The Lucy by Cescaphe-reception — Local services in Philadelphia

I will start out by saying that I loved my wedding (we had ours at The Lucy), and I’d do it all again at Cescaphe. Now that I know how they are, I would change HOW I worked with them. I do think it’s important to go into it eyes wide open. The positives: the venue was gorgeous and the food spread was delicious and so plentiful. Guests were in awe, as Cescaphe executed on what they do best and are known for - the food and drinks. The added hour that comes in the package is also very helpful and worth it. We also loved the vibe at The Lucy and are so glad we picked it (it is classic yet new and modern, and you also cannot beat the location). The reason for less than five stars is really that for the price Cescaphe charges and the salesy promises they make, they should be held accountable for this offering, and clients should go in eyes wide open and prepared. Cescaphe presents a premium price tag and brand, yet truly delivers mass market service and customer experience to the bride and groom, and for now they can, because they have such a stronghold on the Philadelphia wedding market. They run a very specific playbook, and they don’t deviate from it, and as they have grown, they cut more corners. I would caution clients to save every file and document they provide you before you sign, as you will likely need it a year later when they try to tell you something is different or changed. You really need to stay on top of them and ask your event manager about everything. For us there were some small things that didn’t really matter, but the biggest disappointment was the bar. Cescaphe is known for one fixed price for top shelf liquor, but the night of our wedding, several premium liquors that were listed in the sales package were not there. The iconic bar at The Lucy was so sparse looking. We regret specifically not going over every liquor with them beforehand to ensure what was in the contract would be there, but we didn’t think we would have to. It was so frustrating. They really sell (and put in the contract) “top shelf” open bar, but they ended up removing the top of each category without telling us. Later they said it was due to “availability.” Other tips- the “concierge” is completely laughable. It consists of inexperienced talent googling and giving you canned information and referrals that you can frankly get yourself, at the same public rates. They don’t deviate or go above and beyond. They were fine but really not needed, completely an oversold service. Also do your homework- your venue event manager will tell you you can only do things a certain way, but that is just the way they prefer it. If you push them or show them internet posts of your venue set up another way, for instance, they will allow it. You really just need to ask and be extremely proactive and detail oriented. Cescaphe’s preferred vendors are fine, but they certainly are not the best or the most economical. Finally, they totally overstate the venue capacity. Beware of that and round down. Like I said, my wedding was amazing, all the guests seemed to have a spectacular time, so it might seem like I’m nitpicking. But when you are shelling out so much money, you expect a service level that frankly isn’t there. The guests likely won’t feel it (which is great), but you as the bride and groom sure will. If they want to continue to play in the premium space, it’s time to act like it. So just be prepared, squeeze out everything you want from them, hire your own coordinator, and then enjoy your...

Wow! Our expectations were very high and they were surpassed. Our son recently got married 12/3/21, and the reception was at The Lucy. My wife and I continually talk about the reception and how incredible it was and what could have possibly made it better, the answer is nothing. We are from out of town and had no previous knowledge of The Lucy. Fortunately my son`s wife and family are from Philadelphia and they chose the venue. I am in the restaurant and catering business and have a very good idea of what it takes to accomplish what The Lucy does. My son told me, after deciding on The Lucy, that it is a very new venue and they built it basically to be a perfect wedding venue and it truly is. The interior is physically beautiful and very functional. The food was incredible and very plentiful. The bar situation was also outstanding and very functional. The wedding size was around 220 people and no one ever had to wait for anything. The service was exemplary!!! Jimmy was the main person in charge, but there seemed to be other managers involved also, there was certainly no lack of personnel. Jimmy and all the others made sure everything was perfect and it truly was. I have a very critical eye having owned restaurants and an exclusive wedding catering business and I have never seen anything at this or any scale operated so efficiently. There is so much more I could say about how wonderful everything was, but I will end it by saying do not hesitate for a second to use The Lucy for your reception they will not disappoint!! A truly great experience. Thank you to The Lucy and all the wonderful...

We had the absolute pleasure of working with Emily, who is part of the team at The Lucy, and we can’t thank her enough for everything she did to make our wedding day so seamless.

From the start of the planning process, she was organized, communicative, and incredibly helpful. She answered every question we had, helped guide us through decisions with confidence, and kept everything moving in the right direction without ever making us feel overwhelmed.

Her deep knowledge of The Lucy and how weddings flow at the venue was invaluable—she thought of things we never would have considered and made sure all the details were in place. On the wedding day, she was calm, collected, and completely in control. We felt like we could fully enjoy ourselves knowing she had everything handled.

As for The Lucy itself—absolutely stunning. The space is modern, elegant, and the perfect backdrop for a wedding. The food was truly exceptional; our guests are still raving about it. The drinks were executed perfectly and flowed all night. Every member of the staff was friendly, professional, and brought such great energy to the day. They were not only helpful but also genuinely fun to be around, which made the whole experience even better.

We’re so grateful for Emily and the entire team at The Lucy. The venue and the people behind it exceeded every expectation. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a first-class...