Decisions, Decisions: Reception Venues

Once I had been disabused of a few not-quite-realistic ideas for the reception (you mean we can't fit 200 people on my parents' back porch?), I didn't have a lot of specific ideas or desires for the reception. Just someplace nice, you know? My parents went to see a couple venues while we were still in DC, and there was one that my dad was apparently ready to make a deposit on right then. (Mom convinced him that maybe Ben and I should see it before any final decisions were made.)

While we were in NY so I could go to Michelle's bachelorette party, we scheduled appointments to see several places. We spent only a few minutes looking around the place my parents had already liked, went with my parents to speak to second venue, and the two of us went alone to third.

The one in the middle we did not like at all. While the dated look might not have been a deal-breaker for me, the funny smell and the bug on the table definitely were.

The other two were pretty similar, and we ended up going with the larger one, simply because our families are, well, large. And we even have friends, too. Trying to be simple or not extravagant is more or less a moot point when you're up to your ears in relatives, but we wouldn't have it any other way!

The reception will be at The View on the Hudson, which has . . . wait for it . . . a beautiful view on the Hudson! (The other place we really liked, which was in Nyack, several miles upstream, actually had almost the exact same view from the opposite perspective.)


Next up: Wedding bands, photographers. Does anyone know how to choose wedding bands or photographers?

Who ever said boys don't get excited about wedding planning?

Talking about reception venues:

3:12 PM Ben: do you want me to send e-mails to some of these places asking about prices?

I feel like otherwise we can't narrow it down

3:13 PM me: I feel like we're not even in the narrowing it down stage yet

we're in the expanding our options stage

3:14 PM Ben: right

me: we can spend a week or two seeing what kind of places we like

then get some actual information on them

Ben: ok

that's probably a good idea

me: at which point, I think we'll need a spreadsheet

want to be the spreadsheet guy?

Ben: yes!

I love spreadsheets!

me: I know!

Nothing like a spreadsheet to get Ben excited!

Pictures

After looking at the grounds of a possible venue, Ben, my cousin Jamie, and I went to Long Pond Ironworks State Park to continue our outdoorsy day, where Jamie, a talented photographer, took what I believe are the first pictures of us together since we got engaged.

Photograph by Jamie Vitale.

Ben and I at the NJ Botanical Gardens.

Photograph by Jamie Vitale.

Ben and I at Long Pond Ironworks State Park.

After that, they asked what I want in a dress. That's another post entirely.