My wife and I recently had the pleasure of touring The Booking House, a wedding and event venue tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the square of Manheim in northern Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
The Booking House used to be a tobacco factory and still possesses that rustic, industrial charm. The term “booking” refers to a method of rolling cigars by layering tobacco leaves and rolling them into a scroll. In keeping with its historic value, the venue is rife with exposed wooden beams, hardwood floors, and exposed brick, as well as other historic relics, such as a defunct freight elevator. If rustic is not quite your flavor, they do have a bright modern industrial area used for medium-sized gatherings.
The venue features many rooms that can be used for any number of private events. All of them have beautiful, warm lighting to enhance the rustic feel. Should you wish to book The Booking House for your wedding, the entire venue would be made available to you for the entire day. The entire space is climate controlled, so you can host your party or wedding there any time of year!
Take a walk with me…
The downstairs area features a bridal suite and two adjacent rooms that can be used for smaller private gatherings and cocktail hours, and they can be opened up to accommodate larger groups. One of these rooms features a bar, and the other features an antique mantle over a faux fireplace. I personally played my guitar in these rooms, and the acoustics sound amazing! In fact, there isn’t a bad space for sound.
Upon walking up the open staircase to the 2nd level, you enter the largest space, The Rizzardi Room. This space features a large vaulted wooden ceiling, exposed joists, and crystal chandelier. At the other end of the room is a working fireplace and a balcony area from the 3rd floor. This space is used for large gatherings, including wedding ceremonies and receptions. The back half of the room can be utilized as well, featuring another bar and access to the 3rd floor. Also on this 2nd level is a recently-added modern industrial area known as The Atrium, which features opening garage doors, making it a perfect space for warmer days.
The 3rd floor is the groom’s suite, complete with a TV, kitchenette, and cigar humidor. The smell of cigars still lingers, welcoming the groomsmen to a manly haven. The other end of this spacious area features a defunct freight elevator and the access to the balcony of the Rizzardi Room.
The Amenities
The Booking House boasts an in-house bartending staff to man the bars and serve your guests the liquid courage they desire. While they do not have an in-house caterer, they have an exclusive list of excellent caterers from which to choose, as well as a kitchen area that they can use to prepare your dinner. The Booking House can also provide you with day-of coordination of your wedding. This is one of the more unique features of the venue, as they can coordinate directly with your vendors to make sure everyone arrives on time and everything goes smoothly for your occasion. They also provide a complimentary list of approved vendors, though you are free to bring whomever you choose (aside from the caterers). And yes, Jake’s FretWorks is on that list!
The venue can accommodate any type of occasion or celebration up to 250 guests. They also offer free off-street parking just across the train tracks in a lot that holds up to 85 vehicles.
The Staff
I personally met with Sales & Operations Manager, Brittany. She was so bubbly, friendly, and inviting. She welcomed my wife and I like it was her home. If you get the chance to take a tour there when considering a venue for your wedding, I hope you get to meet Brittany. She has been on staff there since 2015 and really knows the ins-and-outs of the entire operation. It seems like she genuinely enjoys working there and overseeing all the staff that come together to make peoples’ weddings unforgettable.
The Booking House is independently owned by JP and Michele Perron, a local family. They have done a terrific job renovating the space into a beautiful venue that is a hallmark for what indoor venues should look like.
In Conclusion
Although I have not yet had the pleasure of performing an event there, I cannot wait for the opportunity. Each room is beautiful and the acoustics are great, creating the perfect atmosphere for an elegant occasion. Each space has all the power requirements that someone who plays electric guitar would need. I can picture myself playing in literally any of the rooms and it would sound amazing.
I would highly recommend reserving The Booking House for your next private party or your wedding. And add to it by having Jake’s FretWorks play electric guitar as the perfect aural backdrop for your guests!
Leave a Reply