Everything is perfect :) Great food Great atmosphere Customer service is exceptional read more

Just had brunch here today (July 2026). The venue is delightful and ornate. I thoroughly enjoyed wandering around, looking at the art and the interesting rooms! The place would definitely be amazing as a wedding venue. Brunch was good. The service was attentive--they were right there with coffee' mimosas, and water. They cleared your plate and silverware before you went back to the buffet for the next course. The food was good, if not spectacular. It reminded me of the fancy brunch buffets my very formal grandparents would take me to as a child. I appreciated the variety of food available, and the prime rib carving station was a nice touch. The desserts were fun--small enough to be able to sample a variety. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Wish I could give it 4.5 stars. read more

Adj: Beautiful and Memorable We attended a wedding here and it was a beautiful event. The grounds are so nicely landscaped and maintained and there really is a "mansion" feel to this place bc it is a mansion! It's amazing that that such a historical and fancy place is only 25 miles south of Sacramento in Walnut Grove in the Delta. Apparently, the Grand Island Mansion is the biggest private estate in NorCal. It was built in 1920 by Louis Myers, an orchard farmer, along with his wife Henrietta. They broke ground on 865-acre in 1917, so it took about 3 years to build. The Mansion has 58 rooms, all fancy and opulent, and was designed as a classic Italian Renaissance villa by renowned San Francisco architect J.W. Dolliver and is 4-story tall with 24,000-square-foot of space! In the roaring 20s, high society gathered here for gatherings and high-end wining & dining, and guests were all wealthy and famous local and even national figures to include Greta Garbo, Erle Stanley Gardner, and former President Franklin D. Roosevelt and President Ronald Reagan! During the Great Depression in the 1930s, the Myers family's fortunes also diminished a lot, so they had to sell off their orchards and sadly, the mansion as well. Since the Mansion changed hands several times, it was not kept up in the 1930s-40s. Thankfully, a local restauranteur, Frank Perese bought it in 1950 and put in a commercial kitchen to try to revive the Mansion to make it a destination for fine dining. Then from the 1970s, the Mansion became a special events venue, and weddings were hosted here beginning around 1980. In recent years, it has evolved into a luxurious location for weddings and events with a 14-seat private theater added, Italian gardens nicely maintained, and original artwork and lavish hotel rooms, all of which are really well kept to preserve this historical property and to keep it as a premier wedding and special occasions celebration destination. We really enjoyed attending our friends' wedding here and taking in all the sights and sounds of this grand mansion and may have to come back for brunch or tea in the future. read more

See all

We recently visited the Grand Island Mansion for their Sunday brunch and came away very impressed overall. If Yelp allowed half-stars, this would probably land at a 4.5/5 for us. The atmosphere is really the standout feature here. The mansion itself is stunning, elegant without feeling stuffy, with ornate architecture, sweeping staircases, fireplaces, formal dining rooms, outdoor seating areas, and beautifully maintained grounds. It feels somewhere between a historic estate and a wedding venue, which makes brunch feel more like an event than just a meal. There were several seating areas throughout the mansion, and part of the fun was simply walking around and taking in the property. The brunch buffet was genuinely elevated compared to a typical hotel-style brunch. There was a wide variety of offerings and everything we tried was very good. The spread included prime rib, eggs Benedict, roasted vegetables, salads, French toast, assorted side dishes, rolls, scones, and an impressive dessert table with mousses, pastries, chocolate-covered strawberries, and other desserts that looked almost too polished to eat. The buffet struck a nice balance between breakfast and lunch options without feeling repetitive. Service was also strong. Since it's buffet-style, the staff isn't taking entrée orders, but the waitstaff did a very good job keeping drinks filled, bringing silverware, answering questions, and making guests feel comfortable. Mimosas, orange juice, and water were included with the flat brunch price, which helped the experience feel more complete and relaxed rather than transactional. The main reason this stops short of a full 5 stars is that the experience feels slightly more "special occasion venue" than fine dining destination, if that distinction makes sense. But for a Sunday brunch outing, especially with family, celebrations, or out-of-town guests, it's absolutely worth experiencing at least once. A very memorable brunch in a truly unique setting. read more

See all

My Husband and I got married here and had brunch here. Both are amazing. Everyone at the wedding said it was the best wedding they have ever been to and that it was the yummiest food they have eaten at a wedding and it wasn't cold! (Which we have encountered at other weddings not here) Dhillon and Debbie were easy to work with and made sure everything was in order and ready for the wedding day. I loved spending the night there for the wedding. The brunch is also amazing as well I love the Alfredo pasta, chicken, and crème brûlée . read more

See all

I went here for brunch to celebrate my birthday and mansion and its grounds are absolutely beautiful. You get to check out the mansion with your brunch reservation. Unfortunately, the top floor was closed at the time but we saw the bottom floor and the rooms and their views were all beautiful. Service is great too as was the buffet style brunch, especially the desserts. They include a mimosa too with brunch which was delicious and you are allowed to take it with you when exploring the mansion, very convenient. I think that it would be a great location for a wedding or other event. I have always wanted to check this out and didn't have the chance to before so I'm glad I finally got to do it for my birthday this year. Make sure you make advance reservations for the brunch and check it out! read more

What a cool spot! I was looking for a Sunday brunch and this was such a unique experience that I wanted to try. The property itself is beautiful and the fact that you get to explore around on your own, including upstairs in the bedrooms. It's such an elegant place. The buffet itself was good. Not as much selection as you would think but everything they had was really good. The garlicky rosemary bread, quiche, Alfredo, almond French toast, and prime rib were the best. The desserts were on another level. Everyone decadent in their own ways. And bottomless mimosas and wine? Yes please! Definitely a place to take a date for a special occasion, a girls brunch, or a milestone family birthday. read more

Grand Island Mansion - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Walnut Grove, California

Sunday Brunch in a very nice opulent historic mansion [Walnut Grove CA] We had Sunday Brunch at the Mansion celebrating early birthdays, party of 5. The Mansion is located in Walnut Grove in the lush delta region of NorCal (about an hour's drive from our place in Roseville). I cannot comment on a wedding event but the grounds is a beautiful setting for weddings or a special occasion. The place is unique and a beautiful historic place for an outdoor wedding venue. The Collonade Room, also the main dining room, located on the 2nd floor was where our brunch was held. The high ceiling and the outdoor views contributed to the grand ambiance. The service was wonderful and the setting beautiful. They had a nice mix of food in the buffet table: bread rolls and scones and two types of salads, Italian toast, mushroom crepes, frittata, salmon, grilled vegetables, alfredo pasta, roasted red potatoes, chimichurri chicken, eggs benedict, prime rib, fresh fruits (with chocolate sauce and whipped cream), and can't forget about the dessert table. Everything was fresh and delicious but thought that $60/person was a bit steep for the price... the service was exceptional though. We were able to do a self-guided tour inside and around the property. We went upstairs on the 3rd level and guests have the option to spend luxurious accommodations overnight in the unique styled rooms equipped with period furnishings. Downstairs can be used as a ballroom. There is a 14-seat movie theatre, a European-style billiard table and a one-lane bowling alley. Around the property there is a pool and tennis courts. Just beautiful everywhere. If you're looking for space for a special event, check out Grand Island south of Sacramento. Instagram: @grandislandmansion Review #3753 read more

See all

Returned for the Mother's Day Champagne Brunch - and it was even better the second time around! This was our second year attending (our first was in 2023), and we were once again impressed. One thing I really appreciate is how everyone gets a welcome Bellini and champagne--not just the moms. It's a small detail, but it feels inclusive and thoughtful, especially compared to other places where only the mothers are served champagne, even though everyone pays the same price. Not cool. But here? Champagne for all! We made our reservation as soon as the books opened (I believe February 1st), and later added a fifth person about a month in advance. We were told it might be a tight fit at the table, but to our surprise, they had moved us to a larger table that accommodated all of us comfortably. Such a thoughtful gesture. The staff was wonderful--warm, attentive, and especially kind to my mom. Throughout the meal, they offered coffee, orange juice, or champagne with OJ, keeping glasses filled, came around to check on us often. I was happy to see they'd added name cards to the buffet items--something I had suggested in my 2023 review. It made navigating the offerings much easier. The desserts were the highlight for me this time, and I'm not even usually a dessert person! Each one was small, beautifully made, and absolutely delicious--perfect for sampling a little bit of everything. We wrapped up the day with a lovely walk around the grounds and enjoyed a beautiful Sunday as a family. Already looking forward to next year! read more

Grand Island Mansion - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Walnut Grove, California

We attended Sunday brunch for a combo birthday celebration. The mimosas and coffee were delicious. Eggs Benedict and taquitos were what we all got seconds of. Their dessert bar was so pretty and easily had the best creme brule I've had for breakfast. Parking was easy, and it wasn't busy as it was a colder day (hack!). The service was stellar, each employee and the manager Mr. Dhillon was kind and so sweet. I can't wait to come back. read more

See all

I recently attended a wedding here in June 2025 but haven't been here since 2018. I feel like over the years they've adjusted some things like by the fountain and their lawn area. For both weddings, the parties organized a shuttle from Sacramento or Elk Grove which made it safer for the guests who plan to drink. It's about 40 minutes away from each area and tight 2 lane roads. The food have both been buffets and pretty good! They have an outdoor air conditioned tent. The ceremony that was at 6pm was not too hot and beautiful lighting. There's parking for guests too and a huge beautiful mansion where the wedding party usually stays the night. I didn't know they do Sunday Mothers Day brunch but would like to check it out in the future and it's a nice photo op place! read more

See all

Clearly from the pictures you can tell we had a blast. 10 women came together post Valentine's Day for brunch. We had a great time. From the great food amazing mimosas and photo session lol we will come back. The server was great and well attentive even with 10 of us. We weren't that loud but had moments when we got loud. Overall it was a good day- I recommend everyone come with friends or their partner. This is my second time coming and will be back read more

My boyfriend booked this lovely brunch for us for our 4 year anniversary. It was quite nice. It was our first time at a fancy restaurant and everyone was so welcoming. The servers were very friendly too. It was also my first time trying Crème Brûlée which I really liked but I was too full to get another one. My only con was the food could have been a tad bit hotter but it was good nonetheless. read more

See all

My son and I went here for brunch. It was amazing! The food was delicious. It was a buffet and while there was no way we could try everything what we had was first rate. The salmon was some of the best I'd ever had. Unending mimosas. The desserts looked fabulous but we ate too much and didn't try any. read more

3.5 stars but rounding to 4 This was my second time here for the Sunday champagne brunch. It is $49.95 per person, which went up $10 since the last time I was there. Make your reservations early because if you're booking the week of, there's a high chance there won't be any availability. It gets fully booked quick! Refer to their website for their brunch dates as they might not have it every Sunday due to events. We were seated promptly and immediately started off with some mimosas. They have pastas, breads, salads, and lots of desserts. The star of the buffet is really the prime rib! Everything else was just okay. After the meal, you can walk around the mansion and explore the rooms and different floors. The outside is so beautiful and picturesque. It's a great wedding venue and has several areas for photo ops. The location is in the middle of nowhere and definitely out of the way, especially if you're coming from the Bay Area. You have to drive through narrow roads with potholes and cracks. Parking lot at the front is very tight and limited parking. There is more in the back and on the side of the streets but you'll have to walk further. I do recommend trying the brunch at least once for the experience. read more

See all

This is a beautiful hidden gem in between the East Bay Area and Sacramento. We came here for a brunch near Christmas and we really enjoyed ourselves. Here is my breakdown of everything: Venue: 5/5 The mansion and grounds are beautiful. Once you step inside, you are taken back in time! Everything was well maintained and clean. Unfortunately, it was raining when we went, but we still got a good look around the grounds. The dining room was very pretty and had beautiful artwork all around. After we ate, we were able to explore around in the mansion (A nice little bonus that I did not realize we could do until we got there.) This looks like it would be a beautiful venue for a wedding. They have really nice bedrooms that I'm sure wedding customers get to stay in. There is also a really cool movie theater room, billiards room, mini bar area and a cozy reception area. Most of these rooms have really cool fireplaces. Food: 5/5 I thought there was a good variety of food available. The brunch we did was buffet style, so you get to try all the different dishes. Some of the dishes included different salads, pastas, prime rib and other proteins, mashed potatoes, various veggie dishes, a variety of different desserts and bottomless mimosas! The food was also presented well with little signs in front of each dish with the names of the dishes. Service: 5/5 The service was really good in my opinion. I constantly had a full mimosa and the used dishes were cleared quickly. The wait staff was also very friendly and engaging. Price:3.5-4/5 The price was around $60/person for the brunch we did. It is a little on the high side, but I'm not sure how it ranks in comparison to other places that do brunches like this. But, if you take advantage of the bottomless mimosas and the main dishes, this may not be too bad of a price. Area/Parking: 3/5 There is a pretty good size parking lot on the grounds and it wraps around the back of the mansion. If it fills up, you have to park on the main street where there is more parking (designated parking spots). The mansion sits just off the delta. The area is pretty and there are some nice views from the second floor rooms. However, the only reason I am giving the area 3 stars instead of 5 is because there is nothing else do in the immediate area around the mansion and some of the side roads you have to take to get there are narrow and aren't in the best shape either (pot holes, etc.) Overall, this was a really good time and a good experience. It's great if you want to have a fun experience at a beautiful venue for a date, a family outing or a get together with friends. Hope this helps! read more

See all

Beautiful property. I attended a wedding recently and was amazed by the venue and the staff.

The space no surprise was beautiful, felt like we were in Napa Valley. The staff were inviting, professional and friendly. The food is OK. Nothing to rave about however we were ok with that because the whole experience overall was great! read more

Grand Island Mansion - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Walnut Grove, California

The Grand Island Mansion was an incredible event for our wedding as it is by far the most Premier wedding venue in the greater Sacramento area. I would highly recommend anyone else to book a wedding here as the facilities are top-notch and the grounds are so well kept if feels like I am in Italy, right here in California. The staff were very attentive to meet all of my needs and the food was absolutely delicious. read more

This place is absolutely stunning! The lush greenery outside is breathtaking, and I had no idea you could rent rooms inside for parties--so fun! The food is fantastic, with a delicious mix of different cuisines. Everything was a delight, and the staff is super friendly. 10/10! read more

We were here for birthday celebration. Upon entering the front door, we waited a couple minutes before the host comes and greets us. The table setting was not impressed. I thought I was at the 80s. No tall flute for mimosa, instead it's served in the round short glassware. Service was hit and miss. There's three servers going around in my area. We only got one round of drink without asking. A server of three preferred to refill other tables but not ours. We had to wave and ask for refill a few times and then got tired of it. At the end, we left with empty beverages glasses on table. Price is reasonable if compare with the Bay Area restaurants. However the quality is not up to standard. Very little options. No doubt, the food was freshly prepared. It will be nice if they could offer tour guide and tell us more about the background of this historic building. read more

See all

Located in the outskirts of Sacramento. Off a 2 way country lane. Beautiful drive but very narrow roads. Was able to visit this beautiful place for a Sunday brunch with a group of ladies for a triple birthday celebration and a girls day off. Girlfriend said it was at least a 2 month reservation. Although Not sure if it was because we were a large group of 15 or if that is the normal but RSVP ahead of time. The service was great. The brunch was delicious. It totaled out to be $65 per person with gratuities. Divided between 13 of us that showed up. Our server, terrible with names ‍ she was wonderful. She gave a run down of the brunch , the amenities, and said we were welcome to tour the upstair rooms, downstair bar, ballroom, theater area and outdoors after we were done with brunch. Felt no pressure and felt very welcomed here. Rooms are only available with a wedding booked. IG picturesque perfect location. read more

Grand Island Mansion - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Walnut Grove, California

See all

Great service from staff. Very attentive. Great seating with a nice view. Brunch selection was good, but variety could be better. Food tasted great. read more

Grand Island Mansion - Entrance to GIM - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Walnut Grove, California

See all

Beautiful!! The food is fantastic, the view stunning!! I've gone to a couple of weddings that I've just been so lovely.

As soon as we saw this venue, we knew!,!. It is stunning. It's like a fairytale wedding in a huge beautiful mansion with twinkly lights everywhere. We could not have asked for a more beautiful venue. The day of coordinating was so seamless. They did a great job of moving guests through where they needed to be at the times they needed to be there. They were easy to find to answer questions on the day of. The gals there were super responsive when we sent emails or had questions. I just can't say enough about this place. It looked just like a wedding out of a Hallmark movie and it was perfect. Another benefit is the mansion sleeps 27 guests or so in numerous elegant bedrooms on the 3rd and 4th floor. The wedding party and family can stay in the mansion so you don't have to drive after the reception. The only downside to the venue is it's a little bit remote. It's about a 20 or 30 minute drive to the nearest hotels. There are a few Airbnb's that you can rent in Walnut Grove but they're not gonna be five star places. Not gonna lie. This place is expensive, but you get what you pay for. If a perfect fairytale wedding is what you're looking for then look no farther than the Grand Island mansion. *photos by Lori Makabe Photography, property of bride read more

See all

We haven't been there in years, but it was a fun dining experience when we went. We'd definitely go back if in the area. Worth the drive along the Delta, lovely scenery. When we ate there, we were in a boat - also worth the cruise. read more

Took my lady to brunch and was surprised by the service and quality of food. Reservations are required as the place was packed on arrival. We were seated promptly and offered mimosas, which were very heavy handed might I add by our excellent server. And they came rather frequently to keep the glasses full. The food options here weren't too broad but the selections were all made very well. The salad had a tangy green sauce , and toasted pecans which added flare, the French toast was cooked to perfection and buttery. My personal favorite here was the cauliflower Manchurian. OMG , I couldn't get enough! I had to call in to ask about it after , this dish was sweet , spicy with a hint of Indian spice. The salmon and chicken dishes were also very flavorful and cooked to perfection. My only complaint here was the prime rib. It was rather bland. Everything else we tried was fantastic . Excellent food and better service . Will return ! Oh and walking around the mansion after 8 mimosas was also rather adventurous read more

See all

OMG. I feel like I stepped out of Sacramento civilization and stepped back into time when there were horse and carriages for transportation. Okay, maybe not that too far back in time - but seriously, this establishment is beautiful and was the prefect backdrop for my cousin's wedding. Driving up you'll feel like you're not in the right place but then bam, this mansion appears out of no where. The grounds are well maintained. You can tell from the actual exterior of the mansion to the well manicured grass throughout. This mansion is the perfect location for any party gathering, especially a wedding! Only thing is the parking for guests. There is a small parking lot in the back, but if you have over 80 guests some will have to park along the street. At night this street gets really dark. Drive safe and Check it out! read more

See all

This review is ONLY about the Sunday brunches (i.e. not about it as a wedding venue). Anyway, we were looking forward to checking out one of the best, most ornate, venues in NorCal. They have a good website that explains the fancy history, but basically it is a huge 1920 Italian Renaissance villa. Primary problem - A significant portion of people have no dang common sense. It's Easter at a fancy forum, and about 1/4 - 1/3 of the people were dressed like they were eating fast food on their couches while watching TV, or were going to an A's game. Numerous people were wearing shorts, flip flops, t-shirts, and ballcaps. Some were wearing jeans, and not even the nice kind. A few women were wearing ripped "Daisy Dukes" with their arses hanging out. A few others were wearing spring rompers....with their arses hanging out (cottage cheese anyone?)! Not exactly the type of place you want to take Mom or Grandma after Easter Mass for a nice brunch. It brought the experience down to the level of a 2 a.m. Las Vegas buffet. This is 99% the fault of Grand Island Mansion because they could correct the problem if they wanted to, by simply enforcing a dress code. The other 1% is for the goofs that just don't get it, but as they say "you can't fix stupid." Secondary problem - The food was only meh. For $60 a person ($80 with tax and tip), you expect more than second rate buffet food. First, what kind of Easter Brunch doesn't have egg dishes? No scrambled eggs, no eggs benedict, no omelet station....just a mediocre veggie frittata. Don't even think about bacon. No fresh seafood like chilled shrimp or smoked salmon. And the final insult, criminally overcooked-dry, leg of lamb at the carving station (no other meat at the carving station). The dessert table was decent. Bottom line: I'll never be back (except perhaps for a wedding). The venue is pretty, but the specialness is destroyed by their lack of standards. The food is subpar. read more

Just beyond beautiful venue! Expert service The rive out the window is a sight to see. Beautiful place and experience. read more

Beautiful setting and mansion. Only drawback is it's very out of the way and you'll be driving on 2 lane country roads with no guard rails to get here. Very sketchy at night since you'll be relying on your headlights. Otherwise, great service and food. We went for a party and there's lots of room to roam, dance, and to mingle. read more

Went here for my nieces wedding! Place has a Victorian beauty and the beast feel! The food was good, buffet style. The outside is really pretty too with fountains and greenery. The downside is it has a small dressing room, and dining area is kind of small. Cute for a wedding, but it's a certain style. The drive home sucked at night because it was pitch black on the river road. But cute overall read more

Grand Island Mansion - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Walnut Grove, California

Great place for a special occasion brunch or tea party. I've been to their afternoon tea and had their Buffett brunch. This is a place worth dressing up for and trying out on you next celebration. The options are plentiful. There is something for everyone. The grounds are the perfect place to take pictures for that special occasion. This place is a must visit. I look forward to coming again. read more

1st time going to the grand mansion for the Sunday brunch and it didn't disappoint. There was a big variety of delicious food including Salmon, prime rib, veggies , pasta, Indian dishes and of course lots of dessert choices. Great service and bottomless mimosas. After brunch we walked around the mansion grounds which has a beautiful garden . This is a great place for a girls day out, couples, dates etc. read more

The Grand Island Mansion was the perfect venue for our wedding! Elena, as our mansion coordinator, was amazingly helpful and the whole mansion team was phenomenal. Having in house catering, bartending, and such well organized staff allowed our wedding to be seamless. The service at Grand Island Mansion was excellent at our wedding. The bartenders, servers, and buffet attendants were professional and friendly. We also had a dedicated server for fetching us drinks, appetizers and food. She was so warm and friendly - it was lovely having someone look after us on our wedding day to make sure we got time to enjoy the food and drinks! Our guests raved about the food, and we loved it as well. We did a brunch buffet and all of the dishes and appetizers were excellent. The cake was also delicious! We personally found the Grand Island Mansion venue absolutely stunning and impeccably well kept. We're so happy this beautiful venue is paired with a dream team. The planning team was very responsive to our many questions leading up to the wedding, and they were accommodating to some food restrictions a few guests had. They also were helpful in working with us to customize our drinks and food. We had to change our event schedule extremely last minute due to rain and Grand Island Mansion was incredible in accommodating our schedule change! It made all the difference in the world to us to have our ceremony outside, which required waiting for the rain to stop. We are eternally grateful for Elena and the Grand Island Mansion team for being so professional and adaptable and helping make our dream wedding a reality! read more

Sunday, 12/08/2019 - First time here at the Grand Island Mansion for lunch. It's like $50ish each person. This place is in the middle of no where, next to river. But it is absolutely BEAUTIFUL inside and outside! Lunch is buffet style. Food was delicious. Dessert table was delicious. Pros: 1) beautiful inside and outside. Great for photos. 2) decor inside is gorgeous. 3) buffet was delicious. We all enjoyed it immensely. 4) love the Christmas-y decorations. 5) after you eat, you can roam around the mansion and take photos if you like. 6) love that it's old and well taken care of. 7) women's bathroom was very cute 8) customer service was excellent. 9) table was beautifully decorated. 10) servers filled our water cups and checked in on us. 11) cute areas all around to take photos. Cons: 1) aujus sauce for prime rib did not compliment the rib. 2) women's bathroom was cute, but a little dirty. I highly recommend this place. We will definitely come here again. We had a great experience. read more

See all

Beautiful venue! My team and I have been setting up flowers and decor here for the past 18 years! the team there is always happy to accommodate your needs and will ensure your event runs smoothly. read more

See all

We love collaborating with Grand Island Mansion. Their team is professional and efficient, ensuring everything is perfect for the event. The venue itself is gorgeous and always impresses our clients! read more

Grand Island Mansion - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Walnut Grove, California

I have NEVER in my life been to a more spectacular wedding than the wedding at the Grand Island Mansion. The couple were married east of the mansion. After the ceremony, the guests were invited inside the mansion to sip champagne and eat hors d'oeuvres. Then the wedding party guests were ushered to the open area east of the mansion. The bride and groom came down from the staircase and danced their first dance. We were asked to go further east into a humongous tent with beautiful white flowers and white lights. The dinner was a buffet including Prime rib and roasted chicken. DELICIOUS! If you are looking for a fairytale wedding, you should go check this out and also hire Marquis as your DJ and wedding consultant. read more

See all

* Honest review of Grand Island Mansion from a bride who had her wedding here * I gave it a lot of thought and time prior to posting my review on Yelp, so I'll start at the beginning. My husband and I got engaged in June 2019. That same year, while he was away on a business trip, my sister and I toured the mansion to see if it was a right fit for the theme we were going for. After careful consideration with my husband, we agreed to sign the paperwork to book Grand Island Mansion for our wedding and reception venue. Our wedding was initially to take place in the fall of 2020 at Grand Island Mansion. Obviously, in 2020, the COVID pandemic occurred, so we were initially reassured by the staff at Grand Island that our wedding plans shouldn't change. My husband was diligent in contacting them regularly as the news about things shutting down again was circulating. At first, we were told (by staff at Grand Island) that we could still have our wedding on-site, but guests were required to wear masks (which is completely fine). However, after several calls from my husband, we found out that we could no longer have dancing at our reception and eventually no reception at all. About a month before our big day, my husband couldn't get ahold of anyone at Grand Island. Instead, we had our wedding planner contact the staff from Grand Island, who eventually gave us the option to either postpone our wedding altogether (since things were shutting down again) or we could have just our wedding ceremony there with a very small number of guests. My husband and I weren't happy at first (especially due to the very short notice), but we went ahead to postpone our larger wedding to May 2021, while still moving forward to wed in the fall of 2020. And I must say, we had a "blast" trying to make last-minute arrangements for our micro-wedding in 2020. When the time finally came, our wedding ceremony and reception were beautiful! It was exactly how we wanted it; however, there were little things that didn't sit well with my husband and me. We absolutely HATED how there was so much waste when it came to the food. Since we had the buffet option, some of our guests requested their leftovers to be boxed up so they could take the leftovers home. Instead, however, the staff threw away their food. They also threw away my husband and my cake slice after we cut the cake and had only a couple of bites since we had to have our first dance together. The other cake slices that they cut for our guests, who were mainly with us on the dance floor or at the photo booth were also thrown away. Since the food and the cake cost an arm and a leg, I expected much better service than this. OTHER CONS: When choosing the food options for our wedding, they DO NOT provide any taste testing for any of the meals or the wedding cakes. We were told, by staff, that we needed to eat at one of their brunch events (which cost about $55 per person when we looked) to "sample" the food. They do not allow the wedding party (including the bride and groom) access to the mansion until about 1-2 hours prior to the start of the wedding ceremony. This means that the bridal party must get ready at another location and come to the Mansion just to change and take pictures. Since we don't live anywhere near Walnut Grove, this was frustrating for us since we had to get ready very early and leave our locations 1-2 hours to get to the Mansion on time. Before our wedding was over, right after taking the final photos for our wedding, the staff packed and dumped all of the items that we brought for the ceremony & the reception on us (obviously giving us the hint that we needed to leave soon). Luckily, there were a good amount of guests still there to help us load our items and drive them back to our home for us (multiple vehicles were required for this). For evening weddings (which we had), the staff expects you to also stay overnight in one of their many rooms. This means that you have to put a down payment to reserve the room(s) and also pay for their overpriced room(s). Since we had to postpone our wedding, they luckily showed us some grace, since I wasn't impressed with any of the rooms they had to offer. OVERALL After working with several staff members from Grand Island Mansion from 2019 to our wedding in 2021, I can honestly say that I'm not too impressed with the service that we received, especially for the amount that we paid. Yes, the venue itself is gorgeous and well-maintained; however, I feel like my husband and I couldn't fully savor our moment, partially due to the COVID drama but also due to all the unexpected things that popped up with Grand Island Mansion. read more