Wedding of my dreams
By A Yahoo! Contributor, 07/29/09
I recently had my marriage reception at the Jacob Henry Mansion in Joliet, IL. I was referred to the mansion by some co-workers at the Joliet Area Historical Museum, so I knew right away that it had to have some genuine historic meaning and significance to the area.
After my first visit, I knew that I wanted to get married here. The buildings are beautifully maintained and elegant, but still welcoming to visitors. I could not have asked for a friendlier, more relaxed and helpful staff. I worked with Sarah as my wedding coordinator and she was wonderfully reliable and easy to reach. She guided me through the planning process for several months before the wedding. Not only was she professional and responsive, she was pleasantly friendly and I can really say that I enjoyed talking to her about all aspects of my wedding. In addition to Sarah, the rest of the mansion staff were polite and helpful throughout planning and on the big day.
My family and friends threw me a surprise bridal shower in the mansion which turned out to be a beautiful, fun party. The staff was in on the surprise and scheduled a "tasting" for me that day. When I arrived to find a huge group of fam/friends waiting I was a bit overwhelmed...luckily I had a nice outfit waiting for me and my bridesmaids and I changed in the upstairs bedroom of the mansion. I felt like a princess! I'll never forget that Sue came right up to the bedroom knowing that I would need a little drink to help me overcome the shock! She also provided a cold beer for my husband, who was so relieved after struggling for weeks to keep the big secret from me! We ended up running over our alotted time, but the staff and servers never seemed agitated or upset about it.
By the time the wedding approached, it seemed like I was calling or e-mailing Sarah everyday and she was always there to talk or respond quickly. Two days before the reception, I was able to drop off all my reception favors, decorations, centerpieces, etc and the staff took care of setting it all up. It was such a special surprise for me to walk in on the big day to see all the tables set with beautiful linens and dinnerware, plus the special touches they made with my decorations. My guests dined and partied in the Victorian Ballroom because we had too many to fit in the mansion. Many of my friends enjoyed hanging out on the huge porch of the ballroom, my family danced the night away on the big floor, and the pub area was popular with just about everyone!
My only disappointment is not a fault of the mansion, but may serve as a warning to some brides. I planned to be married in the church on the estate, which is also historically registered and gorgeous inside. It has stained glass windows that reach floor to ceiling and a huge organ as the centerpiece of the alter. I was having a Catholic ceremony and, after much appealing, e-mailing, and calling, had to face the fact that a Catholic priest would not marry us in the Old Central Church. Even though it is non-denominational and is not regularly used, the Diocese of Joliet refused to let us be married there. This was such a disappointment to me because I wanted my guests to enjoy the convenience of having the ceremony and reception all in one location.
In short, I am more than satisfied with my experience. The food was wonderful, the staff went above and beyond, the setting is like a fairy tale, there is close and abundant parking, and the value is unbeatable. I was treated like Victorian royalty and couldn't help but feel like it in such a beautiful and authentic surrounding. I highly recommend the Jacob Henry Mansion for any special event, even to those who would like to learn more about the fascinating history of the mansion.