Wedding Venue Feature: Aria Wedding Banquet Facility

Vibe and FeaturesIndoor/outdoor ceremonies, chapel, indoor receptions, extravagant banquet hall vibe
Guest Capacity75 to 500
Location45 Murphy Rd.
Prospect, CT 06712

United States
Similar VenuesSaint Clements Castle, Cascade, Pond House Café, Candlewood Inn

If you looked up “textbook banquet wedding” in the dictionary, you’d find Aria Wedding Banquet Facility. It’s situated atop a hill on the outskirts of Waterbury, about 30 minutes south of Hartford off of I-84.

Picture this: soothing up-lighting, crisp linens, and sparkly chandeliers. Then throw in well-manicured landscaping. Aria is the perfect venue for couples looking for a banquet wedding in Connecticut.

History and Other Info

As of this writing, the Geloso family, owners of the Aria Wedding Banquet Facility family business, have been in the wedding industry for about 40 years. Led by Giuseppe (Joe) Sr., they began construction in Prospect in 2011 and finished up about two years later.

They used to own and operate Bella Vista in nearby Waterbury before Aria. The former closed; La Bella Vista (under different ownership these days) now occupies that property.

Venue Vibe and Features

A view of the front of the Aria wedding venue in Connecticut.

Aria’s Layout

All told, the Aria wedding banquet facility is 30,000 square foot, banquet hall. The property sits exclusively on top of a hill on a 15-acre property (note that much of it isn’t very walkable). The parking lot isn’t shared with any other businesses.

This venue basically has two halves, each focused on of two ballrooms. Here are some details on how Aria Connecticut is laid out:

Ballrooms

Starting where most of the fun happens, the reception areas at the Aria wedding venue are ballrooms A and B. Both are big, reminiscent of some of Rhode Island’s banquet-style venues. More specifically, ballroom A can hold 175-500 guests (the required minimum varies based on day of the week). Ballroom B is still quite large and can hold 75 to 200 people.

Your guests will never be thirsty in either ballroom as there’s a bar in each one. These rooms also really shine, quite literally, because of the large windows and tiled dance floors. Each ballroom is connected to the venue’s second floor by stairs (A has a double version of B’s single staircase).

Upstairs, there is a getting ready suite assigned to each of the two reception spaces. I’ve personally seen multiple couples start their dream wedding here.

Main Foyer

Right inside the main entrance is a large foyer. Why bring this up? Because this area actually makes for some nice photos during an Aria dream wedding.

A bride and groom pose under a chandelier in the foyer of Aria wedding venue.

Piano Hallway and Staircase

Just off the main foyer is a beautiful hallway with a piano and staircase at the end. This is probably my favorite spot for portraits at Aria.

While no one is allowed to actually touch the piano, it still looks very nice in pictures.

The Aria Wedding Banquet Facility Chapel

After beginning construction in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, Aria now has a chapel on the premises. It’s nondenominational, as far as I know, and is intended to host any type of ceremony. The inside stylings are an interesting mix of ornate, old-style charm with some modern elements.

A scene from the Aria chapel in Connecticut.
The Aria chapel.

Aria’s Outdoor Grounds

The landscaping and plant life surrounding Aria is really nice, too. Continuing from the ballroom theme, there are two distinct courtyard areas. Each one is located just outside the walls of its respective ballroom.

An Aria ceremony is typically held outside during warmer Connecticut months. These take place in front of Aria Wedding Banquet Facility’s ornate garden structures.

Please be aware: right after an outdoor ceremony, cocktail hour will be outside as well. This can be tricky for photographs because your guests will be able to see (meaning they may want to say hello). Best to have your wedding planner help with this.

And don’t forget that Aria Wedding Banquet Facility is way up in top of a hill. Be sure to plan your wedding day properly and leave plenty of time for portraits. This way, you’ll have time for your wedding photographer to take you to the overlook spots on the property.

Aria Connecticut Wedding Cost

A bride and groom enjoy a tender moment during their dream wedding at Aria Wedding Banquet Facility.

Like moat wedding venues, Aria discloses the particulars of their wedding packages once you inquire with them. Here is some basic Aria pricing info:

  • Packages start with 5.5 to 6 hours of venue access and service. Like the guest minimums, the day of the week may affect this. Longer durations are possible.
  • A $1000 deposit is required to book your date and your final payment cannot be paid via personal check. The remaining balance is broken up between the first and last.
  • Except in special cases, you must use the venue’s in-house catering service. There are multiple options and customizations depending on the Aria wedding package you select.
  • Accessible to couples planning a CT wedding on a budget, Aria also offers weekday weddings. This typically helps drive your venue booking fees down.

Hotels Close to Aria

Your wedding plan wouldn’t be complete without considering hotels for your guests. Here’s a list of hotels close to Aria Wedding Banquet Facility and Prospect:

  1. Courtyard Waterbury Downtown (Waterbury, CT)
  2. Residence Inn Southington (Southington, CT)
  3. Courtyard Southington (Southington, CT)

More Aria Wedding Photos

A bride and groom stand on a hill with a sunset at Aria wedding venue.

Now for what you came here for: more photos of events at Aria Wedding Banquet Facility. There’s plenty more of those ahead!

Learn More

Are you thinking that Aria might be the venue for your wedding? Then use the link below to start the conversation with their staff now!

Citations

I used the following references at different points in this post:

  1. “Aria by Villa Rosa Coming to Prospect,” Citizen’s News
  2. “Aria Opens as Construction Nears Completion,” Citizen’s News

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