We have nothing but great things to say about The Thaxton. The Thaxton staff, Peter, Terry, and Kim, were proactive and responsive during the planning, rehearsal, and the wedding. They are very flexible and will work with your ministerial, florist, catering, and setup choices. They offer a recommended list on their website that helps you make the right choices. Peter promptly responds to emails and his advice was very helpful
Peter went above and beyond by accommodating our special request for Grayson's Cabernet Sauvignon wine. Terry was there to open The Thaxton for our florist, Bridget Weible with Flowers to the People (http://www.flowerstothepeople.biz), who we found on The Thaxton's recommended list and also did an awesome job. Our photographer, Mandy Evans (http://www.mandyevansphoto.com), was also allowed to take pre-wedding pictures of The Thaxton.
The physical layout of The Thaxton is perfect for smaller venues of less than 120 guests. The layout allows an efficient use of space. The downstairs bar is open approximately an hour before the wedding so early guests (and the groom) can enjoy a pre-wedding drink. The ceremony is conducted on the main floor, which comfortably held our 80+ guests.
Terry was on cue with all of our requested wedding songs, and Peter ensured the ceremony progressed as planned. The Thaxton allowed our own unique decorations, candles, and setup. The wedding went as planned. The speaker system is excellent and supports any device with an audio jack. Peter and Terry prefer Apple products, and an iPod works great.
After the ceremony, guests move to the downstairs bar area for drinks and appetizers while the Thaxton staff and your caterers prepare the main floor for your toasts, dinner, and dessert. The staff completed this with speed and efficiency. In just one hour, the upstairs looked completely different than our wedding ceremony.
For dinner, the main floor is bigger than it looks. There was plenty of room for our guests, the tables were large and no one was cramped. For dinner, we chose Vito's (http://vitosstl.info/) who provided equally excellent service. Vito's was one of several caterers recommended by the Thaxton, and we were equally happy with his service. One of the several reasons we chose The Thaxton was our distaste for "wedding food," which is basically overpriced hotel food. Vito's owns an excellent Italian restaurant, and the catered food was just as excellent as the choices on his restaurant menu. Vito's and The Thaxton staff coordinated wine and drink service with our dinner. After dinner, there was plenty of room to cut the wedding cake, which was provided by Russo's (http://www.russosgourmet.com/index.php?p=24), and was perfect in view and taste.
After dinner and dessert, we return to the downstairs bar for the first dances and party. The Thaxton's recommended DJ, NAME, was responsive and helpful. He played all requested songs and kept the party going. The Thaxton has a full service bar, so guests that want drinks not provided in the wedding package can purchase them individually. These options include top shelf bourbon, scotch, mixed drinks, and other liquors. The bar a la carte prices were reasonable and in line to what the drinks cost at downtown St. Louis bars, there was no gouging.
At the conclusion of the wedding party, Peter, Terry, and Kim were gracious enough to humbly thank us for the business and gave us a wedding gift.
The Thaxton is a very unique event space. Your guests will all agree how beautiful the place is, and is definitely a nice change from your typical event space. The downstairs feels very intimate and cozy, and the upstairs has a historical museum feel. Your event will be very memorable at the Thaxton!