The Henry Smith House Reviews

Hands. down. The absolute most dream worthy wedding venue + most accommodating venue owner in all of the South.

Sooooo I originally planned to get married in New Orleans in November 2020 but due to COVID and everything that brought, we decided to downsize and move it to my hometown in Picayune. Let me just say that this was not settling AT ALL!!!! First off, the venue looks like it dropped right out of Southern Living but what’s really so charming and whimsical is the team you’ll work with.

The moment I met the owner, Dustin, I knew we should’ve made this our original plan since day 1. He’s full of charisma, charm, and hospitality…and not to mention he knows how to throw a helluva party!! Since everything was booked for our wedding 12 months out, we already had a team of vendors confirmed out of New Orleans. Dustin was so accommodating and made sure we were able to bring those companies onboard so we weren’t out any extra money… you truly do not find this anywhere!! He coordinated with all of my original vendors to make sure everything would run smoothly day of.

Then the next curveball… the weather! I was frantic the week of because we were expecting rain all day Friday and Saturday and originally were planning to use all of the grounds for a welcome dinner, brunch, and our reception throughout the weekend… well due to having to create an alternate plan and moving all events under the pavilion, Dustin went the extra mile to make sure no decorations for the reception were visible at the welcome dinner since it had to happen under the same pavilion. He originally was planning to wrap the beams in greenery on Wednesday to get ahead of it, but due to the rain, he waited until everyone was out of the pavilion on Friday night to start adding decor for Saturday’s festivities. I truly didn’t believe he was doing this when he told me. As a bride who had to already change all of the plans, uninvite hundreds of guests, then deal with all of this weather, it meant so much that Dustin cared so deeply about making my fiancé and me happy. You really do not find this level of care anywhere.

Then the events!!! OH MY GOODNESS!!! We are still receiving so many compliments about the venue as a whole. From the Victorian home where all of my bridesmaids and I stayed the night before then got ready to the luscious green grounds of the HSH, everything is jaw-dropping beautiful. I’ve several friends who’ve gone to weddings in Tulum, Napa, and Italy, and they literally told me that this is the most beautiful venue and wedding reception that they’ve ever been to.

If you’re thinking of booking the HSH, just do it. I promise you will not regret it and it will forever be the best decision for your wedding weekend. I’m already thinking of a reason to book the HSH again and cannot wait to come back to Picayune to visit Dustin!

Attentive staff + delicious food + beautiful location = Perfect wedding & a happy bride!

Everything about my wedding was perfect, and I wouldn't change a thing. The owners are super sweet and helpful. Even their staff was super attentive. They were there for me at all points of the evening, checking on me, making sure I had a drink.

Only note for brides: Reduce stress on yourself and ask Mrs. Jeanette to coordinate/communicate with your vendors. She has an eye for quality and will not let you down. Had I known she would do this, I could have saved myself several headaches.

Basically, if you choose The Henry Smith House as your venue, you won't regret it!

First time I seen the location I fell in love!!!

Dustin has a beautiful place in Picayune, MS.
The Victorian house has been refurnished and it looks spectacular! A dream to stay in.

Unfortunately, for my experience with his venue on my wedding day was not what he advertises on any Henry Smith House page or profile.

His communication, interest or even creativity for my wedding was lousy, lazy and pretty mediocre to what he displays on their IG stories.

His attention to me on the wedding day was fair, to the guests I wouldn’t say exceptional. He wasn’t very involved with what was going on. He was on his phone, hanging out like a bored host. doing something every now and then.

He didn’t communicate with the DJ about how we wanted him to play during cocktail hour and the saxophone to be played during dinner.

When we came out to do our first dance, there were two cocktail tables taking up room in the dance floor. My bridesmaids had to move them for us to give us space to dance and be seen.

It still amazes me and it’s heartbreaking that the one thing I was least worried about was the floral/candle decorations because I’ve seen through pictures all the talent this man has. I thought he would deliver.

I expressed how a whimsical romantic look was for me. That that’s what I was aiming for. I asked for lots of open flame candles. He said, “oh, we have all the candles to burn the place down! That won’t be a problem!” “We do it all the time!”.
I sent him pictures of ideas and I even went with baby breath and candles to make it simple but MORE. I was pretty confident from all the posts he makes on Instagram.
I had no doubt that whatever he chose to do with it would be amazing like all reviews and pictures show.

He said he’d “fluff up the top to make it look like a cloud” he didn’t.
We got the ugliest table runners that looked like dark fuchsia; they were supposed to be mauve (a pale purple).

Dustin charged me an extra $500 to go “all out” I’m sorry, but where exactly?
I paid a total of $1500 for baby breath/candles and I feel like I only paid $300 -if that.
The only nicely decorated areas were the cake area, two tables and fire place section. My sweetheart table was ok.

Everyone ate from PLASTIC plates, cups and flatware!
It’s wasn’t a birthday celebration at the park Dustin.

He said he could only decorate through his personal florist because of the “guaranteed quality”. He told me he’d even put the roses stems on coffee overnight go give them the color we were going for. He didn’t.
Excuse me, I can buy fuller roses and not dry baby breath at the grocery store.

He used the fake green wreathes and clustered candle holders which he usually does, but failed to decorate them as you see them on their page. Well that explains why he didn’t upload a full picture of the place from my day.
Umm… he also used FLAMELESS candles.

I still have all of our conversations on text and pictures we exchanged. It felt like he didn’t make a profile or notes to keep up with our wedding.
Was it work exhaustion? from having 4 weddings a week like you say? Was it personal? Was it something else? It doesn’t matter because all of it is unprofessional. I wasn’t asking for free services.

My religious ceremony in Bay St Louis was beautiful.
…If only I could redo the reception I would, but I wouldn’t choose The Henry Smith House.