FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WEDDINGS & EVENTS

Does Chef Cordelia offer tastings?

Yes! Chef Cordelia Catering holds a monthly Supper Club tasting dinner at our sister venue, The Lodge at Malibou Lake in Agoura. The evening begins with a cocktail hour with passed appetizers and drinks, then we move into the Ballroom for dinner. We always have vendors who contribute as well, and may have a DJ, musicians, event planner, florist and photographer in attendance. Reservations are $75 per person, and up to 4 dinners ($300) will be credited toward your final catering invoice. Alternately, we can do a private, custom tasting for 4 guests for a flat fee of $750. CLICK HERE to make a reservation for Supper Club

How do you manage special dietary requirements such as gluten-free, vegan, and kosher catering?

We will happily design menus that have allergen-free, vegetarian and vegan options. We are also pleased to offer kosher-style catering when requested. This means we use kosher food products and follow kosher guidelines such as not serving dairy with meat and excluding shellfish and pork. If you are concerned with even small amounts of allergens or other types of foods, please note that we do NOT have separate kitchens that are used only for kosher, vegetarian, vegan, or allergen-free meal preparation. We therefore cannot assure meals that are completely free of trace amounts or combinations of specific foods.

Do you offer event lighting?

We provide café lighting on our West Lawn for outdoor dining, and dimmable interior chandeliers and lamps. We do not offer any other type of party lighting - most couples look to their DJ to provide party or dance floor lighting. Please see our vendor list for approved vendors.

Are there any sound restrictions?

In consideration of our neighbors we do not allow amplified sound outdoors past 8:30pm, and the sound level outdoors is not to exceed 75 decibels. Music played indoors may not exceed 85 decibels, and an effort must be made to keep windows and doors closed when playing music indoors.

Do you set and clean everything up for us for our event?

Our staff will set all of Wrensmoor’s furnishings. Catering staff will also set dining tables with your linens and place settings, and clear all dishware/glassware/flatware/linens once dining and/or the event is complete. You and your vendors are responsible for setting up any décor, florals, custom signage, sound equipment, drapery, photo booth, etc. and for cleanup up and removal of anything that’s been brought onto the property such as flowers, décor, signage, paper products, candles, etc.

Can we have an after-party at Wrensmoor?

If you are staying overnight you are welcome to keep the party going with your overnight guests, provided you keep all activity indoors and all event guests and vendors are off property by midnight on Saturday or 11pm Sunday thru Friday. While the main bar will close in the Cocktail Lounge, our bartenders can move bar product into the Speakeasy Bar for self-service.

How do you handle parking for events?

For events of more than 50 guests, please contact Coco Valet for parking management for your event. Approximately 32 cars may be parked in our driveway, with an additional 9 cars in the motor court. Please see our Parking Map. Vendors are welcome to unload their vehicles in the motor court, then park in the driveway (see Parking Map). Per the City of Alhambra, absolutely no guest or vendor parking is allowed on neighborhood streets - ALL vehicles must be parked on our property.

How many restrooms do you have?

We have 3 first floor restrooms available for event guests to use, as well as 1 restroom available on the first floor of the guest house/garage. The 7 bathrooms on the 2nd floor are for overnight guest use only.

Are you handicap accessible?

Wrensmoor is a private residence built in 1925, and was not designed with accessibility in mind. We do have a level parking area however, and are happy to provide an 8’ steel ramp for wheelchair access to the first floor of the house, via the East door. Please note that, for safety, wheelchair users are never to use the ramp unassisted, as the grade is steeper than standard ADA guidelines.

Do you allow pets?

We do not allow pets to stay overnight at Wrensmoor, however the wedding couple is welcome to include their pet in their outdoor ceremony, provided the pet is leashed at all times, and removed from the property following ceremony. Pets are not allowed inside the castle.

Do you offer a cigar/smoking lounge area?

Smoking is prohibited indoors and outdoors within 50 ft. of any of the entrance doors. Guests may smoke outdoors in any area with concrete or gravel. There is an ash receptacle located by the fire pit on the east side of the house. If you are planning on providing a Cigar Station or Weed Bar for your guests, it would need to be set up in an exterior area of the property.

Can we have sparklers or smoke bombs at Wrensmoor?

Yes. Small fireworks are legal in the city of Alhambra. Please keep all fireworks over the brick or concrete areas of the property. We do not allow fireworks indoors or over the grass. Please let us know if you are planning to use small fireworks and we will supply a fire extinguisher at the site, as an extra precaution.

Can we use a drone to shoot footage during our wedding?

We do allow drone photography, with any drone activity concluding by 9 pm at the latest. Please limit drone flying to above Wrensmoor only, in order to not disturb our neighbors. As with all vendors, your drone operator will need to provide us with proof of liability insurance and a signed copy of our House Rules.

What is your rain plan? What are the costs associated with it?

For events with a maximum of 60 guests it is possible to host your ceremony in the Ballroom, then ‘flip’ the room for dining, during cocktail hour. This will incur a fee for 2 additional staff to assist in moving furniture.

For events with greater than 60 guests we can host your ceremony indoors in the Ballroom, and then you would need to bring in a rental tent for dining. We do keep track of the weather and will work with your planner to schedule the tent installation and removal. The cost of rental tenting varies, based on size and other factors such as additional heating and lighting. Please see our vendor list for recommended vendors.

Do we need to provide insurance?

Yes. We require that all clients and vendors be insured, and provide us with a COI (certificate of insurance). Many clients go through their homeowners or renters insurance, or there are companies such as WedSafe and Event Helper which specifically supply insurance for events

The Client, Vendors, and other Contractors must be insured, carrying at least:

• $1,000,000.00 General Liability

• $2,000,000.00 Property Damage

The COI must name the following 3 entities as additional insured:

- Native Daughter LLC dba Chef Cordelia, 29033 Lake Vista Dr., Agoura, CA 91301

- Wrensmoor LLC dba Wrensmoor Castle 1700 Grand View Dr., Alhambra CA 91803

- Jie Xu, 1700 Grand View Dr., Alhambra CA 91803

QUESTIONS? CONTACT US! Please, always inform us of your plans to ensure that they are all pre-approved and allowed at Wrensmoor.