The Run Down or Why I'm Doing This and What To Expect

Hello!

On my way back from an impromptu trip up to Watkins Glen NY (on a Thursday before the races start - good grief) I started thinking about all the places my future husband and I have driven to, checked out online, and done a lot of work trying to find a decent spot to get married at and have a reception.

It has been frustrating. Any bride will tell you finding a venue is kind of a nightmare. I worked at a bridal shop and I remember thinking that there was a whole lot of crazy that goes into everything - I loved what I did but I always had that nagging feeling of how much churning the bridal industry does to make one day profitable for a whole lot of parties interested in everything that happens *before* the marriage.

I decided on the drive back that I was going to blog this - Every venue we've looked at will get its own post with pictures, contact information, what we liked and what we didn't like. There will be reviews - some of the contacts have been incredibly helpful, others have been really not helpful. I think you should know going in what to expect.

And I will finish this blog after we get married but leave it up so other people might get some use out of it. It's been equally frustrating to find blogs that are half started with awesome ideas but no idea what happened to the couple, if they chose one of the venues or what happened - I want pictures of receptions! Ceremonies! What went right? What went wrong?

Of course, the other reason I'm doing this is to give my poor friends a break from my half wild zomg I don't have a venue and we're supposed to get married in 11 months stare.

No one needs that! I don't need that! So. Here you go internets. Upstate NY, Wedding Venues and Catering and Decorating galore.

A little bit about our parameters.

1. Our wedding party is small. No seriously - we have a ton of friends and despite the high days of huge bridal parties, we have decided to do a best man and maid of honor only. We love all our friends and will include them on a ton of things, but not in the dress the same and be our bridal monkeys. Save the money! Drink more!

2. Our guest list is smaller than the industry standard. By a lot. Depending on the venue and catering costs, we could be as small as 50 people or go to about 100 and no more. Budget for the reception is $5000. The whole thing - food, venue, decorations, DJ, the works. That is a whole lot of money to us and a pittance to most places we've talked to and visited.

3. Our budget is still in the works. We are going through some challenges just like any couple and we have to be super-duper realistic about what we can afford. My parents have offered to help (hence having a reception budget) but we are pretty much on our own. And you know, that's a good thing. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'd love to have the ability to just throw $50,000 on a day. But we're not those kinds of folks.

4. She likes pearls, he likes rustic. Our tastes as a couple couldn't be further apart most of the time. However, we've learned to work together on renovating a 100+ year old house and have gotten this far, so we're making it work. It means a lot of humor, a lot of patience, and a bucket of compromise. But dammit, it will be pretty.

So I think that's everything to get started.

Let's have some fun, shall we?

- E