We booked our place!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mandarine]

Hi girls!

I know I''ve been MIA, but I have been crazy busy!. This week I''m actually in NYC working...but I needed to give you guys some great news!

We booked our place!. It''s funny because this IS THE PLACE!. I posted about it a while back (when I was an LIW)...then one of you mentioned it to me again when I was doing my search. It wasn''t an option because they didn''t have any Staurdays left...anyway, I got pass the Staurday thing and went to see the place...

Let me tell you, as soon as I drove into the PARKING LOT I knew that was it!...haha...you can''t even see the place from the parking lot, but my heart just started beating so fast, I just knew!.

I went in (I was with a friend) and within 5 minutes I was calling my FI to tell him I didn''t want to look any further...that it would have to be a Friday but I didn''t care....so we went the next day...he loved it as much as I did!!

It''s perfect! both our families come from Spain...so the place is just PERFECT!. It is a Monastery that was built in Segovia and brought to the US. It was in storage in NY for 26 years until someone bought it in auction and rebuilt it in Florida. The stones were numbered so that they could rebuild it exactly to how it was originally built.

This was my post as an LIW talking about this place: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/so-im-also-insane.41016/

This is the website: www.spanishmonastery.com

The pictures on the site don''t do it justice whatsoever!!!...this place is breath-taking!

They don''t so catholic ceremonies there so we are having our ceremony at a different place. Then we are having the reception in the Cloisters...which includes the courtyard (that''s actually were you see the prayer well)....we will set-up the cake in the prayer well and they have a space right there that can be used for dancing. the tables and buffet are set-up in the actual cloisters.

I''m so excited!!!

This is what I always wnated and now it''s official!

We will be getting married Feb. 15th ''08, so Anchor, add me to the list!!

M~

 

[Mandarine]

pics...from a knottie''s wedding!

 

[Mandarine]

more...

 

[Mandarine]

more...

 

[Mandarine]

outside..

 

[Mandarine]

a centerpiece from another knottie....

 

[Mandarine]

That''s it for now! there are more pictures on the website, but I thought I would show you pictures form actual weddings!

The actual wedding will be in the cloisters which is inside that building I noted as "outside".

I''m in love with thsi place, I''m so excited!...Now my Spanish theme will be perfect!

Paella, tapas, sangria, flamenco dancers and guitarrist for the cocktail hour, little fan programs.....uhhh, the possibilities are endless!!!

M~

 

[KimberlyH]

Mandarine,

I adore your enthusiasm...you are a great example of what wedding planning should be all about!

The location is stunning and I can''t wait to see pictures of the actual wedding. Have you chosen a date?

~K

 

[Mandarine]

Thank you Kimberly!!!

well, we didn''t have much of a choice as far as dates...but they had a few Fridays available and we picked out Feb 15th.

It''s President''s day weekend but we thought that would be even better! (since everyone can just make it a long weekend!). All of our friends and family (and us!) can stay right at the beach (which is 2 miles from the Monastery) and since the wedding is Friday we then have all weekend to relax and enjoy the company of our guests staying there!.....it will be perfect!

I am just beyond excited and so is my FI!. Now we''re just trying to get the church issues settled (we had some problems finding a catholic church that would marry us since that''s not our parish)...it looks like that will also be all taken care of within the next couple of weeks!

I was so nervous all weekend because it wasn''t until yesterday that I was actually able to speak with someone there that could do our contract to secure the date. Now it''s done and I just feel like dancing all around the office! hehe

As far as the other stages of planning, I will have to be creative to cut down costs...but we have our priorities straight: music, photography and food/beverage. Everything else I don''t mind so much and will find a way to make it work within my budget!.

I will keep you all updated!

M~

 

[snuga]

GORGEOUS!! Really, just stunning!

 

[robbie3982]

It''s beautiful!!! I can''t wait to see your wedding pics! Guess I''ve got a while though

 

[blushingbride]

First of all, that place is gorgeous!!! And so perfect for the two of you!!! Excellent job!!! Also, my friend actually had her reception at Cloisters, and it was absolutely beautiful - you''ll have an amazing wedding!

I wanted to ask you how you search the knottie bios for pictures of your specific venue?? It might be a dumb question, but I would like to see if anyone has pictures of my place. Not to change the subject, but you or anyone could let me know, I''d appreciate it!

 

[janinegirly]

looks gorgeous and congrats!!!! doesn''t it feel good to have a date?

and so funny you''re in nyc--we should grab a glass of wine!

good to see you back on the boards..

 

[basil]

Beautiful!

Can''t wait to book an actual place. I''m so hoping it''s the worst part!

 

[Mandarine]

it feels SO good!!!

Feb 15th!.....

Plus side: he won''t forget because it is the day after valentine''s
Down side: I will probably end up getting just one present for both occassions! hehe

Janine I really do wish I had time!!! the person I''m travelling with is the kind of person that makes plans for EVERY night of the BUSINESS trip!!!....I hate it because I get very little time to do anything else!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If I can get away tomorrow or Friday I will ping you here!!!...I''d love to have a glass of wine! plus I have a bunch of free drink coupons for the hotel! hehe

I''ll let you know though...I don''t think I''ll be able, but we''ll see!

Thank you all for your nice comments! I wish I could find better pictures!!!!

To search in the knot -....well, it''s a major PIA! pretty much it doesn''t work! haha.,...but go to your local borad and just ask if any knotties are getting married in your location. They''ll be happy to search and give you past knottie names that got married at your venue!


Thanks again!

M~

 

[anchor31]

I''m so happy for you that you got your perfect place! It''s so exciting, isn''t it? Yay!

And it''s so stunning...

I''m adding you to the list right away!

 

[bee*]

wow its a beautiful place!! Congratulations on booking your venue!

 

[MMM]

I love it.
This was also the location of one of the featured weddings in the knot''s florida wedding magazine they put out. it was either this season or last(?), and my fiances aunt and uncle actually attended the wedding and said it was beautiful as well. : )

 

[Mandarine]

Thank you all!!!!!

 

[ktkakes]

Date: 3/28/2007 11:05:47 PM
Author: Mandarine
Thank you all!!!!!

mandarine the reception hall is beautiful! i cant wait to see pictures of your special day! im so excited for you i cant wait to get my reception hall booked!!!

 

[appletini]

Mandarine,

Your location is amazing and looks so romantic! I might have to crash your wedding!

 

[dani13]

Hi Mandarine!!

I second wha Appletini said- TOTALLY crashing your wedding!!!

Congratulations on booking your location and finally setting the date!! It is so true, that" when you know you know" thing.....I also had that "heart beating fast" feeling when I drove up to my venue before I even walked through the front doors. And, this was after looking at about 15 places and feeling so discouraged that we would never find the right one for us. What an amazing feeling when you finally find it!!!

Your wedding is going to be beautiful. I love that old world, Spanish feel that your venue has. Gorgeous!!! Congratulations again!!!

 

[Kerbear560]

Wow! What a gorgeous location! Congratulations on setting a date!

 

[onedrop]

I have been meaning to come back and comment on how beautiful the location you chose is! Simply gorgeous, with a lot of character.

 

[akw94]

Congrats on finding the perfect location for you! So exciting!! I was absolutely thrilled after booking our place and felt quite relieved! That is a major task to mark off the list.
It looks like it will be perfect to implement your Spanish theme. Congrats!

 

[Kaleigh]

Oh wow Madarine, it''s just spectacular!!!! Congrats on finding the perfect venue, you must be sooo excited.

 

[Mandarine]

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!I''m so in love with it! I wish you could all come and crash my wedding! hehe...that might blow my budget though! haha

M~

 

[staceybelle]

Stunning.

If pictures don''t do the place justice, I''d love to see it in person!

 

[Skippy123]

That place is gorgeous!!! It is where in Florida?

 

[zoebartlett]

Hi Mandarine,

I love the place you booked -- it''s beautiful! It looks like the perfect place for a romantic day. I''m so glad you''ve gotten it.