A Sweet 'Sundae' Afternoon.

On August 5th, 2011 we had our civil ceremony and it was the most perfect day! Being me, I had to style our civil ceremony really prettily too so that we would have the best of both worlds; the small vintage wedding and the big classic wedding. That said, I also knew I wanted to do this on as little a budget as possible and managed to plan a wedding for under $1000.

I had wanted to include my grandparents in the day since they wouldn't be able to make the trip to Toronto for our big wedding, so we decided to have it in the small town of Port Stanley, right on Lake Erie. We settled on Broderick's Ice Cream Parlour, right on the main street, which I had frequented often with my grandparents as a kid. They have what seems like 10,000 flavours of ice cream and the parlour is beautifully styled in the 40s and 50s setting. We did the ceremony on the back patio with our closest family present and then moved inside for cones and sundaes and cake for dessert.

Fred and Donna, new owners in 2010 were the most gracious hosts and even offered their small vacant apartment above the parlour as as a place for us to get ready. They had a plain pre-lit wedding arch that I covered in 18 white feather boas and we used their stunning classic marble top, ornate iron based bistro tables as the perfect accents for the cake and register signing. 

While we don't have all of our pictures, here's a sneak peak of our little "big day", which has a couple of images from a fantastic post on Eat Drink Chic. Definitely check out the link for their site which has some AWESOME templates for doing much of this on your own! Imagine a bridal shower, a young girl's birthday party or just a girlie afternoon?!

I'll be sure to share more details and more pictures when they come through in a couple of months and will also give you a break down of the costs!

To learn more about the artists features in this board, click here. 

Wedding Venue Checklist

If you had been following the debacle we had with selecting a venue, you will appreciate the brand new checklist I have made on what to ask when interviewing a potential venue. It might sound a bit odd, but I decided to refer to it as 'interviewing' because when looking for a venue you are really trying to figure out if they are a the best candidate to take on the responsibility of hosting your ceremony and/or reception. When you are spending thousands (and in some cases tens of thousands) of dollars on your wedding, you only want the best, most capable people working for you.

I have covered everything from the accessibility to payment plans and hope the list comes in handy for those who need it! As usual, feedback is always appreciated if you see things that should be added or improved upon!

Download a copy of this list, or scroll to view more below.

To view other helpful forms and lists for diy wedding planning, click here.

WEDDING VENUE CHECKLIST.

Accessibility.

• Is the venue easy to find? Is it easily accessible by transit and major routes?
• How easy is the commute between the wedding ceremony and the reception and how long is the drive?
• Is there ample parking for all attending?

  tip! It is usually safe to assume that parking is not included in your cost, especially in the downtown area. Do not assume that parking is included in your cost. Most venues charge a fee for their valet service as well as their parking garages. Alternatively, if they don’t own any parking space, city lots may be available for rent or parking vouchers available for purchase.

• Are there any events (i.e. festivals, parades, sporting events) that will make parking difficult?
• Are there provisions for elderly or physically challenged guests e.g. restrooms? Are there elevators to assist those who cannot climb stairs?
• Are there suggested hotels in the area for overnight accommodations for your out of town guests?
• Where will you take photographs? Can the coordinators at the venue recommended spots on the grounds or nearby parks?
• If having your ceremony and reception at a venue that is quite large (ie. resort) will a shuttle to and from the ceremony and reception be required? Making transportation a no-brainer for your guests will ensure that things run on time and help them to know they are taken care of.

Facilities.

• Is your venue available on the required date and are any other events or weddings booked for that day? If so, are they separated enough so as not to feel crowded?

  tip! If the venue does have space for more than one event, they often are unable to guarantee that you will be the only event there that night. However, if there is another event going on, it is important to know how that will affect your guests. For example, will your guests have their own restrooms or will they be shared with the guests attending the other event?

• Can you have your ceremony in the venue and how and where will it be?
• Does the venue suit your theme? Does it fit with your style and wedding colours?

tip! A great venue requires very little décor and will speak for itself with a wow factor. Sometimes investing in a slightly pricier venue can actually work in favour of your budget. A cheaper venue might not require spending a lot of money on flowers and decorations to make it beautiful or fit in with your theme.

• How long does it typically take for the staff to change over the room? 
• How many people can the venue accommodate?
• Will it comfortably accommodate the maximum number of guests you are expecting?

  tip! It is important to remember that the number of tables you will require can impact how much additional space remains for a dance floor, photo booth, lounge area, dj, band, cake table, gift table, etc.

• If you haven’t seen it already, ask to see pictures of the venue as it would be set up for a wedding or to return on a date when a wedding it being set up. Are there different set up types?
• If there are certain decorations that you see now and like, will still be available on your wedding day? Are they an additional cost to incorporate?

tip! On the other side, some venues will not remove anything from their space for your event, so although the beer sign on the wall sets the mood for their everyday atmosphere, if you do not want it there the night of your celebration, you should ask if it can be removed.

• Does the venue have limitations on decorations that can be used? 
• Is any remodeling or redecorating planned between now and your wedding day?
•  Is the venue child friendly (ie. highchairs, space for diaper change)?
• Are the restrooms in good condition and stocked with essentials?
• What time will the venue open for outside vendors to come in for prep or drop off?
• What time can guests start coming in?
• What time must the party end? Does the venue allow enough time for your party to be set up/disassembled?

  tip! It is important to ask how long you have the venue. Most venues charge an overtime fee for extra hours past the required exit time which can start at 500 dollars.

• Does it have air conditioning?
• Is there a room available for the bride to use before and after the ceremony and during the reception to change clothes or freshen up?
• Are there any restrictions in regards to using the facility {ie. smoking, candles, alcohol, confetti, etc.}?
• Does the venue have preferred vendors? Is there a landmark fee to opt out and use your own?

  tip! Some venues require you to use their preferred vendors because they have strict contracts with them. The vendors often include cake, floral, entertainment, and photographer & videographer companies and opting out will often incur hefty costs in addition to paying your own vendor (sometimes as much as 15% of your total bill with the new vendor).

• How will the staff be dressed and how many will be required?
• Can you meet the manager beforehand to go over details?
• Is there a coat check or safe place for guests to store their coats and personal belongings?
• Is there a safe place for gifts?
• If it is an outdoor location, do they have any backup plans for rain or other inclement weather?
• Visit your venue at the time of day your wedding will take place. Is the lighting suitable?
• Does the wedding venue offer enough assistance to during the wedding planning process and are they easily available to meet or to discuss issues and concerns with you?
  

  tip! Many facilities will have a Wedding Day Coordinator on staff and at no extra charge. Check to see if the same person be available on your wedding day and if you can you meet them now. This is an important relationship to build and you must be able to find a good connection with this person since they will be a key partner in planning your wedding. Make sure it’s the right fit!

 

The Venue Search Continues...

Since the venue hunt is back on and I never really did write about my experience during the venue search, I figured now is the perfect opportunity to share some of it. I've already written about the Berkeley Church through our excitement of booking and frustration with canceling, so let's move on to The Carlu and Capitol Theatre.

The most fantastic thing about these venues is how little they need in terms of decorations because the rooms speak for themselves. Many venues are so standard it's hard to tell one from the next. The amount of decorations it takes to glam the space up is so great,  couples could likely have gone with a more expensive venue and then cut on decorations to offset the costs. Classic, clean lines and the gorgeous mixture of wood, glass, silver, blacks and creams in these Art Deco/Art Nouveau buildings make them a cinch to decorate.

I first experienced The Carlu in my last year of college. I immediately fell in love with its gorgeous architecture, the incredible use of space and the fact that it's been brought back into its 1930s charm. The Round Room literally took my breath away with the glorious round fountain anchoring and creating a focal point in the centre of the room. Banquet seating creates four 'corners' in the space and provides intimate conversation areas within an otherwise widely open room. However, after being quoted 125.00 - 175.00 pp for a cocktail reception, we decided this just wasn't the venue for us from a budget perspective, no matter how much we loved the venue. 

Next, we checked out the Capitol Theatre. Initially, I was hesitant about this venue, but after visiting it I learned a very important lesson: don't judge a venue by its website (even if you work in the web industry like I do ;) ). Had it not been for this incredible wedding, photographed by Jeremy Clay Photography, I actually don't think I would have given this venue a second look.

It's an old movie theatre originally built in 1918 that has been gorgeously restored and converted into an event venue. It's charm  is comparable to that of The Carlu, but it's almost got a bit more of a down to earth feel.  Carmelinda, one of the sales reps was fantastic. She was on the ball, asked the right questions and let me ask whatever I wanted without making me feel like she'd heard the question a thousand times. She was so accommodating to our budget and excited about making our cocktail reception work in their venue without allowing it to feel empty. The use of the space is really unique as they'll switch the ceremony area so it turns into your main reception area. You can see more about how the space is used in the above photo gallery.

As much as it broke my heart, we turned this one down in favour of the Berkeley Church Field House because we liked the indoor/outdoor space and the fact that we could supply our own alcohol. Although, now that we're out of that contract, I'm thinking The Capitol Theatre is the way to go. I'll  keep you posted on what we decide!

Two Steps Forward One Step Back

I really think I should start listening to my own advice. Remember when I made this list about the things I have learned so far? One of the things I had listed that I had learned so far is that you should always listen to your gut.

We have had a whirlwind of a week that resulted in us walking away from our venue, The Berkeley Church Field House. When we had originally signed our contract we were asked to sign a credit card authorization form stating that any payments would be processed on this card, which was perfect in our eyes because we wanted a paper trail and the bonus points that came along with making purchases on this specific card. It wasn't until after we submitted the contract that they said, 'I don't know if we mentioned that our credit card terminal isn't set up,' but that they were in the process of setting up a pay pal account and would get back to us once ready or that we could pay our deposit in cash. I am pretty sure I would have remembered a huge detail like that! How can you leave that detail out?

The Venue

It's interesting how something can be counted out so early in the game and then come back full force at a second look. I had seen the Berkeley Church a while back but couldn't find many pictures on the web and didn't love the area in which it was situated. I then happened to stumble across a featured wedding on Style Me Pretty that was held at the Berkeley Church Field House.

We decided to give it a try and at least go see the venue before ruling it out a second time, and with our luck they were hosting an open house the following evening so away we went! We got a chance to taste some of the menu, drink some wine and get a great tour of the venue and its spaces. Even though it was incredibly busy, we weren't pushed through the tour and were given plenty of opportunity to ask as many questions as we wanted and to roam on our own.

*image sourced from berkeleyevents.com

While the main church was gorgeous with the mezzanine, incredible restored bar, and open feel, it just wasn't what we were looking. So, we went with the Field House. It's rustic, gritty, classic and has both indoor and outdoor space.

Oh, the Wedding Show season is upon us!

Over the past couple of weeks I've made it out to two bridal shows, each at complete opposites of the spectrum.

I was so ridiculously excited for The Carlu Wedding Show on the 8th of January and it turned out to be everything I had expected it to be. Let's start with the Venue. For obvious reasons I thought it was fantastic - I LOVE The Carlu. The variety of rooms made it easy to remember which vendors you had seen where and gave visitors a great overview of the entire space. Vendors were actually spaced well enough apart so that you weren't tripping over the next and there were enough vendors to accommodate the number of visitors, so they weren't stuffing your pockets with garbage. Being a reputable business is important to me and only the best of the best were participating. Prices were accommodating to every budget - from moderate to over the top and most of the vendors had something very unique about them.

Last Sunday, the 24th, my future mother-in-law and I went to The Burlington Oakville Wedding Show. The venue itself was your usual conference centre and they did use as much space as possible, but here's where we get to the messy bit. There were too many vendors for the size of the venue, many of which had huge booths or were so blended with the next, I couldn't tell who was who!  A huge runway took up such valuable retail space and the fashions were all things we'd seen before in 100 other retailers. The vendors were extremely aggressive, but there were a few diamonds in the rough that I am extremely interested in follow up on. Oh, and the odd vendors - weight loss clinics and financial planners. I understand that every bride wants too look her best, but having someone shove a pamphlet in your face telling you about weight loss can certainly leave a girl damaged!!

And really, if I wanted a financial planner/investment banker, I'd find one. I'm planning my wedding right now, I don't really want to negotiate the perfect wedding dress for a retirement plan....

Here's a quick list of the vendors I wanted to find out more about at both shows: