John Joseph Inn Reviews

In only a few words -- the John Joseph Inn is an incredible venue and was the perfect spot for our wedding, and we would recommend to anyone!
The venue itself is absolutely gorgeous, and John is continually making additions and improvements year after year it seems. We were able to use the property for the entire wedding weekend, from:
- having the entire wedding party staying onsite
- the Rehearsal Dinner in the restaurant
- Welcome Drinks on the porch and in the atrium of the Inn
- Getting Ready onsite (girls in the Inn, guys in the Cook's Cottage)
- Ceremony in the garden, Cocktail Hour in the orchard, Reception in the Tent
- Afterparty in the Inn
This not only made logistics easy for us, but meant we were able to explore and use every lovely inch of the property!  Also cannot overstate how much we loved that we got to stay on site - it removed so much of the potential hassle for us on our wedding day! The well-maintained gardens and tent were just a stunning location for our day. The ceremony site is a dreamy garden escape, and the reception tent has several wonderful touches not common of other tented venues we toured, including stunning chandeliers, a stone floor, and farmhouse tables.
John himself was a pleasure to work with in the year leading up to the event, and his relaxed and calm demeanor was a valuable asset to counter our own wedding stresses. He is a consummate pro at this, having done it for decades now and especially with Lauren's help for the day-of coordination everything went off without a hitch! In addition, the whole way he runs his business was such a breath of fresh air compared to other venues we had toured that gave off more of a "wedding factory" vibe. With John, there were no concerns about hidden fees or upcharges or that we were just another name in his ledgers, and on top of that the value at the JJI is better than any other venue we toured. For example -- many things were simply included as part of the package whereas they would've been upcharges at many other venues (champagne toasts, wine service at tables, passed cocktails at happy hour, etc.)
Finally, I'd be doing a disservice if I didn't mention the food. From the rehearsal dinner BBQ, to the cocktail hour bites, to the main courses -- everything was so so good and we got many compliments from the guests on how delicious everything was. On top of that, any concerns we had about guests going hungry were completely wrong as the portions were incredibly generous. 
Overall - an absolutely incredible venue that truly made our whole experience!

Getting married at the John Joseph Inn was incredible from start to finish. John is extremely organized, personable, and an extremely talented chef which made our wedding day absolutely perfect. He made sure we were taken care of and put so much personal care into making sure our wedding vision came to life. The food throughout was the best wedding food we’ve ever had! We are still having guests reach out to us telling us how delicious it was. John’s staff at the Inn was attentive and helpful throughout the weekend. The rooms were beautiful, luxurious, and comfortable. Our families and friends absolutely loved staying on the grounds for the weekend. We couldn’t recommend the John Joseph Inn enough. We are so happy to have chosen this venue and would do it again in a heartbeat. You won’t find a more elegant, beautiful, perfect place to get married.

John Joseph Inn was a great venue for our anniversary party. The food was delicious, service wonderful and the set up perfect for our party.

We absolutely recommend this venue for the perfect upstate New York wedding. From the very start of our wedding planning, John was always super accommodating and very easy to reach. This was especially important to us since we were not local for the planning and his responsiveness throughout the process made everything so much less stressful. We especially enjoyed the freedom and flexibility that we had in planning the menu to really celebrate who we were as a couple and John expertly guided us through this with his years of culinary experience. The day of the wedding, John coordinated everything seamlessly even though he was also busy with preparing the best wedding meal we've ever had. We highly recommend John and his venue for a wedding and we could not be happier with how our wedding went.

From the moment I saw pictures of the John Joseph Inn, I knew I had to get married there. The actual experience was better than I could have imagined! John is friendly, confident, and (most importantly) incredible at what he does. As soon as I arrived, I knew John and his staff cared even more about every detail than I did - which allowed me to fully “clock out” and enjoy every moment of the weekend, trusting that everything would go off without a hitch. It did, of course, and John truly labored over every detail. All of the food was incredible, and the setting could not be more perfect. John helped accommodate a couple of unique requests that meant the world to us, and it was such a perfect weekend. I can’t recommend the John Joseph Inn highly enough!!

After deciding to downsize to a microwedding with only 10 guests, my now husband and I were looking at local places to hold a ceremony and have dinner. I had previously considered the John Joseph Inn for our venue, so I decided to see whether he would be up to doing something super small for us. John said yes, and completely blew away any expectation that we had with his out of this world food and wine pairings. One my guests said that it was the best meal she’s ever had. John was also so thoughtful and accommodating to our guest’s needs. The Inn was perfect for my out of town guests, and the grounds are just gorgeous. He made our wedding EXACTLY what we wanted. We are so thankful we had John do our wedding, it was an wonderful, fun experience, and we HIGHLY recommend his services.

We want to start this review off by simply stating that we 100% recommend this venue for a wedding!

We were an unfortunate couple that had booked our wedding for October 2020 long before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. All of our original wedding planning had to be adapted to the situation we found ourselves in.

Before the pandemic hit, John Hamilton was very easy going and very accommodating to our needs, concerns and desires. We were originally planning on having an event with 140 guests. Every step of the way, John was easy to talk to, courteous, and caring to all of our needs.

Then the pandemic hit. We spoke with John a few months into the pandemic and all of our uncertainties were communicated. He was a great listener and was understanding of the unprecedented position we were all in. He always reassured us that he was on our side and will support whatever changes and adjustments we decided going forward.

Once we were six weeks before the wedding when it was certain that the COVID-19 restrictions were not going to be relaxed, we made the difficult choice to slash the event down to only 15 guests. John was very flexible and helpful in guiding us through that emotional decision.

We had a very small and intimate gathering with the wedding ceremony and a beautiful dinner afterwards. The site was still beautifully decorated, and the food was delicious and the service for our small reception was terrific.

We want to highlight that despite how unprecedented and difficult last year was for everyone, John and his staff still managed to give us a great wedding day with memories we will cherish forever.

Definitely recommend, and we hope that no other couple will struggle with any future COVID-19 restrictions like we did, but at least rest assured that if it does happen, John Hamilton will do everything in his power to still give you a great day!

My husband and I had our wedding here. To say it was exceptional, would be an understatement! John and his staff exceeded every expectation and were incredibly accommodating to us and our guests.
It was important for us to have delicious food at our reception. We were told JJI had excellent food. One person told me they had the "best bite of food they've ever had". 100% recommend this place to host your wedding!!

From the moment we met John we knew this was exactly where we wanted our wedding. John is truly one of a kind and will make sure everything you hope to have in your wedding happens. John created a cake person for us that was incredible, the food was amazing and continue to hear it from guests. He was there every step of the way answering any question you have and putting out any fire there was. He made the wedding planning process a breeze. The day of the wedding he made sure every detail was complete. I would not go anywhere else. John and his staff were amazing. The John Joseph Inn is one of a kind, beautiful wherever you look. The Inn, ceremony site, and reception were breathtaking. John focuses on your experience and ensures it’s the best it can be.... shout out to his staff as they are as detailed oriented as he is.....they joined us on the dance floor on our final dance to end the night off right.

The John Joseph Inn was the perfect location for our upstate wedding! The estate provides separate picturesque spaces for ceremony, cocktail and reception. Our guests loved that we stayed on property for all of the nights events and festivities. John helped us create our wedding vision and we couldn’t be happier! We would highly recommend the John Jospeh Inn!

John takes care of everything so the bride should have a stress free special day.

His culinary skills are amazing so challenge him to make the entrees however you would like. But seriously, you have to challenge him. lol my family heritage is Hispanic and hers was Italian, being said we had ceviche and enchilada horduerves and the entree was handmade gnocchi with a badass cut of steak. We didn’t wanna do the cliche cake so we had a 3-4 handmade cheesecake bar with fruit sauces and melted chocolates for toppings.

Straight amazing.

John is just one of the guys and treats you like you are the only that is booking there.

We attended my nephew James Neal’s wedding at John Joseph Inn and it was exceptional! The grounds were perfect and the wedding, reception and accommodations were top notch! It definitely makes us Texas folk want to return to this area of New York for a weekend trip or an even longer vacation!

John's number one priority is creating a memorable experience for you and your guests. He's an event planning expert with amazing culinary talent. If you'd like to spend your time comparing napkin colors, planning elaborate favors or freaking out over logistics– take a deep breath and let John simplify things and help you plan what matter most: A meaningful ceremony in a beautiful setting, BOMB food/drinks and a fun party that everyone will remember.

Spending the entire weekend at the inn meant less logistical planning, and more time to relax with family and friends. John did everything from baking us fresh muffins in the morning, to keeping us on schedule while getting ready, to directing guests after cocktail hour. We're so glad we had our wedding at the John Joseph Inn, and would recommend it to anyone!!! Can't wait to go back for some tastings : )

We could not be any happier after getting married at the John Joseph Inn on 9.2.17...the day and the entire weekend at the Inn was better than we could have ever imagined! Before we get into the details, one of the best aspects about the Inn - especially for a wedding - is that your entire experience can feel more relaxed since you can stay overnight (in gorgeous, comfortable, decadent rooms), get ready with your bridal party, and then literally just walk right outside and get married in the beautiful gardens on the property. John and his staff (especially Ashley!) honestly makes you feel right at home immediately so that any nerves or wedding planning stress quickly melts away. We also decided to host our rehearsal dinner there which we highly recommend doing since the food, drinks and ambiance is fantastic. From the start, we loved John and his positive & humorous attitude, but he stepped it up a notch when it came time for our wedding weekend. He was so dedicated to our wedding & happiness that we honestly can't think of one thing that we would have changed. He was so much fun to work with, gave us great advice when we needed it, and gave us peace of mind since he has been in the wedding business for quite some time and really is a true expert. He wears many hats throughout the process (since he's both the owner/manager & chef) but he doesn't let anything slip through the cracks and will make sure your day is flawless. The food is incredible - huge portions, delicious/perfectly cooked entrees, AMAZING carrot cake...seriously our guests could not stop raving about all the food - we've been hearing constantly from our family & friends that it was the "best carrot cake I've ever had" "my steak was cooked perfectly" "the chicken was juicy and so delicious", etc! I could write much more but since there is a word limit here, just know that John and his staff go above and beyond to make you feel like you're not just another wedding and you will not be disappointed!

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Our wedding day could not have been more spectacular than it was. John and Elizabeth are truly the greatest. From the first time we met John we knew that this was our dream wedding venue. They are two of the most personable, down to earth, and multi talented people we have ever met. What makes their business stand out from the rest is their love for family. We didn't just get married on their property. We created irreplaceable memories with our closest family and friends. The food was top notch which was not a surprise as John and Elizabeth are both culinary experts. The signature drinks were a hit and the cake, absolutely breathtaking. John was very flexible when it came to logisitical matters. He also tweaked the menu to meet our requests. The property is immaculate which made for perfect photos. John was there for us every step of the way even up until I walked down the aisle. He was there to hold my dress as I walked through the garden. He took the time to get to know us which I strongly believe is the reason our day went perfectly. My husband Jon and I cannot thank John and Elizabeth enough for making the best day of our lives come true. What they do for people is a very beautiful thing. We will be back in the near future for a tasting and cannot wait to roll up their driveway to be greeted with huge smiles. What an amazing team John and Elizabeth make. Nothing beats having a private estate to yourself for an entire weekend without the interruption of other wedding parties. The staff was exceptional as well. They were friendly and very attentive to us and our guests. We have received dozens of messages from our families and friends saying "that was the best wedding we have ever been to!". All of our thanks, love and appreciation to you, John and Elizabeth! - Kim and John Kearney

I had the pleasure of working with John and Elizabeth for my wedding on September 13, 2014. They made my wedding day perfection. Their attention to detail and their hard work makes for a wedding to be remembered. My wedding day started off rainy, grey and gross... John and Elizabeth were determined to create a day that would still be perfection in my eyes with plan of doing the ceremony here or there, whatever would work best. As the weather cleared up they dropped those plans and moved the ceremony back outside. They and their staff set up my reception area to perfection, they made THE best food, they took care of the cake which was phenomenal, John was there to guide us through every step of the day, which made for a stress free bride and groom who were able to sit back and enjoy themselves. Having the rehearsal, ceremony and reception all in one place made for easy planning and created a home away from home for the weekend. Having our family and friends stay or stop by the Inn whenever they liked made for a relaxing and fun time. The grounds, arbor, Inn, cottage, restaurant and tent all made a lovely backdrop for our beautiful day, not to mention BEAUTIFUL photo opportunities. As my groom still sleeps from post wedding exhaustion I could not help but recount my wonderful wedding day and brag a bit about how wonderful it turned out thanks to John, Elizabeth and the wonderful staff they surround themselves with. If you didn't know about the John Joseph Inn before, You're Welcome because now you do!

If I could give this venue and its owner, John Hamilton, higher than five stars on everything, I would! From beginning to end, John made our wedding the most special weekend of our lives. Rather than just rave, I will break it down:

Planning: John made the planning easy and seamless. He provided a vendor list that I found extremely helpful when it came to booking all the extras, like florist, DJ, etc. He always answered all of my (many) questions, either by email or phone, within a few days of sending them to him. We had a planning session via Skype since we were planning from New York City. John spent almost two hours with us, chatting and getting a feel for the wedding we wanted.

Property: The Inn itself could not be more idyllic--it's a breathtaking backdrop for a wedding. The gardens were amazing and beautifully kept, plus there were lambs (!) roaming in the back. The rooms themselves are amazing--each one has its own character, with flat screens and jacuzzi tubs. John brought breakfast baskets each morning that had the BEST muffins in the world in them--most mornings the muffins were still warm when we got them.

Day of: We had a short rehearsal the night before, and everything went off without a hitch. John's staff was warm and welcoming as well, and did a beautiful job setting up for the reception. Also, it was amazing that my bridesmaids and I got to relax up in the bridal suite until it was time to go down, and then John came to collect us.

Food: THE FOOD! It was crazy good--not your normal wedding fare. We did three appetizers during cocktail hour and then the plated dinner, and everyone raved about the food (particularly the steak)! The cake was also amazing with buttercream and fresh strawberries.

Service: The service at the reception was remarkable. The bartenders were personable and attentive, and there was never a long wait at the bar. The specialty drink was a perfect touch too.

This place does not disappoint!!!

I cannot say enough about the John Joseph Inn and Elizabeth Restaurant as a ceremony/reception venue. The short version is this: the grounds are insanely beautiful, the meal was perfect, they made us an incredible almond cake, John was available to answer questions via email or Skype, and we had an absolutely perfect wedding. Seriously, they know what they're doing and nothing could have gone any better than it did. Have your wedding & reception here. You’ll be really glad that you did.

The long version follows.

We live in Oakland, California and began planning our summer 2012 wedding in August 2011. We were looking for a beautiful outdoor ceremony and reception location that was closer to family (Michigan and Pennsylvania, respectively). We did all of our planning remotely. We chose the JJandE based solely on their website and online reviews. When we first contacted the JJandE (website here: http://www.jjande.com/www.JJandE.com/Home.html), John was very helpful in answering our plentiful questions and recommending vendors for hair, makeup, photography, etc. As we got deeper into planning, we reached out a few more times and each time, John gave us the benefit of his experience hosting over 100 weddings.

Another major factor in our decision was food. We wanted to find a place where the food was fresh, delicious, and prepared by someone whose cooking reflects care and practice. We found that in the JJandE. There were a variety of meal options, and we chose to offer a strip steak, whitefish, and vegetable strudel, all of which met with rave reviews from our guests.

This review is too long...part 2 will follow.

The grounds at the John Joseph Inn are spectacular and make the perfect backdrop for wedding pictures. The food is amazing!!! We had a few guests with dietary restrictions and John was able to accommodate all their needs. It has been one month since the wedding, and we are still hearing great reviews from our friends and family on the food. John, his wife, Elizabeth, and their staff provide such great service that I would recommend the John Joseph Inn to anyone looking to get married in the Finger Lakes area!

I loved the John Joseph Inn on first sight (which happened to be during a tornado). It really was the perfect place to get married, and I don't anything like it in Ithaca or the surrounding areas (or at least nothing that we found, and we did a lot of research). The day itself was perfect - John and his wife Elizabeth, the owners of the Inn, really do such a nice job on the day of the wedding, and we received SO many compliments on the food, the staff, the atmosphere (and this was during the weekend where it was over 100 degrees in Ithaca, so our wedding was WARM to put it mildly) and I can't envision us having our reception in any other place.

That said, dealing with John in advance of the wedding (we didn't meet Elizabeth until the wedding weekend) was often a frustrating process. John is a "personality" - he's funny, and warm when you meet him in person, and you think things are going great when you're together, but if you're planning your wedding from afar (like we were), when you're not in John's immediate presence, you can feel like some things slip through the cracks: we frequently didn't receive responses to our pre-wedding inquiries, which didn't do much to make us feel comfortable in the lead up to the wedding, and when he did respond, he forgot many of our conversations (e.g. that we had even booked our wedding date with him)! So I want to make our rating clear - the JJE is a 5 star establishment on the day of the wedding, but planning the wedding, in our experience, unfortunately wasn't.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, John and Elizabeth really go out of their way to make your wedding day extraordinary on the day of. A year later, if I could do it all over again with them, I would.

The John Joseph Inn gets high ratings from our experience for a couple of reasons.

As the innkeeper, chef, and all-around go-to guy, John worked hard to give us the wedding of our dreams and succeeded with his attention to detail and high energy. John was a great partner with a lot of experience and a good vision of how the weekend should be structured, and he incorporated the special touches that were important to us. It was great to be able to relax knowing that we were in his capable hands, especially the day of the wedding. John was everywhere - managing his amazing staff in and outside of the kitchen, serving as wedding coordinator and MC, even holding the train of my dress!

The grounds are beautiful, very well maintained, and have an elegant yet comfortable feel. The inn itself is quaint, classic, updated and exquisitely decorated. The beautiful tent is also worth mentioning - perfect size so all your guests feel close by, with chandeliers and a stone floor. John and his wife are chefs who planned an amazing local and seasonal meal (for the whole weekend) and everything was fantastic - especially the cake!

All in all, John's enthusiasm for ensuring that each wedding is unique and runs smoothly, coupled with his expertise in managing the details, made for an amazing wedding weekend for us and our guests. The only drawback I would mention is that the hotels in Ithaca are a little distant from the Inn - so make sure that you can offer a shuttle for your guests.

The John Joseph Inn gets high ratings from our experience for a couple of reasons.

As the innkeeper, chef, and all-around go-to guy, John worked hard to give us the wedding of our dreams and succeeded with his attention to detail and high energy. John was a great partner with a lot of experience and a good vision of how the weekend should be structured, and he incorporated the special touches that were important to us. It was great to be able to relax knowing that we were in his capable hands, especially the day of the wedding. John was everywhere - managing his amazing staff in and outside of the kitchen, serving as wedding coordinator and MC, even holding the train of my dress!

The grounds are beautiful, very well maintained, and have an elegant yet comfortable feel. The inn itself is quaint, classic, updated and exquisitely decorated. The beautiful tent is also worth mentioning - perfect size so all your guests feel close by, with chandeliers and a stone floor. John and his wife are chefs who planned an amazing local and seasonal meal (for the whole weekend) and everything was fantastic - especially the cake!

All in all, John's enthusiasm for ensuring that each wedding is unique and runs smoothly, coupled with his expertise in managing the details, made for an amazing wedding weekend for us and our guests. The only drawback I would mention is that the hotels in Ithaca are a little distant from the Inn - so make sure that you can offer a shuttle for your guests.

This was the wedding our daughter always dreamed of. The John Joseph In and Elizabeth Restaurant were perfect in every way! From our first appointment to the end the experience was professional, thorough, well planned and exceeded our expectations completely! The location and inn are gorgeous, well appointed and in excellent condition. The food and beverage were creative gourmet with a organic edge. The staff was attentive and their timing was spot on. Our guests were treated like royalty. John and Elizabeth were easy to work with and always went the extra mile to make this a perfect day! If only we had another daughter! Peg and Doug Whitehouse