We basically got married in a park... our fee was a donated refrigerator and lots of liquor for the staff, but we didn't feel comfortable asking them to do stuff. We rented everything, from flatware to table cloths, to buffet stuff. The rental company set up and tore down everything. All we had to do was wipe off/rinse the dishes. (If you go this route, plan on more than 1 fork per person, d'oh!) The caterer set up and tore down the buffet. We dealt with setting up the decorations and had a core group of folks who handled the after party stuff like rinsing those dishes and reclaiming all the stuff that didn't belong to the rental company or caterer (not to mention taking care of all that pesky left over wine.)

If you stick to just that and buy instead of making your wedding cake (a whole other story), don't decide to cook dinner for the whole group the night before and avoid tequila shots at least 2 days before and after (cuz planning a wedding will do that to you) you should be fine!

Man, is $4000 cheap? How depressing. Me I'm renting a picnic site for Cdn$130. (That's the deluxe, private site.) Catering may be a whopping Cdn$1000 if mum goes all out. You should come get married here.

I have heretofore refrained from freaking out too much over the little things - however, this may not be so little.

The particular insurance company that holds my new homeowners insurance policy is hemming and hawing over producing the "certificate of liability insurance" that my site requires.

My old insurance company, with whom I had renters and auto, said sure, not a problem, come to us in June and we'll set it up!

Now this new company, who I pay a lot more, seems like they might not do it for me! What do I do then???

I've started looking at some wedding sites (even though I'm not officially engaged. But it's happening soon!) and the most expensive (and the place I'd really like to have it) is $2,000. I've found a gorgeous mansion that is $175 per hour, and the catering is $19/person and that includes the cake!! There's also a reading room in a historic library that looks way cool, and I think is only $300 for the whole day. The plaza there is $70 for a wedding ceremony. Seems pretty darn cheap to me!

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Originally posted by SLourdes:
the most expensive (and the place I'd really like to have it) is $2,000. I've found a gorgeous mansion that is $175 per hour, and the catering is $19/person and that includes the cake!! There's also a reading room in a historic library that looks way cool, and I think is only $300 for the whole day.

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Edited to fix terrible your/you're spelling error.

Since I'm feeling bored, here they are:

www.summitmanor.com

www.490summit.com

www.jjhill.org/Events/library_rental.html

Man, I loved all those horse books. Who knew chincoteague was a real place? So awesome.

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So I have now booked my picnic place! it's not quite the one I had in mind, there's no shelter, but it's by the beach which is awesome. $70 for all day. Sweeeet. Okay I'll stop gloating now. It's not the day I had in mind either, sooner in fact, and on two family members' birthdays. Oh well, we'll order more cake. Now I can book an officiant from church.

Geneva National Resort

Grand Geneva Resort

Abbey Resort

Interlaken Resort

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Originally posted by yam:
Man, is $4000 cheap? How depressing. Me I'm renting a picnic site for Cdn$130.

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Unless I read wrong, I think she said $400. Still much more expensive, but...much less than $4000.

Edited to say: oops, never mind. I didn't see the link.

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Originally posted by ragazzina:
i was ata wedding this weekend: two things I have to say to you - make sure your guests aren't HUNGRY ALL THR TIME (one canape per hour from 4 to midnight isn't enough, kids) and make sure there are chairs for them to sit down.

yeah, bad wedding.

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Grand Geneva Resort
We used to go to the Grand Geneva every summer I don't remember much about it, because I think the last time we went, I was maybe 9, but I remember having the best time there.

Originally posted by meredithva:
As for locations that are out of the way, what do people think about that? Do you mind driving far to get to a wedding? Or flying into a major city and then having to drive for two or three hours? Hmm. We have almost no family here, so we'll have a lot of people flying in.

I am more than willing to travel for the wedding of someone I love (and have done it many times). If I end up marrying someone that I meet out here, more than likely either his family/friends or my family/friends will have to travel. I think it's just expected when you move away that someone will have to travel if they want to attend your wedding.

[This message has been edited by naynay45 (edited 05-08-2003).]

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Originally posted by journeygirl:
Oh man, been there. We finally cut out and went to dinner. The chapel was also so small that half the guests had to watch the ceremony on closed circuit TV in the lobby. Tacky, tacky.

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Originally posted by yam:
Please contribute any spare psychic power to helping me locate the monkey postcards in this town.

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you could try stores like Art Box at Metrotown or Morning Glory (at Lougheed Mall, and I think there's other locations out there, too) and the Sanrio (and Sanrio-ish) Store.

The Science Museum *does* look like a nice place for a wedding. I think it's a little on the expensive side, but the windows and the view would probably make it worth it.

i also like the view of downtown st paul and the st paul cathedral from the historical society too.

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Originally posted by Starstuff42:
At least you could leave! I was in the wedding party of one of my cousins, and the reception was SO awful! Everything was cheap cheap (plastic plates, paper napkins, one (!) tray of raviolli, cash bar...) oy! And the dress - don't get me started. I still have it, if only to one day enter that contest for the ugliest bridesmaid dress...

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