Hello Vendors!
Welcome to our Vendor Portal!
We recommend bookmarking this portal to stay up to date with our most current information from FP.
If you are a Planner or Caterer and our clients are in contact with you about their weekend celebration, please email Nicole at nicole.frenchspoint@gmail.com to request our clients’ contract.
This will assist you in understanding their specific offerings & regulations for their event.
2021 French’s Point Updates
Farm House Updates
We have begun winter updates to the Farm House that we are excited to share. We have removed suite three in the middle of the house and are converting it to an open concept dining room with two twelve foot farm tables that can seat up to 30 guests. This will be ideal for small events or micro weddings. Additionally, we have opened this dining room to the kitchen and turned the old dining room into additional seating/living space in front of the fireplace. This will result in a greatly improved flow on the main level of the home. We still have 12 suites in the home because we converted the lower level recreation room into a suite with one queen bed, a full bath, and outside entrance, just as suite 3 once did. We will not be able to update the virtual tour until renovations are complete, so please refer to the updated floorplans when assigning rooms. Please note that suite numbers in the home have changed as a result, and this will not be updated in the 3D virtual tour of the home until the work is completed, likely this summer. We apologize for any confusion this may cause, but we expect that our couples will be pleased with the updates.
Retreat House Dining Room
Please note that the Retreat House Dining Room floor plans are accurate, but the Dining Room amenities have been updated and therefore, the virtual tour of this space is inaccurate at this time. The Dining Room used to contain nine 12ft Farm Tables, one 8ft Farm Table & one 4ft Farm Table. With the new renovations at the Farm House, we are bringing two of the 12ft Farm Tables over to the home to seat 30 guests in the new Farm House Dining Room. This will reduce the count in the Retreat House Dining Room to seven 12ft Farm Tables, one 8 ft Farm Table & one 4ft Farm Table. The Retreat House Dining Room will still contain 100 cross back chairs, as it did before. These chairs from the Retreat House Dining Room can be removed from this space, to storage just outside the dining room, but these chairs are not available to be used outside. This change will be more accommodating to smaller events, allow more space to move about in the room, and seating can be expanded to up to 150 guests with the addition of more tables. Farm Tables can be moved around in this space and on the main floor of the Retreat House, but these Farm tables cannot be removed from the main floor, or moved outside. Please note that removing chairs or reconfiguring tables is the responsibility of the planner/client and should be confirmed with Nicole in advance. The Dining Room must be reset to standard configuration before departure.
Butler’s Pantry
Since we began offering the Butler’s Pantry, we have added a new home to our property (The Beach House), and also had many discussions with both clients and caterers about the cost and logistics of using our dinnerware for events. We have found that it does not provide cost savings/value/added benefit to our clients or caterers, and the dishes are better served for us as restock in the residential kitchens of our three homes. Therefore, we have decided to remove the Butler’s Pantry from contracts signed after December 31, 2020. You will see the stock in the kitchen until we have honored all contracts with the pantry available. Just a reminder, this dishware must be processed by the caterer and returned to storage in the kitchen, clean at the end of the events. Additionally, this dishware is only available for use in the Retreat House Dining Room, and nowhere else.
White Garden Chairs
As noted in our clients’ contracts, chairs for outside events must be rented. In September 2020, we seasonally leased 100 white garden chairs for outside use for ceremony and events at the Retreat House for 2021 and beyond. Clients who booked with us after September 1, 2020, have these chairs included in their contract. Clients who have booked before September 1, 2020 can rent these chairs for $3/chair/weekend. If used, for events, setup and breakdown of these chairs are the responsibility of the planner/client. They will be stored under cover outside the Retreat House Catering Kitchen Entrance on rolling dollies and can easily be moved onto the Terrace, Gazebo Promenade, and Oceanfront Lawn because we have paved the kitchen entrance up to the Terrace, creating a ramp. You are welcome to set them up and leave them outside for the duration of the weekend. Please return them back to their original storage location on their dollies prior to our clients’ check out time of 12:00pm on Sunday.
Rental Deliveries/Storage
Please note that we paved the path from the Catering Kitchen entrance to the Terrace with the intention of simplifying the rental delivery process and to eliminate rentals being dragged through the main level of the Retreat House unnecessarily during our guest rental period of their home, to ensure their enjoyment of the space between events, and minimize damage to the floors. Please note that rental storage and deliveries of the Retreat Terrace, Gazebo & promenade should be accessed via the service road next to the catering kitchen, and not through the building. We have notified Wallace of this change, but if you are using other rental companies, please note the change to them. Dirty/used rentals should be stored outside of the Retreat House Catering kitchen under cover, for pick on Sunday. Please do not block entrances to the kitchen with these rentals. A reminder that vehicles cannot be driven past the Catering Kitchen Entrance or past the sign near the tent, to the gazebo or lawn in front of the tent because the bluff is unstable and not safe to be driven on. We will have signage up this year noting this. Additionally, delivery trucks should note the low clearance of the Catering Kitchen Entrance and main entrance of the portico at the Retreat House to avoid damage.
Retreat House Cocktail Terrace Bars
We have two eight foot long white bars being built for the east end of the lower level cocktail terrace at the Retreat House. These bars will be in the same Adirondack style as the other patio furnishings in this space. They cannot be moved to the tent. We do still have three white bar stations available in the tent as well. Photos of the tent bars are attached, but we don’t yet have photos of the new terrace bars. We will send photos of the new terrace bars when they are complete. The Retreat House Terrace Bars can be removed from the terrace and stored by the catering kitchen entrance if you do not wish to use them. However, we want you to note that these cannot be used on the upper level cocktail terrace. There is no way to safely move them to the upper level terrace. We wanted to advise you that they will be available at no charge in case you are finalizing your clients’ rental order and have considered including a bar for the cocktail terrace in your clients’ order.
Retreat House Cocktail Terrace Bistro Tables
We have four new bistro tables being built for the lower level terrace. They cannot be removed from the terrace but can be reconfigured within the space. Photos of the bistro tables will be available in the Spring when they are complete. These tables will be in the same white adirondack style as the rest of the furnishing in this space. They will be available at no charge.
Generator
As noted in your client’s contract, we suggest the rental of a generator for events planned for the tent. This cost is typically $950-$1,200 depending of the required load based on entertainment, lighting, & catering equipment. We have the opportunity to lease a generator for this season, and offer it to our guests at a lower rate than the traditional rental cost. If enough clients agree to add this to their contract by February 8 (payment due 100 days prior to check in), then we can lease the generator and pass on the savings. The rate would be $750 for the weekend. If we seasonally lease the generator, supplemental generator rentals from other providers will not be usable due to reconfiguration of the panel. Please note this change and if you wish to have a generator, it will need to come through us. Please note that in 2022, we will have an automatic generator fixtured onto the estate, so a generator rental will not be needed for events.
Contract, Website & Vendor Portal
Please note that your client’s individual contract specifically states the use terms for the property, and terms may vary from client to client. Please refer to the contract for details on regulations and the above details in this email. We also note that we keep the website current with floor plans and amenities, so please refer first to the website if you have questions. Finally the vendor portal is continually updated. Please note that clients have their own page of resources on our website as well with similar details.
Change in Capacity
Over our 20 year history, our capacity has varied. We actively began moving away from larger events two years ago, by limiting the size of events in contracts. All new contracts signed at French’s Point will be based on events of 100 or fewer guests, with the option to adjust up to 150 guests maximum with a Surplus Guest Fee applicable for events of 101-150 guests. Please again refer to your Client’s contract for their specific terms in this regard, which remain applicable. We simply wanted to explain where we are headed with the evolution of our business.
Bar Cooler & Catering Kitchen
For all new contracts signed after January 1, 2021, the Bar Cooler & Catering Kitchen is no longer available for client storage/access. These spaces are available to caterers and bar service providers only, because clients are no longer permitted to self-supply alcohol for future events. An event is defined by any gathering that includes non-lodging guests at our three homes, where food and alcohol will be served. A planner, caterer, and bar service provider is required for all events. Clients can supply food and alcohol without a planner, caterer and bar service provider if it is only for guests lodging in our three homes and the guest list does not include non-lodging guests. We do not recommend to our couples that they self-cater even small events. Client’s do have access to refrigeration at each of the homes in the residential kitchens for the time between events. A reminder that for this year, for clients that are providing alcohol for events, the bar service provider must lock up the complete supply used during events before departure, and must not leave any portion of this supply with the guests, due to liability and Liquor Laws.
French’s Point Presence
Our experience with COVID in 2020 offered us the opportunity to reevaluate our role and presence during our guests’ reservation of the estate. We wanted to relay what to expect from us going forward as a result. We keep normal office hours during our client’s reservation from 9am-4pm daily. A member of our team (primarily Nicole Wednesday-Saturday & Jessika on Sunday) is present during events and in our office located in the lower level of the Retreat House. We can be reached via phone at 207-567-3650. This line is forwarded to the on call manager over night for emergencies only. We now have a Ring doorbell located outside our office in the foyer of the basement and one located outside the catering kitchen entrance should guests or vendors need to contact us. We have a coded lock on the catering kitchen entrance as well, so if access to the Catering Kitchen is required by the caterer prior to our scheduled arrival in the morning, the code will be shared with the caterer. We will have new Motorola radios which we will provide to the caterer and planner so they can contact us if we are needed. We will physically check in from time to time during events, but will keep a low-profile, unobtrusive presence during our guest’s reservation. We will be here if we are needed.
Event Closing
A reminder that quiet hours are important here at the estate. Quiet hours at the Retreat House run from 10pm-9am, the Farm House & Beach House run from 9pm-9am daily. At the start of quiet hours, gas lights & fire pits will be extinguished and all amplified music (indoors and outdoors) must cease. At 10pm, guests can move inside the homes to relax until 11pm. At 11pm, all non-lodging guests(guests not registered to stay at our three homes) must depart the estate. Vendors must depart no later than midnight, before all exterior lighting automatically extinguishes. Please note that violations of quiet hours will result in overtime charges to our couples.
COVID
We are not currently experiencing requests for adjustments to 2021 contracts, though I am sure there is uncertainty about guest size limits. It is simply too soon to make changes. As it stands currently with the DECD, the indoor guest limit is 50 people to include vendors, but not venue staff. The outside guest limit is 100, not to include vendors or venue staff. We are hopeful that the restrictions will lessen as vaccinations become available, but we caution you to not set the expectation for our couples, for significant increases or changes from the current restrictions for 2021. We will all just have to wait and see what this year will bring.
Vendor Requirements
Because we understand that all venues are different, FP is a large, logistically-involved property, working here and serving our couples effectively requires first-hand experience and knowledge of the estate & our policies (thus these long annual emails alerting you of changes). Our couples depend on us to recommend only the very best vendors available in our region since they are planning from afar. We only refer vendors with whom we have had excellent experience at the estate. Please note that planners, caterers, and bar service providers that are not on the preferred vendor list (new vendors will be added by February 5, 2020) would need to make a site visit to FP and review the requirements of their role in the client’s contract before they are considered for approval to provide service at French’s Point. We want to give new vendors the opportunity to ask questions and be informed to best serve our couples. Additionally, all vendors are required to carry liability insurance and be licensed in Maine where applicable. Here is a link to our Contract Terms which include the requirements of your role if you would like to review this information again and ask questions. Since you received this email, you are already an approved vendor.
Additional Property Information
Parking
There is vendor parking located in the orchard just beyond our Retreat House parking area. Never park in front of the white dumpster enclosure.
Indoor Ceremonies & Events
If your client is planning an indoor ceremony or event in the Conservatory or Lounge and needs furniture removed. Please request this no later than 14 days prior to the client’s arrival at the estate. Furniture will be removed or rearranged for the duration of their stay.
Resources
Current Contract Terms
(Email nicole.frenchspoint@gmail.com to request your particular clients’ contract)
Vendor Code of Conduct
Please click on the link above to download & sign or print and sign this document for the 2020 wedding season.
Once you have signed the document, please submit it to Nicole at nicole.frenchspoint@gmail.com
Release of Liability
All vendors that do not provide workers compensation to their staff/employees will need to have their individual employees sign a release of liability form upon arrival at French’s Point. Please inform your staff.
Certificate of Liability Insurance
All vendors must provide a Certificate of Liability Insurance if contracted to provide services at FP.
Here is more information on the type of insurance we require all vendors to have prior to providing a service at French’s Point.
Catering Kitchen
Butler’s Pantry
AllSeated Floor Plans
Tent Amenities & Dimensions
Retreat House Virtual Tour
Farm House Virtual Tour (Currently Being Updated for the 2021 Season)
Retreat House Amenities & Floor Plans
Vendor Blog Posts
FP Ceremony Locations
FP Event Locations
Sample Seasonal Weekend Itineraries (Currently Being Updated for the 2021 Season)
Preferred Vendor List
Home & Cottage Rental Guide (Currently Being Updated for the 2021 Season)
Local Overnight Accommodations
Area Resource Guide
