My husband and I were married on August 11, 2012 and had our reception at the Hilton Garden Inn, Downtown Richmond. Our planning began in March 2012, and as soon as we met Kathryn McDonald we knew our reception was in good hands. Between March and August, Kathryn met with us multiple times to answer questions, help us plan our meal and decorations, crunch numbers etc. She was readily available by phone and email and returned calls/messages quickly. All costs were very clearly presented to us and there were no surprise charges. She introduced us to the other staff who would be working our reception, all of whom were very courteous and professional. The Hilton even held a "Meet the DJ Night" where we found the DJ for our reception. She and the Hilton staff easily accommodated all our needs such as food for guests on a specific diet (gluten free and dairy allergy) and allowed us a lot of flexibility on things like when the reception began, when we had to leave the room, when the bar was cash vs open. All these things sound like something you would except from any reception venue, but I can tell you as a bride trying to plan a wedding for 125 out of town guests, the service at the Hilton was invaluable and Kathryn is the only reason we had a reception at all. Speaking of 125 out of town guests,...My husband and I were married on August 11, 2012 and had our reception at the Hilton Garden Inn, Downtown Richmond. Our planning began in March 2012, and as soon as we met Kathryn McDonald we knew our reception was in good hands. Between March and August, Kathryn met with us multiple times to answer questions, help us plan our meal and decorations, crunch numbers etc. She was readily available by phone and email and returned calls/messages quickly. All costs were very clearly presented to us and there were no surprise charges. She introduced us to the other staff who would be working our reception, all of whom were very courteous and professional. The Hilton even held a "Meet the DJ Night" where we found the DJ for our reception. She and the Hilton staff easily accommodated all our needs such as food for guests on a specific diet (gluten free and dairy allergy) and allowed us a lot of flexibility on things like when the reception began, when we had to leave the room, when the bar was cash vs open. All these things sound like something you would except from any reception venue, but I can tell you as a bride trying to plan a wedding for 125 out of town guests, the service at the Hilton was invaluable and Kathryn is the only reason we had a reception at all. Speaking of 125 out of town guests, Mark Harris is another member for the Hilton team that I would like to recognize. He handled the room block for the guests and could also be easily reached to manage booking logistics. All rooms were pristine and the beds extremely comfortable. The food was AMAZING, the room and tables were beautifully decorated, I couldn't have asked for a more problem free wedding day. So if you're planning a wedding reception in Richmond Virginia, you want Kathryn McDonald as your event coordinator, she'll work with you to make your reception better than you ever hoped it could be.More
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