Brides often have a variety of questions relating to having their wedding at The Ritz-Carlton, Huntington Hotel & Spa. These Wedding Essentials will help answer some of the basic and most frequently asked questions.
Event Times?
Daytime events may be scheduled from 10 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Evening events may be scheduled from 6 p.m. until midnight. These times may be flexible on days other than Saturday and in the months of January - April.
Do I need to hire a Wedding Coordinator?
Wheher your entire wedding has been planned since childhood or your research has just begun, we strongly recommend that you select one of the professional wedding coordinators from our list to assist you with your special day.
The Ritz-Carlton, Huntington Hotel & Spa will also provide you with a wedding specialist on staff from our Meetings and Special Events Department to coordinate the details for your events hosted in the hotel.
A professional wedding coordinator can assist with the following:
- Assist you with etiquette and protocal for invitations, family matters, ceremony tradtions and toasts.
- Create a timeline for your entire wedding day including your ceremony and reception.
- Remind your bridal party and family members of important "call times" and "don't forgets" to ensure that your wishes are met. This is often done at your ceremony rehearsal.
- Organize and coordinate your ceremony rehearsal.
- Confirm call times and details with your vendors several days prior to your wedding day.
- Assist in locating and contracting your vendors.
- Be the liason between your family, bridal party and all vendors.
- Assist the bridal party with dressing.
- Ensure the ladies have their corsages and bouquets and assist with pinning of the gentlemen's boutonnieres prior to photos.
- Coordinate your ceremony, grand entrance, first dance, toasts and cake cutting.
- Count and collect your wedding gifts and deliver them to the designated location at the conclusion of your reception.
- Collect any personal items you may have brought to the hotel for their safe return at the conclusion of your reception.
What will the role be of the Hotel Meeting and Special Events Manager?
Your Ritz-Carlton Meeting and Special Events Manager will:
- Act as the on-site liason between your wedding coordinator and hotel operations staff ensuring a seamless event.
- Establish your guest room block and monitor the status of reservations, if applicable.
- Personally oversee the details of the bride and groom's room reservations, if applicable.
- Recommend Special Event professionals to provide wedding coordination, music, design and decor, photography, ceremony officiant, invitations and amenities.
- Act as a menu consultant for all food and beverage selections.
- Detail your Banquet Event Orders and Wedding Resume outlining all of your event specifics and overnight accommodations to ensure that all information is communicated successfully to the operational team of the hotel.
- Create an estimate of charges outlining your financial commitments and deposit schedule.
- Create a floor plan of your function space in order for you to plan and provide the hotel with your seating arrangements.
- Oversee the ceremony and reception room set up, food prepartion and other hotel operations.
- Ensure a seamless transition to the Banquet Captain on the day of your event.
- Review your Banquet checks for accuracy prior to the completion of your final bill.
What will the Hotel Provide?
The hotel provides all food and beverage, tables and chairs, white Frette table linens, wood parquet dance floor and stage on a complimentary basis.
Can I have Wedding Photography taken at the hotel if I don’t plan my wedding at The Ritz-Carlton?
Our most elegant backdrops for wedding photographs are private areas reserved for our guests hosting their wedding reception in the hotel. We are unable to allow photographs to be taken in any public area of the hotel that might interfere with another guest's experience, such as the hotel lobby, staircases, lounges or restaurants. If you book overnight accommodations in the hotel, you are welcome to take photos in your guestroom.
I’m expecting less than 50 guests, may I have my wedding in one of your gardens?
The gardens are reserved with one of the three ballrooms, however for short-term weddings booking within ninety days, exceptions can be made.
Are we permitted to provide our own food and beverage at the hotel?
Although we do not permit food and beverage from outside sources to be served at the hotel, our culinary team provides an extensive selection of wonderful food and beverage, including a multitude of ethnic cuisines. We are delighted to customize menus to reflect your own personal tastes and even incorporate cherished family recipes.
We have specific ideas about our wedding.
Anything is possible at The Ritz-Carlton, Huntington Hotel & Spa. Our wedding specialists, chefs, and our Ladies and Gentlemen are dedicated to exceeding your expectations. Let us fulfill your dream.
What will I need to know before contacting the hotel?
First, know what matters most to you on your wedding day. In the beginning stages of the process, do not limit your dream in any way-our wedding specialists will be delighted to make your vision a reality. Next, we recommend that you have an idea of your desired date or season and an estimated number of guests.
Should I make an appointment to see the hotel?
You are always welcome to visit the hotel at any time; however, we highly recommend that you contact our Catering Sales Department in advance to set up a personal appointment. This will ensure that all the appropriate areas are available for you to view on your tour.
What are the Food Requirements/Minimums?
A food and beverage minimum is required for a wedding. Minimums vary depending on the room and time of day. Minimums are lower for daytime events.
Can I bring my own Wedding Cake?
Wedding cakes can be custom made by the hotel's pastry team or a bride can bring her own. If the cake is not purchased from the hotel, there is a cake-cutting fee. Our pastry chef has a broad repertoire of wedding cakes that are a delight to the eye and the palate. He and his team are proficient in replicating your cake from a photo or assisting you in designing one that is unique to you. Our wedding cakes combine the finest ingredients, flavor and beauty to make your special day even more memorable. Each cake is custom made by the pastry team with styles ranging from simple to ornate, classic to nouveau.
I would like to have a menu representative of my culture. May I bring in an outside caterer?
Our culinary staff members are experts within several different cultural cuisines, however an outside caterer would be considered for Sundays only and with a minimum of 350 guests.