Choosing My Vendors: Venue - This is the One!

When K & I went to check out a possible venue for my wedding I had been thinking of Six Pines, which I mentioned in a previous post, but she told me about a location that she had attended a family reunion at. I was a bit skeptical as the website pictures weren't that great and it was a little farther from the city then I had originally planned but when we showed up, with out an appointment and during the off season, I few in love! I stopped looking for other sites and went about reserving this venue.

The venue is Great Woods Park which is approximately 30 minutes North East of the city, which I think is reasonable for people to drive home from, for those that are locale, and there is camping available on site and a hotel 5 minutes away for those that don't want to or are out of towners.

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They charge $9.50/person rather then a flat fee but they have a bar, kitchen and washrooms, plus tables and chairs.

Originally I wasn't to excited about the chairs as the website showed them as plastic green lawn chairs but later found out that they now have white ones. Still not my preferred chairs, which are a white resin folding chair with upholstered seat

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but adding $3.25/person seems a little too frivolous when I'm trying to stick to a budget, so white plastic lawn chairs it is.

As soon as I got home I emailed and called the venue and let them know that I wanted to book them for our wedding in June 2011, over a year for then but I was prepared to hear that they were booked and was willing to be flexible on the date. My first choice in June was available but they also hosted a bluegrass music 'reunion' of sorts in their camp ground that weekend. This isn't exactly a musical choice of My Mister so I opted to take the weekend prior to save us from sharing the spot light.

After I booked our date and put down the deposit, I booked an appointment to officially check out the sight....I know, I'm a little backwards but I fell in love people, it's hard to be rational!

We made the appointment for June so that it would be approximately the same time that the wedding would be the following year, allowing us to see what would be in bloom, how the weather was and last but not least...how terrible the mosquitoes were! And it all seemed perfect, granted the weather varies from year to year. It still might rain and the bugs might overwhelm us, so I'm planning for the worst and hoping for the best.

Making the Playlist: All the Single Ladies

I have yet to decide if we are actually going to incorporate the traditional Bouquet & Garter Tosses, as the majority of our friends and family are already paired up, if not already married.

I know I found it slightly awkward running up to catch a bouquet that was suppose to mean I would be the next to get married when my mister was standing right beside me, prior to our engagement. And I definitely wouldn't have walked onto that dance floor if the only other females there where the pre-teen cousins of the bride and groom.

So depending on how many single ladies attend the reception, I will possibly toss a bouquet. Would it be to cheesy to play Beyonce's All the Single Ladies when I do it?

Choosing My Vendors: Venue - Option #4

Option 4: Six Pines Ranch & Farm

Cost: $950 for grounds

Includes:

• Horse shoe pit,
• Swings for kid’s etc.
• Viewing of outside animals at own pace, and own responsibility.
• Tree house, use at own responsibility.
• Paths for walking though
• Picnic tables
• Sheltered area for eating
• Large grassed area for games
• Garbage removal, parking area
• Outhouses water stations set up for washing of hands.

Bon-fire could be supplied at additional cost of $75.00 – Bartending costs $17.00/hr per

Camping also available – add. cost – self contained units no hookups $28/nite.

After seeing that the Lower Fort Garry site would not work for me, I was convinced that this would be perfect for us. It would fit in our budget, provide a shelter so I didn't have to rent a tent but still allow for an outside ceremony if weather agreed.

I had called to make an appointment to view when my BF suggested that I check out one other location first. I had my doubts but agreed, after checking it out I was sold and I never bothered to visit this venue. I still believe that it would be an amazing venue!

The option I went with coming up next...

Making the Playlist: The Mother/Son Dance

My mister does not enjoy dancing. His choices of music involve jumping up and down, fist pumping and head banging...dancing is not part of his repertoire and so to be fair to him I am trying to limit the amount of times he actually has to dance at our wedding.

He'll have our first dance and our 'departure' dance, and I normally would think to include the Mother/Son dance, as it is a newer tradition, but he is very close with his mother. I'm not sure he would think to include this himself and his mother can be shy sometimes but I think this would mean A LOT to her, especially if its a song that gives thanks to her for loving him.

So begins the search for an appropriate song for them that captures the love and relationship they have.

I started my search on Google, like I always do, but the list that I was getting were so cheesy. I couldn't see My Mister actually agreeing to dance to them. Then I decided to go to YouTube and type in "Johnny Reid" as that is one of her favorite singers. One of the first songs listed in the search results was "Thank you" and when I listened to it I thought it was absolutely beautiful and almost perfect.

I say 'almost' because of one line, that is repeated more then once, that seperates it from a song about anyone to a song about your signficant other. That line is "Thank you for laying down beside me tonight" and he is a very articulate singer so it would be hard to miss what he says.

What do you think? Could this still work or would it sound creepy, like a son and a mother have a 'different' relationship?

Choosing My Vendors: Venue - Option #3

Option 3: Fort Gibraltar

Cost: Ceremony $350 + Reception $32/person for food.

Capacity: 120 max

I think this location is gorgeous and unlike Lower Fort Garry it is inside the city so there isn't as far a distance for guests to travel, but I would be forced to cap my invites to 120 for the sit down dinner and I don't have the option to do my own catering, including my cake. Apparently ONLY licensed bakers allowed to make your cake.

Beautiful but I think this venue is a no go.

Making the Playlist: Cinderella

I'm still trying to figure out what my father/daughter dance should be. I did come across Steven Curtis Chapman's Cinderella, and although it's the father talking about dancing with his daughter I really liked it.



It could have something to do with the fact that I use to dress-up as Cinderella as a child and clean the kitchen floor, singing to my imaginary mice....

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When I sent it to my mother, she agreed so it looks like this will be the song!

Choosing My Vendors: Venue - Option #2

Option 2: Lower Fort Garry - Picnic Shelter (south of the historic grounds, near the visitor reception centre)

Cost - $490/day

Capacity - 150+. They supply picnic tables at no extra cost. Tables & chairs I would have to rent myself.

The picnic shelter is electrified and lit. Not sure on how cater-friendly they are though.

For all facility rentals, guests would get free entrance to visit the historic grounds and you would be able to have wedding photos taken on the historic grounds at no additional charge. Additionally, there is the opportunity to have some heritage programming by Parks Canada staff incorporated into the event (such as a special guided tour just for your guests)

I love the idea of letting my guests view the historical grounds/reenactment between the ceremony and receptions.

My issue with the location:
- When I actually went to see the site I realized that the picnic site didn't offer as much of a shelter as I had expected, leaving little room for a dance floor. Not to mention that if it rained my guests would not be happy.

-The picnic shelter is located very close to the highway and the main interpretation center. Not as close to the historical site as I had hoped.

So it probably wouldn't work for our wedding but I still love the idea of having it at a historical site like this so it made the list.