THE HANDBOOK Welcome! You are about to embark on an exciting event, and about to face countless details regarding your wedding or party at Aldie Mansion. This handbook has been prepared with your concerns in mind, and addresses many questions that may arise. Three or four months prior to your event, a Party Planner from Jeffrey Miller Catering will be contacting you for an appointment. It would be helpful for you to read through this handbook prior to your planning session, as many of the answers are here for you. I personally wish to thank you for booking your event at Aldie Mansion. Our team looks forward to creating a wonderful event on your big day! Sincerely, Kimberly Bates Site & Sales Manager, Aldie Mansion Tel. 215-348-3509 Fax 215-348-9231 PREFACE WHAT TO EXPECT FROM YOUR PARTY PLANNER This handbook has been sent to you by your Party Planner, who will oversee all the details pertinent to your event at Aldie Mansion. Approximately four to six months prior to your big day, a party planning meeting will be scheduled at a mutually convenient time at the Mansion. This session will take about two hours, or longer if starting from scratch with your menu selections. During this initial meeting, the following should be accomplished: Completion of menu (including hors d’oeuvres, appetizer, entrée and dessert). Decisions about “extras” needed (ceremony chairs, cocktail tables, candles, etc). Completion of service notes. A beginning-to-end timeline for the event. A floorplan of the house (including ballroom seating) and grounds. A second floorplan for “Plan B” (inclement weather). It is most helpful to come prepared to this meeting with many of your food decisions already made. Otherwise, the meeting will take far longer than two hours; or a second meeting will need to be scheduled. Three Weeks Before Your Event, Your Party Planner Will: Work with you on a final seating plan. Order any special rentals. Finalize any extra charges (including additional meals for vendors and children). Collect from you all vendor contact information. Give you copies of the floorplan, service notes and timeline. Continue to help by addressing any of your questions or concerns. The Week of the Event, Your Party Planner Will: Request from you the choice of entrée form (applicable to sit down dinners only). Coordinate a drop-off time for your alcohol, placecards, favors, guest book, etc. Notify the appropriate individuals of any last-minute changes to the menu, layout or schedule. The Day of the Event, Your Party Planner Will: Set out your placecards, favors, guest book, decorations and/or other personal items. (Please limit what you bring to the equivalent of two 20-gallon Rubbermaid containers.) Advise the Party Captain and Chef of any changes to the paperwork for your event. Assist with the wedding processional. Assist with introductions. Assist in the kitchen during meal service. Please note: Your planner is prepared to spend up to 10 hours in consultation for your event. This includes your initial meeting, site walk-through and preparing detailed paperwork outlining your schedule, equipment needs, and service requirements. In addition to the 10 hours, your planner is scheduled to be present for 4 to 5 hours of the event. In our experience, we have found this to be an ample amount of time to create and successful and memorable event. Your planner will log all hours and notify you if you are heading over the allotted hours. Occasionally, the details of a wedding or other celebration require more of the Party Planner’s time either prior to, or on the day of, the event. From our experience, additional hours are often required when the client requests one or more of the following:
Should you need extra time from your Party Planner, that person will be happy to provide additional time which will be billed at a rate of $40.00 per hour. Of course, you also have the option of contracting with an independent wedding consultant who will work in tandem with your Party Planner and the entire Aldie team. If at any time you have questions or concerns that you are not comfortable discussing with your Party Planner, please feel free to contact Toni Vitello, General Manager of Jeffrey Miller Catering Company, at 610-622-3700 Thank you. We all look forward to working with you on your special occasion!
Jeffrey Miller Catering Company is an off-premises caterer with exclusive contracts at both Aldie Mansion and The Philadelphia Racquet Club. Additionally, we cater at other historic mansions, country barns, private homes, museums, colleges, and other institutions. If you need a caterer for your rehearsal dinner, or have family or friends searching for a caterer at another location, please pass our menus along or have them give us a call at 215-348-3509. For 20 years, we have been the caterer of choice for birthday celebrations, holiday buffets, anniversary parties, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, country barbecues, corporate events, black-tie benefit balls and, of course, weddings. About the Company Jeffrey A. Miller, owner and chef of Jeffrey Miller Catering, earned his business degree from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. While in school, he spent the summers honing his cooking skills at such fine restaurants as New York's La Cote Basque and Le Cirque, and London's Simpsons-in-the-Strand. During the academic year, he worked for one of Philadelphia's leading society caterers before establishing Jeffrey Miller Catering in 1980. After graduating, Jeffrey continued to build his company from a one-man operation to a full-fledged business with 25 full-time employees and 150 part-time workers. Aldie Mansion is owned by Heritage Conservancy. The Conservancy is a private nonprofit membership organization, which has been an advocate of land conservation and historic preservation since 1958. To learn more about Heritage Conservancy and its mission, or for information on how to become a member, please call 215-345-7020. The mansion is air-conditioned throughout. We ask your cooperation in keeping doors and windows closed as much as possible while it is operating. All clients are responsible for the delivery of alcohol prior to their event, and removing any bottles that are not empty at the end of their party. We have many events and limited storage; and we cannot be responsible for alcohol left on site. Prior to your event, your alcohol is stored in a locked cage in the basement kitchen. Please keep in mind that you or your liquor supplier must carry all cases there. It is advised that energetic, able-bodied helpers accompany you to drop off the alcohol. Before bringing any cases into the mansion, please make sure they are ALL clearly labeled with your name and the date of your event. Also, please coordinate your drop-off time with the Sales & Site Manager at Aldie.
Your rental time begins at the start time stated on your rental contract. As a courtesy, we permit you and your vendors to have access to Aldie Mansion during our set-up time. Please consult with your party planner on the specific time you can arrive. Also, please keep in mind:
There is usually one bar table set up for each 75 guests. Additional bar tables will be set up for each multiple of 75 guests. However, guests will congregate at the first bar they see. Therefore, these bar tables are always set up side by side or in the same area. We have found that if a second bar is set up in a different location, one bar ends up being very crowded while the other is empty. Bars cannot be set up on a wood floor. Choices for the location of the bar are the Great Hall, the Garden Room, or outside. Your party planner will work with you on selecting the best location given your guest count and layout. Also please note:
CAKEJeffrey Miller’s trained pastry chef offers house specialty flavors including: Vanilla Pound Carrot Devil's Food Lemon Pound (with or without poppy seeds) Marble Hazelnut Sponge Chocolate Chip Pound Mocha Walnut Sponge Upgraded Cake Flavors (additional $0.50 per person): Chocolate Decadence - dense and flourless chocolate cake New York-Style Cheesecake - with a graham cracker crust Please note cakes are priced based on one flavor. Each tier that is a different flavor will cost an additional $0.50 per person.
Select a Filling: Vanilla or Chocolate Butter Cream Raspberry Jam Mocha Butter Cream Cream Cheese Upgraded Fillings (additional $0.50 per person): Raspberry or Strawberry Mousse Dark or White Chocolate Mousse Rich Chocolate Ganache Lemon Curd Cakes By Design: Our standard designs are smooth sides with your choice of Swiss dots (random or clustered), swags, or other piped designs, as well as our classic basketweave design. Square cakes are $.50 per person additional. Dark or white chocolate shavings are $.50 additional Rolled fondant ($100 additional for a three-tier cake) is a smooth rolled sugar icing for a porcelain-like finish Candles are permitted in the house and outside, but please note:
There is a coatroom located by the front door of Aldie Mansion. Guests may hang up and collect their own coats. Or, you may request a coat check attendant from Jeffrey Miller Catering. The cost is $200.00 per attendant. Providing your own coat check person is not permitted. Our staff is uniformed and will greet your guests professionally. There are electrical outlets on the rear terrace by the fountain, on the terrace connecting to the library, and in the gazebo. If you think you may need additional outdoor electricity, you will need to provide your own extension cord(s). Unlike many other sites you may have visited, Aldie has one exclusive caterer: Jeffrey Miller Catering. Unfortunately, we are unable to serve your guests any food that has not been prepared by the Aldie chefs. The only exception is wedding cake, which you may provide from an outside bakery. Included in your catering package is a personal event planner assigned to see to all the details of your big day – from assisting with the menu to coordinating the linens, schedule, floorplan, and the like. For details about what to expect from your party planner, please refer to the PREFACE in this handbook. Catering costs are subject to annual price increases. Please refer to the cover page of your menu package to see if you have the current pricing. FIREPLACES IN WINTERTIMEThere are three working fireplaces at Aldie, one in each of the following rooms:
(The fireplaces in the Bride's Room and the Dining Room are not available for use.) There is a $75 charge for the wood, maintenance, and cleaning of each fireplace. Any charges incurred will be deducted from your security deposit with the Conservancy. We will make every effort to keep the fires blazing during your party, however we will not add new logs during the last hour so that the fires may burn down safely.
In the Great Hall and in the Library, we can provide you with a "Summer Fire," offering the warm glow of a traditional fire without the added heat. We position nine pillar candles at different levels on an attractive wrought-iron stand inside the fireplace. The cost for is $35.00 per "Summer Fire." FOUNTAIN S The Mercer fountains at Aldie are working fountains and available for your use at no additional charge, in spring, summer and fall. You are permitted to place flowers in any tier of the rear fountain, however per your contract with Heritage Conservancy, it is your responsibility to remove all decorations at the end time of your event. Floating candles are permitted, however the fountain must be turned off after it is filled so the candles will not be extinguished. You are also welcome to decorate the newer fountain in the front courtyard. It is advised that you provide a "home" for your gift cards. It is very easy for a card to be misplaced during the excitement of the party. We have an attractive birdcage where guests can place their cards. It is available for you to place anywhere you like. Some suggestions are:
Alternatively, you may provide your own box, basket, or other receptacle for gift cards. Neither Jeffrey A. Miller Catering nor Heritage Conservancy will be responsible for lost or stolen gift cards/gifts, favors, and other valuables. Your catering contract states "service is included, gratuity is optional." Many people ask how to handle gratuities if they choose to give one. The average gratuity Aldie workers receive is $20 to $50 per person, per event. It is recommended that you give the gratuity to the Captain or your Party Planner to distribute. Once again, gratuity is optional, but appreciated. We have wheelchair ramps which can be installed for the use of any handicapped guests in the mansion. The ramps are only in place upon request. If you need them set up for your event, please let your Party Planner know in advance. Guests arriving in wheelchairs or with walkers are encouraged to enter the mansion through the double glass doors in the Garden Room (thus avoiding the steps at the front door). The ramps we install lead from the Garden Room into the Library, and from the Library to the Great Hall and Fountain Terrace. Please let your Party Planner know of any guests requiring special attention/assistance. Luminaries (paper bags with candles set in sand) are permitted anywhere on the grounds at Aldie. However they must be extinguished and removed from the premises at the end of your event. Failing to do so will result in a $100.00 deduction from your security deposit. You will need to appoint someone to place, light and remove the luminaries on the grounds. Additional staff may be hired to handle this for you @ $25 per hour.
For those clients that are having their ceremony at Aldie Mansion, there are several options available. Weather permitting, the grounds at the Mansion are a beautiful setting for a garden wedding. During inclement weather, alternate indoor plans are implemented. Ceremonies planned for indoors can be held in the Great Hall (up to 70 guests), in the Library (up to 90 guests) or in the Ballroom (up to 200 guests). Our standard set up for a ceremony in the Ballroom is all dining tables set on both sides of the ballroom and our ballroom chairs placed in the middle creating your aisle. Generally, brides choose to have their ceremony take place facing the rear of the ballroom. Alternate choices are available. If you choose to have a set up that is not consistent with our standard plan, your party planner will determine whether an alternative plan will require additional staff, and the cost for that staff, if necessary. OPEN HOUSEWe host an open house at Aldie each Tuesday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. The public is invited. The purpose of the open house is for various people to visit as often as they like, such as brides, family, friends, florists, musicians, photographers, etc. It is important for us to be available to as many people as possible during the open house. Therefore, this is not the best time to review specific details about your event. We will answer questions, but if you would like to discuss numerous specifics, it would be best to make an appointment with the Site & Sales Manager; or if you have already booked your event, with your Party Planner. PAYMENT SCHEDULEPayments to Heritage Conservancy
For information on refunded security deposits, please refer to: SECURITY DEPOSITS Payments to Jeffrey Miller Catering
NOTE: Specific questions regarding billing should be directed to Jeffrey Miller Catering Co. at 610-622-3700. PERSONAL BELONGINGSDue to limited storage space, we must limit the dropping off of personal belongings to two cartons prior to the day of your event. This may include place cards, party favors (within reason), guest book, toasting glasses, cake knife and server, etc. Please check with your party planner if you need to drop off additional items before the day of your event to ensure we will have sufficient storage space available. If you are bringing additional items such as cameras for the tables, your own candles, family photos, or other extras, you may need to appoint a family member or friend to place these items out for you. PLACE CARDSPlace cards are used for assigned seating in order for your guests to know where they will be sitting. Please note stations parties do not have assigned seating. Consult with your Party Planner on the best place to display the place cards, and please box and deliver the cards to Aldie in alphabetical order. If you are offering your guests a choice of entree, you will need a second set of place cards grouped according to table #. Please refer to the section: SEATED DINNERS WITH A CHOICE OF ENTREE
PRE-CEREMONY BEVERAGE SERVICEIf your wedding ceremony is at Aldie, you may purchase pre-ceremony beverages. For details, please refer to section: FOOD & BEVERAGE OPTIONS. RECYCLING
Jeffrey Miller Catering recycles bottles. We pack all empty beer, wine, champagne, and liquor bottles into their original cases for transport to our shop where they are placed in recycling bins. If you or your guests notice liquor boxes being loaded onto our truck at the end of your event, please be assured they are only your empty bottles. All full and partially full bottles are returned to you.
REFERRAL LIST
The Aldie Mansion Referral Directory includes the names of many professionals who have worked at Aldie in the past. Although you are not required to use these individuals, we highly recommend them. A mansion is a unique location and each has its own idiosyncrasies. The professionals we refer have worked many events at Aldie, and they understand the light, acoustics, layout, etc. of the house. If you are planning to use a professional who has not worked at Aldie before, we strongly urge that they come to the house for a preview of the spaces where they will be working. Professional meals are available through Jeffrey Miller Catering for your band, deejay, photographer, videographer, etc. Please discuss these options with your party planner, and also check your vendors’ contracts as often they require a hot meal. REHEARSALSYou may schedule a rehearsal at a time prior to your wedding so long as it does not interfere with another event taking place. Further, rehearsals may need to be rescheduled if another social or corporate event books for the same time period at Aldie. There is a charge of $100.00 per hour for rehearsals. The actual rehearsal will probably take less than 1 hour. However, in our experience there are often late arrivals or excited family members and friends who have never been to Aldie before and want to explore the house and grounds. This can extend your rehearsal time considerably. Please help us by keeping your bridal party and others focused on the task at hand. Otherwise, your rehearsal may end up costing more than you had anticipated. Your Party Planner will coordinate the rehearsal, and the charge will be deducted from your security deposit with Heritage Conservancy.
SEATED DINNERS WITH CHOICE OF ENTREEIt is essential to know beforehand how many of your guests will be eating each type of entree. We also must know how many of each entree will be served at each table. Addendum E: Choice of Entrée Form must be filled out and returned to us before the party. In the first column please indicate the table #. In the remaining three columns, label the top of the column with the type of entree (i.e. beef, fish, chicken) and the number of each type of entree for that table #. Please indicate your choice of color coding for each entrée. Also, please refer To Schedule C for the cost of serving a third entrée. When there is a choice of entree at a seated dinner, you must provide an additional set of place cards, (not grouped alphabetically, but rather by table number). Each card should be a different color, or have the guests' names printed in a different ink color. Or, you may decorate the cards with different color ribbons/stickers so that our servers will know what each guest is eating (i.e. a red card for beef, a yellow card for chicken, blue card for fish, etc.) Even when all these procedures are carefully followed, there can be complications. Guests may switch seats at the same table, cards might get inadvertently moved, or guests may change their minds and want a different entree than what they originally ordered. We caution you that having a choice of entree may cause slower service than we usually provide and that you may want. (Refer to section: SPLIT ENTREE) SECURITY DEPOSITThere is a $750.00 security deposit which is due with your Aldie Mansion rental balance six weeks before your event. The deposit - less any charges for damages, infractions, additional rental hours, fireplaces used and/or rehearsals - will be refunded within one month following your event. Credit cards are not accepted. SERVERSThe ratio of servers to guests is as follows:
ratios) If you would like to shower your guests with extra special attention, you have the option of requesting extra servers or bartenders at a charge of $200.00 per person. Uniforms for the Wait Staff and Bartenders: Men: Tuxedo shirts and bow ties, black pants, shoes and socks Women: Tuxedo shirts and bow ties, black skirts or pants, shoes and stockings SHARING EXPENSESBrides scheduled on the same day or on the same weekend can, if mutually agreeable, share in the cost of decorations (i.e. flowers in the fountain, swaging on the balcony and staircase, rented trees, etc.). If you would like to explore this possibility, please let your Party Planner know. They will put you in contact with the client booked immediately before and/or after your event. Sharing decorations also means sharing the responsibility for set-up and breakdown! (Please refer to your contract with Heritage Conservancy regarding decorations which are not removed from the premises immediately following your event.)
SMOKINGThere is no smoking permitted anywhere inside Aldie Mansion. This rule is strictly enforced. There are sand urns year-round in the front of the building and on the rear terraces. Per your request, we can also place ashtrays on any outside seating tables. Please refer to your contract which details the penalties for smoking infractions.
SPLIT ENTREESFor seated dinners, you may opt for a split entree, which features a 2/3 portion of two entree items on the same plate (for example, a 2/3 portion of fish and a 2/3 portion of beef, including one sauce that complements both). Vegetables and starches to accompany the entree should also be appropriate for both, and your Party Planner can assist in the selections with you, if desired. By serving your guests all the same split entree, you eliminate the need for a second set of place cards, and you avoid having to provide us with the copious notes of how many different entrees are going to each table. Furthermore, table service is generally quicker when serving a split entree versus a choice of single entrees.
STATIONSA stations party is unique and needs to be planned accordingly. Important things to remember about a stations party are:
TABLE SIZES
Sit-Down Dinner or Buffet: We use 60" round tables which seat a maximum of 10 people. This is the maximum, so an 11th person is impossible and 8 are more desirable. If you would like us to provide cocktail tables, there is a $10.00 charge per table with linen to the floor. We do have in-house five extra-large 72” tables which can seat a maximum of 12 people. There is an extra charge of $10.00 per 72” table.
Stations : We use a combination of three table sizes. The 36" round tables seat up to 4, the 48" round tables seat a maximum of 8, and the 60" tables seat a maximum of 10. TENTS
Tenting is permitted anywhere on the grounds, though it is not included in your catering or mansion rental charge. Additionally, if there are other events during your weekend, the other couples have the option of requesting that no tenting be on site for their event. This could result in increased charges for a late night or early morning set up or breakdown. VALET PARKING
Valet parking is permitted, but not provided. If desired, you must make the arrangements directly. We will not be responsible for parking of cars in any way. Please refer to the rules and regulations in your contract with Heritage Conservancy. VEGETARIAN & VEGAN MEALSVegetarian and vegan meals are available. Please review the options and respective prices with your Party Planner. |
