I had done research on venues before he proposed (lol--he waited too long!). These are what I considered:
1. Goodwood Museum and Gardens. Goodwood is an AMAZING venue. And it's priced as such. It rings in at $2,700 for the reception location plus $200 for the grounds for a ceremony. I believe this includes tables and chairs. But immediately this venue was out of my price range. Nevertheless, if you're able to afford it, or willing to go for the cheaper, non-Saturday wedding (well, $1,800), it is a beautiful Tallahassee wedding venue that seats 200 guests.
(indoor space shown on theknot.com)
Just google the museum for photos of the beautiful weddings had there.
2. Dorthy B. Oven Park. This Tallahassee-owned park is breathtaking at Christmas and so I thought of it when I was looking for a venue. At $1,258 for a Saturday wedding (for rental of the house and the grounds), it's more reasonably priced than Goodwood. Unfortunately, the Main House simply wouldn't accommodate the size of wedding I was expecting. I felt the rooms would cut people off from one another. I did not, however, look into the option of an outdoor reception at this venue, which may be a bit more practical.
(The floor plan as posted on the Tallahassee website.)
(This is a clip of the price menu I received on April 19, 2012 upon request.)
4. Women's Club of Tallahassee. Though I love the idea of an outdoor wedding, like any bride, I was fearful of weather ruining my big day. The Women's Club of Tallahassee seemed like the perfect compromise. It has a beautiful outdoor wedding space for the ceremony and a large, open, sun-filled room for the ceremony. Google the pictures and you'll see what I mean (their website photos do NOT do it justice). At $1,450, it was expensive, but not so far so that it was out of the question. However, they also require security, which I estimated jacked the price to $1,590. Still, if this was "the" place, it was not out of the question. Add on, however, the cost of their exclusive caterer, Klassic Katering. For a budget bride, being limited to one caterer is a killer. It gives no options for bringing in some food on your own and takes away any competitive bargaining. All in all, Klassic Katering, which has both positive and negative reviews, wasn't for me, which mean this beautiful venue was also out.
5. Tallahassee Garden Club. I didn't look too much into this venue so I can't say too much about it, but it was one of the more reasonably priced options out there, at least from what they list on their website. At $1,000, this venue which claims to seat 100, was a pretty big contender early on in my search. I fear, for me, it was their website that killed any desire of me to really look into this venue further. The home's decor, where the reception would be held, looked outdated. And it, to me, felt a little too much like a house rather than a true venue space--based on website photos alone. So this one was crossed off my list as well.
6. Mission San Luis. I would say that Mission San Luis was either the no. 1 or no. 2 choice from the start. It was the first place my fiance and I visited. The new hall seats well over 200 people and there is a wonderful outdoor courtyard for a ceremony. Additionally, they have a great area for a cocktail hour that is segmented from the reception space. Seemed somewhat perfect. The Spanish and Native American architectural influences made this space really special. All that for the low price of $1,250...... or so their website said.
(Their courtyard on a rainy day. Quite nice for a ceremony or cocktail hour.)
(Entrance area leading to both the courtyard and the reception hall.)
(Reception hall, without light on. It features the same round Spanish lights seen in the entrance area and these beautiful, large windows.)
Seeing it was really great and the staff there was very nice. However, I saw several problems. Firstly, the venue was SO large that my 80-person max wedding would be swallowed in the hall. With prohibitions banning anything from hanging on walls or pillars, closing this space in to be more intimate would be difficult on a budget. And then came all the other restrictions: the caterer had to be pre-approved and take-out restaurant catering would not be allowed; if their sound system was used, you had to use a DJ (no ipod/laptop music); decorations all had to be pre-approved, etc. Suddenly this affordable space was requiring a lot of "required" persons--which makes a DIY wedding not so DIY. And then the fun: a million-dollar event insurance purchase, costing between $200-300. So this $1,250 venue was actually closer to $1,500. I just saw the total costs skyrocketing out of my control. While beautiful, Mission San Luis was a no.
7. Maclay Gardens. Last, but certainly not least, Maclay Gardens is my wedding venue. We met up with Fairytale Services at the Gardener's Cottage on a soggy, foggy morning. Fairytale Services appears to be the primary vendor for the Gardens, though I believe other vendors are permitted to provide services. Booking, however, is done through Fairytale. The total cost, including security, is $1,390. This includes 50 white folder chairs, ceremony space in the gardens, reception at the cottage and surrounding area, a number of round and rectangular tables, and rehearsal time the evening before. This price also includes the $200 I opted for for extended time (from 8 am Saturday morning--a must-have for a DIY bride--and 11 pm Saturday night, to make sure the night is not cut short.)
Even in the wet weather, this venue was perfect for me. I've been to the Gardener's Cottage plenty before and, for a wedding, feared it's indoor space just wasn't right for a wedding. The rooms of the house are divided by a center wall, leaving you with just four separate, nearly equal sized rooms.
(The Gardener's Cottage)
(One of the inner rooms looking towards the exit door.)
(My fiance walking from the entrance room into the larger room in back. Off to the side, you can see a quaint (read: fairly small) bridal room for getting ready.)
(One of the two front rooms. I think we'll move it out for the wedding, as it does look outdated and a bit dingy.)
We got to the site to see what it had to offer early and went for a walk to the gardens. I'd been through before and had my heart set on a ceremony not in the usual location (in front of the reflection pool), but rather inside the walled garden.
(Approaching the walled garden)
(Inside the walled garden. My hope is to have everyone stand within the two rings while the quick ceremony is completed. It will create an intimate and beautiful space without any cost on my part--no need for flowers, tulle, or anything else in this beautiful space!)
(This is the reflection pool. Most people have their ceremony standing just in front of this. While beautiful, I wanted a more intimate setting. This pool, however, and the water behind will be able to be seen behind us from inside the walled garden.)
After wandering these spaces and discussing, we knew we wanted to get married here, but the reception issue was still a problem--I didn't want a reception inside the Gardener's cottage.
Solution: Then don't.
There is a grassed area just in front of the cottage where tables and chairs can be set up and that's exactly what we're going to do. In case of fowl weather, Fairytale Services has tents, with or without walls, for rent, along with heating lamps and portable a/c. What more could I possibly need? But I love the idea of dining under the stars and hope to not have to rely on a tent unless mother nature demands it.
(Grassed area in front of Gardener's Cottage. This area can fit up to 120 people + tents. A dance floor can be set up on the other side. Food and other tables (e.g., cake, gift, etc.) will be set up inside or on the porch. A cocktail hour can be set up on the round paved area in front of the cottage or on the porch.)
And so, with very little need to discuss much further, my fiance and I choose Maclay Gardens as the location for our wedding.
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