Read details about having an event at The Bradley Estate
in this "Question & Answer" link
and on the "About the Bradley Estate" link.
Q: What are the maximum and minimum capacity numbers?
A: The capacity for events held inside the home is 100. If you have over 100 guests up to 150, you may still have your celebration at The Bradley Estate with the dining and dancing held in a tent. These are the maximum numbers of guests allowed for your rental. There is ample space for dancing within the home or in a tent with these guest counts.
If you have a formal sit-down dinner inside the home, most couples use the adjoining living room and loggia for the dining. The capacity in the living room is 60 (6 tables of 10) and the capacity in the loggia is 40 (4 tables of 10). Two large sets of French doors separate these two rooms. See the Floor Plan on the website for the layout.
If you wish to have food stations, buffet dinner or an hors d'oeuvre dinner, tables and chairs can comfortably be arranged throughout the home, or, you could use the formal seating arrangement described above.
There is no minimum.
Q: What is the rental time?
A. The minimum rental time is four hours. As a courtesy, you may also use the venue up to two additional hours prior to your rental time. You, your attendants and immediate family may use the property, for example, to dress, enjoy beauty appointments and take photographs. Customarily, these two hours prior to your rental are used for your vendor set-ups as well.
Your rental time begins when your guests arrive. If you have your ceremony on-site, your guests begin arriving 1/2 hour before the ceremony start-time. Therefore, if you have your ceremony on-site, your rental time begins 30 minutes before your ceremony.
There is an option to extend your rental time. Arrangements must be made in advance with the Event Manager and caterer.
Weddings held inside the home must end at 11:00pm. Weddings held in a tent must end at 10:00pm.
Q: Are there off-season rates?
A: Yes, November through April is off-season with fees almost half of the full season rate. Also, Mondays-Thursdays are at reduced rates. During this off-season, the grounds can be used for photographs but not for outdoor ceremonies or tent receptions.
Q: What does the rental fee include?
A: The fee includes exclusive use of the first floor of the house, as well as the second floor bridal suite for the wedding couple, and their attendants and parents. If the wedding is May 1 - October 31, the fee includes use of the formal gardens and north lawn.
The fee also includes personnel: An event manager who provides assistance during the planning (answers questions, suggests vendors, assists with final walk-through caterer's meeting). The on-site wedding day manager (assigned approximately 10 days before the event) directs vendors on set-up and breakdown procedures, works to ensure the safety of the guests, and manages the operations assistant. The operations assistant cares for the condition of the physical property, and directs your guests to and from the parking lot as they arrive and depart. The fee also includes police detail which is required by the Town of Canton.
The client is responsible for any siding and heating rentals needed for the loggia.
Q: Can I have my ceremony on site? Can I have my rehearsal on site? Is there a fee for the ceremony or rehearsal?
A. The Bradley Estate is an ideal location to have a ceremony and most couples do have their ceremonies here. There is no additional charge for the ceremony but the time for it is part of your rental time. You may have one hour free-of-charge for your rehearsal on the grounds. If you wish to use the house for your rehearsal, there is a $150 charge.
Q: Do you have a wedding reception package?
A: We do not have a wedding reception package. Most couples order the food, bar and rentals (tables, chairs, linen, glassware, china, flatware) through a caterer. Or, you may use separate companies for each: caterer, bar service, rental company.
Q: Can I use a caterer of my choice?
A: Yes, you may use a caterer of your choice who is approved by the Event Manager. The Bradley Estate has a fairly open policy concerning caterers. While we can provide the names of caterers who consistently earn rave reviews from past clients, we would not want to restrict the list of companies for consideration on your special day.
The Event Manager's approval of caterers is based upon factors that include: All caterers must provide an insurance certificate which contains an additional insured endorsement naming The Trustees prior to working at the Bradley Estate. Caterers must meet with the Event Manager in advance to review the policies and procedures of the Bradley Estate. Caterers must have a reputation that is consistent with the high standards represented by The Bradley Estate. Caterers who have previously worked at the property within the past two years will pay The Trustees of Reservations a $195 kitchen fee for the use of the kitchen. All other caterers will pay a $395 first-time user fee for the use of the kitchen.
Q: Who manages the food service and flow of events?
A: The caterer is responsible for the flow of all scheduled events and should insure that the food service timeline is followed as closely as possible. The band/D.J. is responsible for making all announcements such as bridal dances, cake cutting, last dance, etc.
Q: How long can the band or D.J. play? A: The band/DJ can play until the contracted end time of the event. The band/DJ cannot continue to play after the end time unless the user has arranged for overtime with the Event Manager and the caterer, and the band/DJ agrees to play during this period.
Q: Since this is an historic home, are there policies concerning décor and candles?
A: Yes, we want to ensure that the home and grounds are used properly for you and your guests to enjoy, as well as preserved for future events. For this reason, we ask for your cooperation regarding the following:
When you select The Bradley Estate for your event, you agree to abide by the restrictions for using flame candles set forth by the Town of Canton. You must obtain a permit issued by the Canton Fire Department at least 24 hours in advance of the event. You must provide a sample of the candle with container to the Canton Fire Department for approval. There is no fee for the permit. You (or one of your vendors such as the florist or caterer) applies for the permit at the Canton Fire Department, 99 Revere St., Canton, MA (781) 575-6654.
Candles are permitted as long as the flame is enclosed in glass (such as votives and hurricane lamps) and the wick is at least one inch below the top of the glass rim. Candles may also be used if they are floating in a liquid. Candles are permitted in public areas only (not in restrooms or on stairs). Battery-powered votives are permitted inside the fireplaces and on the fireplace mantels.
The use of fireworks and sparklers is not permitted. The tossing of rice, confetti or birdseed is not allowed. However, User may use real (not silk) flower petals outside on the ceremony lawn (but not in other areas of the grounds).
You may decorate the inside of the home or outside on the grounds with putty-like substances to secure decor to surfaces (no nails or tape should be used.) Vendors who provide decor should provide documentation to the Event Manager that the material is flame retardant.
If you wish to use an aisle runner for the outdoor ceremony, it should be a matted cloth runner tacked down with wooden tees. (A simple paper aisle runner will not securely lie flat on grass.) You may use the nail that's already on the front door if you wish to hang a wreath or floral arrangement.
Q: Can we move furniture, rugs, artwork?
A. Per your request, we will remove most of the furniture and rugs so that the interior of the home matches your style and meets your room design. No artwork may be removed from the walls.
Q: Is there a piano that we can use?
A. Yes! A Baby Grand Steinway piano is in the library. This is the original piano that the Bradley family played in this home. There is no fee to arrange for your musician to play it.
Q: Is your site handicap accessible?
A. Yes. There is a ramp entrance to the home on the side of the building. There is a handicap restroom on the first floor. Guests who cannot walk from the parking area to the home may be dropped off at the home's front door.
Q: What hotels are in the area for my out-of-town guests and how can we best transport our guests?
A. The Bradley Estate has made arrangements with three local hotels for you. The hotels will provide you and your guests with discounted block room prices. The hotels are also giving a small appreciation fee to The Trustees of Reservations for referring their wedding couples. The proceeds of this fee go to the preservation of The Bradley Estate home and grounds, a property of The Reservations of Trustees, a non-profit organization. Be sure to tell your guests to say that they are attending a wedding celebration at the Bradley Estate. The hotels are:
- Holiday Inn Boston-Dedham, 55 Ariadne Rd., Dedham, (781) 407-2272, contact: Phillip Glidden
- Residence Inn by Marriott Boston Dedham, 259 Elm St., Dedham, (781) 407-0999, contact: Group Sales
- Hilton Boston/Dedham, 25 Allied Dr., Dedham, (781) 407-1643, contact: Sales Dept.
Q: Do you have any advice concerning guest transportation?
A: You may wish to hire shuttle transportation to bring your guests to and from their hotel and The Bradley Estate. We suggest that you rent 22-passenger shuttle vans rather than 55-passenger buses. The vans will be able to drive directly to the front of the house to drop off and pick up your guests. The larger bus vehicles do not have the space needed on the front drive to travel directly up to the house. The Hilton Boston/Dedham (one of the hotels listed above) is five minutes from The Bradley Estate and you can hire their shuttle to bring guests to and from your reception.
Q: What are your beverage policies?
Q. What are your vendor recommendations? What are your recommendations for the rental of the tent?
We recognize our wedding couples select vendors to reflect their individual style. For that reason, we have a fairly open policy concerning vendors. While we strive to ensure that we know all the vendors who work at our property because we want them to provide you with the highest standards of service and product, we do not want to restrict the list of companies for consideration on your special day.
We will provide you with an extensive list of caterers who can make your wedding celebration special. If you are considering a caterer outside of our list, let us know and we will provide the criteria and guidelines for new caterers.
Since we began hosting weddings in 2000, we've worked hard to establish vendor contacts. We place a high priority on cultivating great vendor relationships so that you'll enjoy a unique experience and receive excellent dollar value. Should you need assistance in selecting vendors, we will gladly introduce you to companies that have consistently earned rave reviews from past clients.
TENTING
If you have a tent wedding, we strongly encourage you to use the rental company listed below. Since it is critical that tenting be properly managed, we have worked almost exclusively with BC Tent because they are knowledgeable about the demands of this major wedding element and are close by in case of emergencies:
BC Tent & Awning
25 Bodwell St., Avon, MA 02322
(800) 660-8368, (508) 586-0900
www.bctent.com
READ MORE about having a wedding on the "About the Bradley Estate" link!