We chose Rose Bank Winery for our wedding on Labor Day, and it was a fantastic choice. Their staff was always helpful, the venue had everything our caterer needed to deliver a fantastic meal, and their alcohol policies are the best in the area.
In reverse order: Alcohol policy. You can bring in outside beer and liquor. You have to use their wine, but they will BUY BACK any wine you don't drink!
Anyone looking for a wedding venue will tell you: That is as good as it gets!
Every bride & groom worries about guests running out of alcohol - we used Rose Bank as our "not gonna run out" insurance policy. We overbought on the wine, and when the night was over, they had someone on hand to tally up the unused bottles and they cut us a check a few days later. That's how you cut down on the alcohol costs of a wedding. (Plus, you get a significant multiple case discount (3+), so the bottles are actually cheap compared to anywhere else. We went with a standard white/rose/red split, and it worked out great.)
Facilities: Your caterer will love you. This place has a kitchen, walk in coolers, prep area, etc. I've heard of couples wanting to get married in fields, on riverbanks, etc. and all I think to myself is...good luck prepping a three course meal plus apps and desert for 150 people in the middle of a field. It's stuff like that you don't realize is important, until you go through the whole process of shopping for venues.
As far as aesthetics go, we were in the Vintner's Ballroom and Loft - You can't beat it. Even though it's the smaller of their two main event areas, it's actually quite big! We had 150 people and we didn't even need to use the loft area up above. FYI: the loft doubles as the backup ceremony site in case of rain, and of all the venues we looked at, it was the best indoor ceremony backup plan. In fact, the loft was a better indoor ceremony site than some of the other places OUTDOOR ceremony sites. (Did I mention they don't charge you to get married at their venue?)
Speaking of which, the outdoor ceremony site was great! It was well taken care of, visually appealing, and 50 yards tops from the building...it's convenient. You can get married right there, stand outside the door and do the whole receiving line thing, then get everyone inside the barn to start boozing and having fun.
The wood, the bar, the open spaces, the lights...it's cozy without being uncomfortable, but it also keeps your guests in one centralized spot. We had an area for a photo booth, a band, a dance floor and it was just right. when people wanted to get fresh air or take a breather, the tables and chairs on the front "patio" of the barn were perfect.
You know who else is going to love you? Your photographer. We got pictures around the barn, by the house, by the vines, near the silo, by the well, etc. There are so many opportunities on the property to take beautiful pictures, that if your photographer can't deliver a memorable photo album to you, they should probably stop taking pictures professionally.
There is also plenty of parking for guests, for shuttles/buses, etc.
People WILL remember your wedding, because unlike all the country club or hotel reception areas which are cookie cutter, Rose Bank Winery has a unique feel and vibe.
Finally, the staff was helpful and friendly. We came in a couple times in the past to taste wines for fun - whoever we got behind the counter was usually funny, personable and helpful. We actually needed to take the nets off the vines for pictures (ripe grapes are tasty treats for deer and birds) , and they accommodated our request and worked with us to make it happen. Our refund check for the wine got sent to an old address (we moved to Boston after we signed our contract) and they cancelled the old check and promptly mailed us a new check.
Rose Bank also maintains an approved vendor list - if they get a complaint they kick that vendor off the list. That was insanely helpful - I honestly think the reason we ended up giving our vendors such positive Yelp reviews, is because Rose Bank Winery already went through the trouble of screening out the crappy ones. (My only feedback to them, is I wish they organized the vendors by price...we called some caterers and were like...um, no. I understand you're good, but those food prices are insanity. We did eventually find one on the list one who was reasonably priced and delivered out of this world food! I just wish we didn't have to call up the higher priced ones first.)
TLDR: If we were to do it all again, we would pick the exact same place (Rose Bank), and the exact same spot (Vintner's Ballroom & Loft). That's about the highest praise I can offer, for such a lovely venue. read more