“Our experience with CBH was nothing short of perfect! We had a small 54-person cocktail hour and reception, both in the Othmer Library, and we could not have dreamed of a more perfect space. The overall atmosphere of the library was incredible, and we leaned hard into the old-world feel of the space. Our guests were in awe when they walked in, and the fact that we were able to be involved every step of the way made it so special.
CBH works exclusively with Purslane as their caterer, and all communication was done through Purslane, who are also amazing and make fabulous food. (We had many raving guests.) They also help arrange all the rentals, create the run of show, and ensure the night is running along as planned, which it did!
A few things we weren't expecting:
- The library itself is on the smaller side, so if you want to have dinner and dancing there, you're looking at 60 people tops. This worked out fine for us with plenty of room for a dance floor, but we did have to significantly cut our guest list.
- Since the building is a historical landmark, no food or drink that could stain (red sauce, red wine, coffee, etc.) was allowed. This never bothered us, and none of our guests even noticed since we had a fully stocked bar and incredibly delicious food.
- We were required to hire a professional day-of coordinator. This was not part of our budget, so be prepared if it's not in yours either. We ended up working with Mostest since they were the least expensive service we could find, and they were amazing. It turned out to be so useful to have our DOC there, so we're happy this rule was imposed, as it led to a seamless night!
- The library set up a new exhibit a few weeks before our wedding in the Fransioli Gallery where we were to have our cocktail hour, and we did not know what it would constitute until a few weeks out. We ended up deciding the contents of the exhibit weren't very well suited to a wedding, and CBH/Purslane were incredibly accommodating, offering to put up pipe and drape or move the cocktail hour. We chose to move it to be in the Othmer and were so happy with that decision.
Overall, CBH is a 10/10! Our wedding felt like a dream, and anything we had to sacrifice was far outweighed by the stunning space. We would highly recommend CBH as a venue if you're looking for a more intimate night with immaculate vibes!”