Originally, we chose the Dominion because husband grew up in the Dominion and had the fondest memories of being here. His father still lives there and is a member, but you do not h...ave to be a member to have an event here (however, there is a bit of a discount for members). It was within our budget for a venue and has the catering and bar on site. The Dominion does have a Food and Beverage minimum that changes depending on the month, so something to keep in mind!
The Dominion is elegant, classy, and just beautiful, exactly the Taylor Swift “Love Story” vibes that I was looking for (think romantic, marble, columns, beautifully etched glass, large windows showing the gorgeous views). We had our Ceremony at the Fountain Terrace, with the most incredible fountain and pond views as the backdrop for our vows. We reserved half of the Club for our Reception (Gourmet Room (for our buffet), Sitting Room (octagonal shaped room for dinner with wooden dance floor in the very center), Wine Room (cake and desserts area), and the Piano Lounge (sitting area with the bar). We had 80 guests at the wedding which allowed for room for a 12-top head table and 7 large round tables that seat 8-10 comfortably. With the Sitting Room, the dance floor is right in the center of the octagonal shaped room and there is not a bad seat in the room! We viewed other venues that had half the guests on one side of the room, dance floor in the middle of the room, and the other half of the guests on the opposite side of the room. We did not want people to feel separated at all, we wanted it to feel like everybody was at the best table with the best view (no guests stuck off in a corner).
They have amazing getting ready areas, too. The Bridal Suite is the “Women’s 19th Hole” which is a large private room with a long table and chairs, a couch, comfy chairs, a tv, floor to ceiling windows and a large mirror. There is a door that leads to the Women’s Locker Room and the private dressing area with floor to ceiling mirrors, lockers and space for hair and makeup to set up. We were able to set up in-room catering- a brunch buffet and mimosa bar for breakfast and tea sandwiches and fresh fruit for a light lunch. The men were on the opposite side of the club in the Board Room and the Piano Lounge. The Board Room is a high-end room with gorgeous bookcases and a stately conference table with comfy chairs. We set up some cocktail shrimp for their arrival and they were able to order off of the Grill’s menu for lunch and the bar for drinks, with a private server.
The Day of Coordinator, Allison, was such a huge help! She was very insightful, knowledgeable, and professional. She would respond in a very timely manner, no matter how silly my questions were. She helped us with everything from choosing linens, deciding a general timeline, and recommendations for vendors. I was SO calm the day of the wedding (my biggest goal) and I have no doubt that a HUGE part of it was because of Allison. She spent time to learn my vision and made sure everything was set up where it needed to be. An absolute gem.
THE FOOD. Oh my goodness. There were so many options and the availability to customize anything. We went with a buffet style rather than a seated menu because we were able to have more options for the menu and I did not have to ask guests if they wanted chicken or beef beforehand.
This venue was EVERYTHING and so much more than we could ever ask for on our special day.