Venues: Celestine, Aurora, Frankies, and Maison May.
Scenario: 45-50 guests, Friday-Sunday only, ceremony onsite, daytime or evening acceptable, off-peak months acceptable, base/middle food and drink package.
| Venue | Best-Fit Option | Current Planning Estimate | Coordinator / Planning | Main Caveat | Current Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora | Friday lunch or weekend brunch full restaurant buyout | Friday lunch about $16.3k with ceremony. Weekend brunch about $21.6k-$22.9k with ceremony. | No included wedding coordinator stated; they recommend hiring/assigning one for logistics. | Beer/wine/full bar is consumption-based, not a package. Need fully loaded quote with ceremony fee treatment. | Best value if restaurant vibe works. |
| Frankies | Stable + Full Garden lunch or dinner | Lunch $16.7k before staff/rentals. Sunday dinner $23.1k before staff/rentals. Fri/Sat dinner $25.7k before staff/rentals. | No included coordinator stated; coordinator may be required for significant programming. | Staffing and service ware rentals are required but not priced yet. | Potentially strong, but needs staff/rental quote. |
| Maison May | Full Brownstone, especially Friday daytime or winter | Friday daytime about $25.2k floating / $26.9k seated. Sunday daytime about $26.5k / $28.2k. Evening about $29.9k-$33.7k. | Staff included; 2027 proposal does not clearly include a dedicated day-of coordinator. Additional planning services available on request. | 2027 pricing excludes gratuity and is less favorable than the older brochure. | Still viable for intimate brownstone feel, but no longer the cheapest clean option. |
| Celestine | AM Friday or AM weekend; PM Sunday if evening matters | AM Friday with ceremony about $25.4k using 20% gratuity estimate. AM weekend with ceremony about $33.6k. PM Sunday with ceremony about $36.4k. | Dedicated event planner and day-of coordinator included. | Beer/wine-only does not reduce price. Flat fee means 45-50 guests pay the same as up to 70 seated. | Cleanest package and easiest to reason about. |
Clean packagePlanner includedFlat pricing
AM Friday is the strongest value. AM weekend is still clean and polished. PM Sunday is the best evening option if the event needs to be nighttime.
| Option | Estimate Before Gratuity | Estimate With 20% Gratuity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| AM Friday with ceremony | $21,350 | $25,379 | Best Celestine value. 4-hour daytime event plus ceremony adds 30 minutes. Flat fee covers food, beverage, room, planner, day-of coordinator, basic decor, cake service, and printed menus for up to 70 seated guests. |
| AM Saturday/Sunday with ceremony | $28,275 | $33,610 | Weekend daytime package. Same flat-fee model as Friday AM, so 45-50 guests pay the same as up to 70 seated guests. Sundays before holiday Mondays are priced as Saturdays. |
| PM Sunday with ceremony | $30,583 | $36,353 | Best Celestine evening value. |
| PM Friday/Saturday with ceremony | $43,278 | $51,443 | Clean but expensive for 50 guests. |
Best valueRestaurant buyoutCeremony appears allowed
Full restaurant buyout. Friday lunch is the lowest-cost route; weekend brunch is likely the best weekend daytime value. Evening is still competitive, especially Sunday/off-peak.
| Option | Estimate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Friday lunch buyout | About $15,678 before ceremony; about $16,331 with ceremony if ceremony fee is tax/gratuity-bearing | 5-hour full restaurant lunch buyout, 11:30am-4:30pm. $12k minimum includes food/beverage consumption until reached; then 20% gratuity and tax apply. Onsite ceremony appears allowed for full restaurant buyouts and is $500. |
| Weekend brunch buyout | About $20,904 Saturday / $22,211 Sunday before ceremony; add about $653 if ceremony fee is tax/gratuity-bearing | 5-hour full restaurant brunch buyout, 11am-4pm. Minimum includes food/beverage spend until reached. Onsite ceremony appears allowed for full restaurant buyouts and is $500. |
| Off-peak evening | About $27,437-$31,356 before ceremony depending day | Sunday is strongest evening value. |
Partial estimateGarden weddingStaff/rentals TBD
Stable + Full Garden. Stable alone is too tight for a 45-50 guest wedding with onsite ceremony. Full Garden + Stable supports up to 100 seated or 130 standing.
| Option | Estimate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lunch, Friday-Sunday | $16,701 before service staff and service ware rentals | Stable + Full Garden lunch. $13k F&B minimum plus 18% facilities fee and tax. Fits ceremony + reception; Full Garden + Stable accommodates up to 100 seated / 130 standing. Staff and rentals are confirmed additional costs but no amounts were provided. |
| Sunday dinner | $23,125 before service staff and service ware rentals | $18k F&B minimum plus 18% facilities fee and tax. |
| Friday/Saturday dinner | $25,695 before service staff and service ware rentals | $20k F&B minimum plus 18% facilities fee and tax. |
Brownstone feel2027 proposalGratuity excluded
Full Brownstone. Partial Brownstone does not fit 45-50 guests. Friday daytime or winter pricing are the most attractive paths.
| Option | Estimate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Friday daytime | About $25,177 floating / $26,879 seated | Full Brownstone. Includes $1,750 ceremony fee, $3,000 Brownstone fee, Option 1 food/bev, 25% admin service charge, and tax. Gratuity excluded. 4-hour reception plus 1-hour ceremony. Seated family-style adds $25/person outside winter. |
| Sunday daytime | About $26,538 floating / $28,239 seated | Full Brownstone. Includes $1,750 ceremony fee, $4,000 Sunday daytime Brownstone fee, Option 1 food/bev, 25% admin service charge, and tax. Gratuity excluded. Saturday daytime is not listed in the 2027 proposal. |
| Evening | About $29,941-$33,683 depending day and seated/floating | Uses Option 2 food/bev. Gratuity excluded. |
| Winter | About $24,361 Friday daytime seated; about $25,450 Sunday daytime seated; about $28,852 Sunday evening seated | November 15-April 15. Brownstone fee discounted 20%; max headcount 50; seated meal included because garden cannot be used. This is likely Maison May's best fit for exactly 45-50 guests. |
The 2027 proposal gives food/beverage structure, but not an actual sample menu. It tells us how many items are included, not what the dishes are.
| Package / Add-On | What It Says | Price Effect For 50 Guests |
|---|---|---|
| Daytime Option 1 | $275/person: grazing board, 1 app, 2 mains, 2 sides, wine/beer OR 2 brunch cocktails. | Already included in daytime estimates above. |
| Evening Option 2 | $325/person: 2 passed canapes, 2 apps, 2 mains, 2 sides, wine/beer, 2 cocktails. | Already included in evening estimates above. |
| Option 3 upgrade | $375/person: 3 passed canapes, 2 apps, 2 mains, 2 sides, wine/beer, 2 cocktails, extended liquor selection. | About +$3,402 versus Option 2, or +$6,805 versus daytime Option 1, after admin service charge and tax. |
| Seated meal add-on | $25/person for seated meal outside winter. | About +$1,701 after admin service charge and tax. Already reflected in the seated estimates above. |
| Cake cutting | $8/person. | About +$544 after admin service charge and tax. |
Missing food detail: no actual sample menu, dish examples, wine/beer/cocktail list, or dessert package is included in the 2027 proposal. The FAQ points couples to the current event menu on their website and says they accommodate most restrictions, including celiac, vegan, and halal.