And the Venue debacle continues.....

Ok, so figure this. 12 venues we have seen so far. As of yesterday 7 pm none of them were 'the one.' As of 6pm tonight, 2 of them are 'the one.' go figure!

So let me fill you in...the candidates are....
Westbury Manor & Bridgeview Yacht Club

I know what you're thinking, they are totally different. Tell me about it.

This is where you ladies come in- I need help narrowing it down. Here are the pros & cons: (there are probably more just haven't put them all down on paper )

Westbury Manor- works in budget, a lot more food & add ons included, seemed more willing to work with us, really liked the banquet manager, loved the grounds, doesn't fit my nautical vision so I would need a whole knew theme/feel, not one wedding at a time, FH really likes

Bridgeview- a bit cheaper,less food the WM, totally fits my vision of nautical/on the water,didn;t particularly like the banquet manager, one wedding at a time, I can choose start time, FH hasn't seen it yet (he's seeing it Saturday)

So basically what it comes down to is had I not seen Bridgeview I probably would have given up on nautical, suc*ed it up found a new 'vision' and called it a day. Now just when I am about to move on I see Bridgeview and my dream vision comes back.

Do I go with the better package & more for our money or the view and my vision of a nautical wedding with less for the money. Am I going to regret not doing nautical? (My mom says once I find a new theme I'll be obsessed with it like I am nautical, which is probably true! haha)

(I am literally losing sleep over this venue process, I HATE IT! I don't know how FH is even dealing with me anymore )

PS- I swear I am not crazy!

And the Venue debacle continues.....

See what FH thinks of BYC when he sees it on Saturday. The big thing is, How important is the nautical theme to you? While I'm not doing a nautical theme, having a place on the water was non-negotiable for me. It depends on how huge that is for you.

And the Venue debacle continues.....

You know my thoughts on WM. See what FH says about the two. we went to WM last ngiht and got to taste some of the food OMG it was so good!
How long have you had this nautical theme idea? Do you plan on doing anything on outside?

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I can also answer some questions about WM since I have booked and have been emailing my BM non stop, he is awesome!

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I've had this nautical idea for like 2+ years. Its just what I always envisioned. It's hard for me to picture what our wedding will look like (if it isn't nautical because I haven't thought about anything else)

I don't know how 'important' the theme is per se its just what I've pictured.

Jen- I met with Ian. I mentioned I know you! He's great :) I feel like we really clicked.

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I will say - I had been considering WM until my mother had a friend that went to an event there, in the Hill Room (which is the smallest room - and where my wedding would have been) and had a lot of negative things to say about the experience (though she did say the food was amazing).

A lot of her complaints seemed to stem from the room itself though (it was too cramped, the bathrooms on that floor only had one stall, etc.) - so if you're looking at a different room, then your guests' experiences will likely be much different.

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Don't know if this helps but I've been to quite a few weddings at bv and they've all been awesome. :)

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It sounds like WM is offering you a lot more for your money! I have learned that things that we have been dreaming about don't necessarily have to be 'it'. I've always thought I'd do red for my colors, but it didn't work with everything we have been deciding! I chose different colors and I now love it even more! It's fun to think of new things and do something that is not expected of me by others! Best of luck on your decision!

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I have been to numerous weddings at westbury manor and while they are beautiful, I was not crazy about what chaos it was at the entrance and having more than one wedding at a time. Plus do you really need a ton more food? I have an amazing package from byc and everyone is telling me it's more than enough. Obv I'm impartial but when it comes down to it you don't want to regret not going w the theme you wanted, and now that thy have all been redone and cleaned up from the storm it's even more gorgeous there!

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As far as changing your theme goes, I had my heart set on a fall wedding. I wanted pumpkins everywhere and a cake with leaves on it, the works. It was all I thought about for months. Then when we went venue shopping and I realized we couldn't afford the fall wedding I had to switch to January and completely rethink everything. Now I'm doing a winter wonderland theme and I am obsessed with snowflakes! Do I miss the pumpkins? Sure. But I think I'm more upset about losing the weather than the decor. If you go with WM then I'm sure you'll find a new theme to love, the peacock theme sounds awesome!

As a side note, I think that really clicking with your BM is huge. That was one of the reasons FH and I fell in love with East Wind, we love our BM. We didn't really click with anyone anywhere else.

Best of luck! I'm interested to see what your FH thinks of BYC.

Re: And the Venue debacle continues.....

Obviously I am biased but I say Bridgeview all the way. They have been nothing but great thru this whole process so far (I have been working with them for about 13 months now). Just a few things I will say. If you are looking for a venue that is a great bargain or a great deal then its probably not Bridgeview. They do not include a lot of things in their base package so those things definitely add up. That said, you are paying for the fact that is one wedding at a time and you have the whole place to yourself. It is by no means a wedding factory or typical catering hall and that comes at a premium (well worth it in my opinion). You are paying for their impeccable service, amazing food, waterfront atmosphere etc. etc. Maybe once your FH goes to see Bridgeview it will click for you guys which one is the right fit for you. Maybe making a list of all your pros and cons and seeing it on paper in front of you might be helpful. Is theme your most important factor or is price? Where does one wedding at a time fit it? Maybe between writing it all down and having your FH weigh in this weekend you guys will be able to make up your mind. Good luck! Happy to answer any questions you might have

Re: And the Venue debacle continues.....

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Posted by Alyssa M

As far as changing your theme goes, I had my heart set on a fall wedding. I wanted pumpkins everywhere and a cake with leaves on it, the works. It was all I thought about for months. Then when we went venue shopping and I realized we couldn't afford the fall wedding I had to switch to January and completely rethink everything. Now I'm doing a winter wonderland theme and I am obsessed with snowflakes! Do I miss the pumpkins? Sure. But I think I'm more upset about losing the weather than the decor. If you go with WM then I'm sure you'll find a new theme to love, the peacock theme sounds awesome!

As a side note, I think that really clicking with your BM is huge. That was one of the reasons FH and I fell in love with East Wind, we love our BM. We didn't really click with anyone anywhere else.

Best of luck! I'm interested to see what your FH thinks of BYC.

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A fellow theme changer! Lol thanks for the input. It helps :)

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I agree with Alyssa. Clicking with your BM is a HUGE factor. That will be your go-to person up until the day of the wedding. Its super important. I would definately think seriously about that.

Re: And the Venue debacle continues.....

I am partial also to WM, they have been so accommodating.
BYC to me doesn't mean wedding, I guess because a few years ago, I always went clubbing there. I remember waiting online to get in, as people from a wedding were leaving. Not sure if it is still a club, but if you get married in the summer, your guests leaving will see club goers.

If seems as food is an important factor, wait to make a decision until you have done a tasting. For WM, we went with my parents before we signed a contract. We ate in the restaurant and they served 2-3 things from cocktail hour, intermezzo, and 2-3 items from the main course. Also, we could drink whatever we wanted and had a cappuccino to finish the meal. We then got another tour of the property and signed the contract.

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NAUTICAL OBSESSED BRIDE HERE! I was torn between having a nautical theme or a vintage mansion theme. Vintage and nautical are the two things I'm obsessed with (my apartment proves it!). I finally decided that I wanted to go with my vintage mansion theme. To make up for not having a nautical wedding I took nautical themed engagement pictures at the Fire Island Lighthouse and will be having a nautical themed bridal shower on the water. I get to have the best of both worlds!

Def think you should bring FH to BYC and see what he thinks, then reevaluate!

Re: And the Venue debacle continues.....

I am having the same issue...kind of. I have been to what seems to be 1,000 venues and i'm not crazy about any of them. Once I walked into BV I was sold, until I saw the menu. My FH hates how small the menu is compared to other places, I'm wondering how flexible they are about adding on/making changes to the menu.

I wasn't crazy about the inside of Westbury Manor, the outside is gorgeous but..if it rains, i'd be miserable. But, their menu is amazing.

Re: And the Venue debacle continues.....

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Posted by MarryTheNight24

NAUTICAL OBSESSED BRIDE HERE! I was torn between having a nautical theme or a vintage mansion theme. Vintage and nautical are the two things I'm obsessed with (my apartment proves it!). I finally decided that I wanted to go with my vintage mansion theme. To make up for not having a nautical wedding I took nautical themed engagement pictures at the Fire Island Lighthouse and will be having a nautical themed bridal shower on the water. I get to have the best of both worlds!

Def think you should bring FH to BYC and see what he thinks, then reevaluate!

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haha great compromising !

And the Venue debacle continues.....

ahhh these were our top 2 places as well! Ultimately went with WM due to more food, outside ceremony (already florally decorated!) and cocktail hour, loooved the gardens and loved Ian! Go for a tasting! We signed the same night. We are in the Manor Room and fell in love the second we walked in. Only downfall for WM was small bridal suite and shared bathroom with other events, but i've personally never remembered a bathroom situation at any event with an open bar! BYC was letting us get ready at the venue, which would have been awesome, but we couldn't get WM out of heads! You could do a garden theme, vintage, peacock, etc.

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I love Ian he is really great, he answers all my emails and doesnt think im crazy (yet)! I love the idea of a peacock theme. What dates were you looking at? Manor or garden room? where in the garden room with the library across the hall.
We went Monday night for a small showcase. the food was amazing!

And the Venue debacle continues.....

June 20th June 27th in the Manor Room. We are going to see him Monday :)