Planning Your Social Event at Prospect House

1. Delivering Hospitality Excellence to Premier Clients
2. Use of Prospect House
3. Planning
4. Special Arrangements
5. Custom Menus
6. Propect House Wedding Packages
7. Billing and Methods of Payment
8. Event Minimums
9. Room Capacity
10. Administrative and Staffing Charges
11. Dangers and Liability
12. Alcoholic Beverage Service
13. Tenants and Users Liability Insurance Policy (TULIP)
14. Vendor Recommendations

 

Delivering Hospitality Excellence to Premier Clients

Prospect House, the faculty and staff club at Princeton University, is available throughout the year for your special event. Prospect is open to members and their guests Monday through Sunday by special arrangement. As a non-member, Princeton University alumni and graduate students can apply for approval to use Prospect House for a personal event. Please call the Catering Department at 609.258.3323 to obtain details.

 

Use of Prospect House

Prospect House is a private club for all full-time and staff of Princeton University. Use of the house is reserved for, but not limited to, members of Prospect House and their guests and is open year round. Your Princeton University employee identification care entitles you to the membership to Prospect House.

As a non-member, Princeton University alumni and graduate students can apply for approval to uses Prospect house for a personal or family event. Please call the Prospect House Catering Director at 609.258.3323 to obtain details.

Non University, not-for-profit organizations who are interested in using Princeton University facilities, inclusive of Prospect House, must call the Princeton University office of Conference and Event Services at 609.258.6115.

 

Planning

When you are ready to book your event at Prospect House, you will need the event date, time of event, space preference, tentative guest count, phone number, fax number and email address. A Prospect House representative will be happy to meet with you, by appointment only, to plan your event.

 

Special Arrangements

Please note: Prospect House is handicapped accessible. If wheelchair accessibility is required, please let a catering representative know.

Vendors have two hours access prior to the Prospect House event time. Additional time may be arranged with the Catering Department, additional charges may apply.

 

Custom Menus

Prospect House will happily accommodate special menu requests due to preference or dietary restrictions. Please ask your catering representative for suggestions to customize your menu. Customized menus may result in additional charges.

Choices of entree selections are available for an additional $5 per guest for two, and $8 per guest for three.

 

Prospect House Wedding Packages

Weddings and social events are planned directly with a catering representative with choices made from a specially-designed package plan. The plan includes:

• Use of Prospect House for a four-hour time slot
• A one-hour cocktail reception with six (6) passed hors d’oeuvres.
• Members: 4-hour open bar with premium liquor, beer and wine for plated dinners or buffet.

Non-members: The Prospect House liquor license does not permit the sale of alcoholic beverages to non-members. Therefore, non-members are required to purchase liquor from an outside source. A Prospect House representative will be happy to help with recommendations.

• Members receive house champagne for a champagne toast wine service throughout dinner.
• Dinner Service: Four (4)-course plated dinner.
• Round Tables and House Linen to the floor.
• Complimentary changing rooms for the Bride and Groom. (Available two hours prior to the start time of your event.)
• Prices subject to a 15% Administrative Fee and 7% New Jersey State Sales Tax. The staffing and administrative fees are for the administration of staff and management oversight for the function, are not purported to be a tip or gratuity and will not be distributed as a tip or gratuity to the employees who provided service to the guests.
• Recommendation list for florist, band, D.J., photographer, videographer or limousine service.
• Coordination of rentals and equipment such as dance floors, furniture, special linen, etc. Charges may apply.
• Customized floor plans and on-site wedding coordination for your event.
• Private Event Tastings may be arranged for a fee of $125.00 for up to four (4) guests. 
• Complimentary Tasting for Two (2) to attend Annual Wedding and Social Event Tasting Event held in March.

Please consult our Chapel Flyer for more information.

Billing and Method of Payments

In addition to the deposits and facility rental fee (if applicable) which User is required to pay, the payment schedule is as follows:

• $500.00 Deposit requried at time of booking
• 25% of anticipated cost due six (6) months prior to the event
• Balance and guaranteed guest counts due ten (10) business days prior to the event.

Deposits and payments may be made via major credit card or personal check. All payments associated with this contract, exclusive of the facility rental fee, should be made payable to Restaurant Associates. Declined credit cards or checks returned due to insufficient or unavailable funds may result either in the cancellation of the Event, or in required payment via certified check or money order prior to the Event. In addition, there is a $50 fee on any returned check.

 

Event Minimums

Event food and beverage minimums for outside groups/personal events:

Prospect House Full	Garden Room	PDR, Drawing Room or Library	Second Floor Meeting Room	Palmer House
7,500	5,000	2,500	1,500	1,000

Any outside group / personal event wishing to have full access to Prospect House on a Saturday or Sunday including use of the Garden Room would be required to meet the $7,500.00 F&B. (not including, rentals, staffing charges, administrative fees or tax). This will allow the user sole use of Prospect House and no other events will be booked at the same time.

Any outside group / personal event wishing to use a portion of Prospect House on a Saturday or a Sunday requires a $5,000 food and beverage minimum for use of the Garden Room, $2,500.00 for other first floor rooms Presidential Dining Room, Drawing Room or Library, and $1,500 for second floor rooms (not including, rentals, staffing charges, administrative fees or tax). Other groups will be booked in the same time period.

Monday-Friday after 5:00pm any outside group / personal event wishing to use a portion of Prospect House requires a $1,000 Food and Beverage minimum (not including, rentals, staffing charges, administrative fees or tax).

 

 

Room Capacity

Floor	Room Name	Maximum Capacity	Sit Down	Buffet	Reception	Meeting
Main
	Garden Room	150	150	120	300	100
	Presidential Dining Room	60	60	40	100	28
	Drawing Room	100	X	X	100	X
	Library	40	40	30	50	24
	Parlor	10	10	X	X	10
Lower Level
	Tap Room	90	90	90	100	X
2nd Floor
	Room A	16	16	16	25	16
	Room B	10	10	X	10	10
	Room C	30	30	20	40	20
	Room E	40	40	24	50	24
	Room F	14	14	14	X	14
	Room G	18	18	18	X	18

Please consult the Catering Department for additional configurations for rooms.

*Minimum capacity for University Events is 60 guests in the Garden Room.

 

Administrative and Staffing Charges

All events are subject to an administrative fee of 15% of your total bill. The administrative fee is a fee for the oversight and management of the event.

Staffing charges at Prospect House are as follows:

• Captain: $40.00 per hour, four-hour minimum parties 60 or more.
• Bartender: $32 per hour
• Butler: $30 per hour, five-hour minimum
• Executive Chef: $40.00 per hour, Duration of event, parties 60 or more.
• Culinary Cooks, Exhibition Chef and Station Attendant: $30 per hour, Duration of event
• Pantry: $30.00 per hour, Duration of event

 

Dangers and Liability

Due to the historic significance of Prospect House, its furnishings and grounds, great efforts are taken to preserve the house and its surroundings. Event sponsors will be responsible for any damages that are the result of willful and negligent behavior on the part of their guests. Event sponsors are responsible to collect all belongings at the end of their affair. Prospect House is not responsible for lost, stolen or items left behind.

Due to local health code restrictions, under no circumstances are clients allowed to bring food in or take remaining food to go. Prospect House is a smoke-free facility.

Alcoholic Beverage Service

Prospect House will supply all mixers, bar fruit, sodas, glasses and ice for $3.95 per guest.
Prospect House reserves the right to refuse serving alcoholic beverages to any guest who appears to be under 30 years of age or intoxicated. 750 ml or 1 litre bottles of Alcohol, 750ml of wine and bottled beer will be accepted.

 

 

TENANTS AND USERS LIABILITY INSURANCE PROGRAM (TULIP)

Princeton University requires for Prospect House and Palmer House events held by individual faculty, staff, or alumni that each event sponsor have a general liability insurance policy (“event coverage”) to protect the event sponsor and Princeton University against claims by third parties who may be injured while participating in the event on the Princeton University campus. Additionally, if alcohol will be served during the event, alcohol liability coverage is also required. Proof of insurance coverage is required 20 days prior to the event.

The University has made available to each individual event sponsor a Tenants and Users Liability Insurance Policy (TULIP), inclusive of Terrorism Risk insurance (TRIA), which is low in cost. The Catering Manager will provide further details as part of the event planning process and arrange for coverage to be purchased.
 

Vendor Recommendations

Vendor Referral List