Wood recommend them for any event! -
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Amanda Sent on 10/03/20245 out of 5 rating5.0-
Quality of service 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Average response time 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Professionalism 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Value 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Flexibility 5 out of 5 rating5.0
Colleen is the Reason to Book this Venue!
As a wedding planner, it's rare that I get to sit down and rest, but with Independence Grove, couples can relax knowing Colleen and her team have everything covered. From assistance with floor plans to table décor and setup, there isn’t a single reason I wouldn’t book this venue. Relish Catering is essentially a full-service venue, offering the convenience of day-before décor drop-off and seamless communication throughout the process. Colleen and her staff gave my couple the perfect day, allowing them to enjoy every moment without a worry. I highly recommend them! -
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Judy Sent on 10/01/20245 out of 5 rating5.0
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Quality of service 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Average response time 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Professionalism 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Value 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Flexibility 5 out of 5 rating5.0
Everything we wished for!
Relish Catering at Independence Grove really exceeded our expectations for our daughter’s wedding reception. We were lucky that they had availability on short notice when the wedding date was moved up due to a military assignment. Colleen, our coordinator, was so wonderful to work with, responsive, positive and reassuring through the whole rushed process. The food was absolutely amazing. Chef Juan blew us away at the tasting with his flavors, presentation and creativity. We never dreamed that Relish could deliver the same amazing attention to detail to nearly 100 guests. He was willing to accommodate multiple guests with dietary restrictions and still make it delicious! Guests keep telling us it was the best wedding food and the most generous portions they’ve ever had. The staff was efficient and helpful. Even the golf cart driver was pleasant and helpful in capturing great photo ops for the couple.
As a venue, the setting and the grounds were gorgeous. Even with the change of seasons and not quite yet fall colors, it was beautiful. The room was beautifully transformed and Relish staff really cared about every detail as much as we did. All this and the cost was very fair and reasonable. -
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Amira Sent on 09/11/20245 out of 5 rating5.0-
Quality of service 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Average response time 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Professionalism 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Value 5 out of 5 rating5.0
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Flexibility 5 out of 5 rating5.0
The Best Vendor a Bride Could Ask For!
Relish Catering was an absolute dream to work with! We had the pleasure of working closely with Colleen, and she made the entire experience feel seamless. From the moment we connected, I felt truly valued and treated like royalty. After visiting six different venues where we were often met with indifference, Relish Catering stood out by offering exceptional customer service and enthusiasm. Here’s a breakdown of the different aspects of our wedding experience:
Food:
The food was nothing short of amazing! When we inquired about menu options, Relish Catering’s response was simple: "Anything!" Chef Juan went above and beyond, using high-quality ingredients that truly elevated the flavors. He showcased our ethnic cuisine beautifully, and multiple guests mentioned it was the best wedding food they’d ever had—which is no small compliment! The quality and taste were impeccable, and I would choose them again in a heartbeat, just for the food.
Service:
The service and staff were equally incredible. They were so professional and attentive that we hardly noticed them—yet when we needed something, they were polite and quick to assist. Having two beverage stations at the wedding was a hit with our guests, who thought it was such a nice touch. The security guard at the front was warm and welcoming, making us feel safe and secure. Ivan, our personal server, was especially kind and considerate. The level of professionalism across the board was among the best I’ve ever experienced.
Venue:
We had our wedding at the end of August, and the venue could not have been more perfect. The park is pristine and well-maintained, with stunning foliage and breathtaking views of the lake. The variety of photo opportunities, from the fountain to the beach area, was fantastic. If you’re looking for a venue that offers both indoor and outdoor spaces, this is ideal. The patio was spotless, the fireplace cozy, and the view overlooking the lake was magical. If you're aiming for a serene, forest-like atmosphere, Independence Grove is the place to be!
Weddings can feel chaotic, but having our special day at this venue gave us so much peace of mind. I would highly recommend Relish Catering at Independence Grove to anyone planning their wedding! -
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Kirsten Sent on 10/28/20254 out of 5 rating4.0
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Quality of service 4 out of 5 rating4.0
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Average response time 4 out of 5 rating4.0
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Professionalism 4 out of 5 rating4.0
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Value 4 out of 5 rating4.0
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Flexibility 4 out of 5 rating4.0
Beautiful venue & incredible food — a few small hiccups, but an overall wonderful experience!
If you’re looking for a wedding venue that offers a true nature-immersed experience while still being accessible for all your guests, look no further than Independence Grove!
In planning our wedding, we dreamed of a space surrounded by nature but also accessible for our elderly family members — and Independence Grove delivered that perfect balance. Our ceremony at Native Garden felt like being in a meadow of wildflowers, yet it was fully accessible for wheelchairs and guests with mobility needs. The reception space, Audubon Hall, had a warm, lodge-like atmosphere that fit our nature-inspired theme perfectly.
We were also blown away by the catering. Chef Juan went above and beyond to create a menu that reflected the kind of food we love to cook and share at home. He even customized dishes to accommodate our dietary restrictions, and our guests raved about how delicious everything was!
If you decide to book at Independence Grove with the Relish Events team, we’d recommend keeping close communication with the team and staying organized around the details that matter most to you — it’ll help ensure everything comes together just the way you envision.
Overall, we’re so glad we chose Independence Grove for our wedding. The incredible food and beautiful nature-immersed setting made our day truly special. -
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