What do you guys think of this location?

[Gypsy]

SO... This place has a few perks-- right next to a picturesque park to take pictures and have ceremony... plus enough space for a rain site. It allows any caterer I want. It gives you 10 hours (instead of 7 or for the event. Comes with 150 Chivari Chairs and all tables. Its close to the white house and is very DC. THh architecture is itallianate and FI is Italian American. Rental includes the pianos. Comes with a silver Samovar (I love samovars), laterns and floating candle bowls.

It''s a little more than I wanted to spend-- but it is IN DC so I wouldn''t have to worry about transporation costs and it lets me pick my own caterer... which means I can shop around AND I can bargain with them about letting me purchase the alcohol.

Any DC PSers been there.... or um.. want to visit for me?

http://www.washingtonparks.net/parkscenter.html

http://www.washingtonparks.net/parkscenter.html

 

[labbielove]

hey there,
it''s beautiful!

and if it''s got everything you want, and you can ease your worries about transportation, etc. then the site fee is worth it. there are other areas (the bar being one BIG one) where you can save money.

site fee didn''t seem too bad for a metro area? i could be wrong.

sounds like you''re not in the area, would the place be able to provide you with references of other brides you could speak to that had their wedding there??

plus, i think it''s nice having the photo ops so close by- all the sooner to get you to the par-tay!!!

 

[Clarygrace]

Hello Gypsy!
Where did you find that lovely place? I would be happy to check it out for you sometime in the following week or so.

Did you hook up with the caterers?

 

[FireGoddess]

Wowee...it looks gorgeous.

 

[Kaleigh]

Looks terrific to me. What a beautiful location, just gorgeous!!!

 

[sumbride]

It''s not actually that close to the White House, though you should have a good view down 16th street from that point. It is in a decent part of town though and it looks pretty. I''ve heard of it many times but I''ve never been.

 

[indecisive]

Oh wow!!! I love this location!! I have been looking at local bride magazine for months and I haven''t seen this place... how is that possible?! $4,000 for a saturday is SO reasonable too. If my mom gets out of the hospital and things settle down I may be able to go see it this weekend and tell you what I think. So pretty!

 

[eleguin]

That looks very elegant! I lived about 7 blocks from there up until this summer and loved that area. Is that the building on Madison street right by the white house? It looks very familiar, but it''s gorgeous. Will you be taking photos on the ellipse?

 

[lovelylulu]

gypsy, that location looks wonderful! really lovely.

i''m headed out of town this weekend -- actually do check out the location for my younger brothers wedding and to join in their cake tasting

-- but i''d definately check it out for you sometime next week after work depending on their hours --- snap some photos.

 

[Gypsy]

I think it''s definitely the front runner for locations right now. It looks nice and bright for a historical house (the ball room isn''t panelled in dark wood thank god) plus it''s big from the floor plan. And as indesicive has pointed out... reasonable for it''s location and size.

Clary-- I did!! Thank you! He''s going to get back to me with some information. In the meantime I called another caterer for a qoute for everything-- including all the stations-- I could think of and the qoute came in fairly reasonably so I''m confident this can be worked out.

My main concern is that the place is going to look like Woodend did (OH... you ladies are going to LOVE this I posted on the snot about locations... and mentioned that I thought Woodend looked run down and threadbare [needs paint, new carpets and SERIOUSLY needs the floors re-finished] and one of the knotties replied saying, "Well if you didn''t like Woodend I can''t image you''re going to find anyplace you are going to like. All the brides rave about Woodend." Uh huh.). I know its a historical building but is it too much to ask that the walls, floors and decorations look well maintained instead of neglected. Plus Woodend was DIRTY. Yuck.

Labbie! References are a GREAT idea!

Clary! Indecisive and Lulu! If any of your go to visit it would be AMAZING! SO thoughtful and wonderful of you all.

Indecisive honey, I hope your mom gets out of the hospital and that things start looking up for you! ((HUGS)).

Sumbride... can I ask if you''ve heard good things or bad?

Eleguin-- ellipse?

Lulu... Have fun this weekend. Our cake tastings were a blast. I highly recommend the baker we chose. Hollin Hill in Alexandria for DC area weddings.

THANK YOU LADIES!!! You are the BEST!

 

[onedrop]

Looks very nice! Never even knew that place existed, but now that I am thinking about it that should be very close to the Executive Office Building which very near the White House. I remember the yellow building, but didn't know what it was. Hopefully it is to your liking!

ETA: Now I know the general location. So I take all of that back about the EOB. I went back and read the information about the location and noticed that is it near Meridian Hill Park and I know that is on 16th street between W and V, I believe. The White House is actually several blocks south of that location, but still not that far.

 

[sumbride]

I haven''t heard good or bad things, just heard it mentioned... as in "this event will be there" or "this building is closed because of snow...." That kind of thing. I think it is open to the public most of the time so maybe all the DC girls should get together and go scope it out for you! "BATHROOMS, CHECK!"

It''s not the yellow building near The White House as was suggested. It''s more on parallel with the Dupont/Kalorama part of town, near the zoo. Lovely part of town these days! I''ve probably driven by it a million times as I used to drive down Florida from 16th. It''s not walking distance to the White House so if you want pics in the monuments, you''ll still need transportation. (The Ellipse is the lawn between the White House and the Washington Monument.)

 

[Clarygrace]

15th Street is not in the Dupont/Kalorama area, it''s a more than four blocks east. The Zoo is straight up CT Avenue, due north of Dupont/Kalorama. My office is on 19th off Florida, which is considered upper Dupont.

 

[sumbride]

Date: 10/13/2006 1:52:32 PM
Author: Clarygrace
15th Street is not in the Dupont/Kalorama area, it''s a more than four blocks east. The Zoo is straight up CT Avenue, due north of Dupont/Kalorama. My office is on 19th off Florida, which is considered upper Dupont.

I just meant it was parallel... I didn''t mean it was in that neighborhood. It is directly east so it is parallel. I was just trying to illustrate how far from the White House it was because it sounded like she thought it was a couple of blocks away but it''s actually right at 2 miles from the White House.

That whole area is near enough Rock Creek Park (zoo) to be quite lovely and still off the beaten track. It doesn''t feel quite so "concretey" there.

 

[Clarygrace]

sumbride:
I agreee, just was trying to clarify as well. Your''re right there are some yucky looking places in DC, as well as lvery ovely ones. I truly think upper Kalorama and the Zoo all the way upto Chevy Chase are great, but very expensive!
The area east of Dupont is still being gentrified, and quite nicely too, but just can''t picture exactly where this place is...guess I''ll have to check it out!

 

[sumbride]

I did a google map search and then clicked the "satellite" button to get a picture... it clicked right away once I did that as I know I''ve been by there before.

 

[flopkins]

Gypsy - it looks lovely and I hope someone can scope it out for you! The price is VERY reasonable too, IMO... but then, I paid WAY too much for my wedding so... ya know...

 

[indecisive]

Hey Gypsy. Thanks so uch for the well wishes. I have been looking around the internet for pictures and I thought you might be interested.

Here are some pictures of the neighborhood it is in and buildings on the surrounding streets.
http://www.travelphotobase.com/s/DC16.HTM

The park

I found some of the inside of the center but now I can''t find them

From what I remeber it looked good but not pristine. I hope I can go this weekend!

 

[Gypsy]

"Air of Neglect" is what I''m trying to avoid. My mother has eyes like a flock of hawks and is judgemental to boot. There''s a line between-- isn''t that lovely, it adds character and grace-- AND-- What a couple of gallons of paint/ floorwax/a newer rug would have killed them??

Those pictures are AMAZING indecisive. Seriously. That fountain is a MUST for pics. if I could I''m traipze the whole family out to it for group pics! THANK YOU. I TOTALLY hope you can make it out there. Have you seen Tragaron? It at the International school of Washington. Really good rental rate... but you have to use only thier one caterer. Who my photographer and florist say has excellent food-- but that I have NOT be able to pin down on ANYTHING in the two weeks I''ve been trying to do so. http://www.wis.edu/aboutwis/facilit_rentals.asp

http://www.3citron.com/tregaron.html

Of course having my family out to the fountain would be akin to herding cats. Something I make a practice of avoiding unless I have tuna in hand. And even then I have to drop it and run.

Flopkins...Thank you honey! Erm... do I want to know what you spent on the wedding?

 

[fatafelice]

WOW, Gypsy, that place looks amazing!

I''ll cross my fingers for you that it checks out just as well in person!

 

[onedrop]

Wow the pictures of the park are really nice!!

Meridian Hill Park is a very pituresque place. At one time I know it was a bit shaky to go there even in the day time, but nowadays I am sure with the *changing* of the neighborhood, the situation should be better now. I hope that doesn't put a damper on things, but it is just something to check out if you get a chance to visit the location in person. OR it's something for your PS scouts to note when they go to check it out for you Gypsy.

 

[aljdewey]

Really really classy and beautiful. What a gorgeous find!

 

[JessaJS]

Love it!!!
I too struggled with the decision as to if we wanted to go over budget for our reception, and I went along with my heart (and the PSers!) and we''re booking our beautiful site this week.

If you can bring in your own caterer and possibly your own alcohol, that''s huge, plus the Chivari chairs are a nice added touch.

And - it''s gorgeous!!! Can''t go wrong with a beautiful spot like that. Cut elsewhere if it helps to make the decision easier to swallow.

Let us know what you decide!!

 

[ChargerGrrl]

GORGEOUS place!

It would make for some amazing wedding pics. Keep us posted!

 

[Gypsy]

I am cutting back. Trageron (the other place I was thinking of) only works with one caterer and I have NOT been impressed by the service they have given me. I am cutting my re-set down to 18K instead of Platinum so that if this place checks out... I''m good to go.

Onedrop it was something I had been warned about, but I was told that the place had been going through some major rehab... so we''ll see.

I am definitely thinking the pics would be good here. And I like the light yellow walls. Very bright and airy. I like that. Keeping my fingers crossed!

 

[indecisive]

Hey Gypsy. I haven''t had a chance to visit the location yet. Things have been crazy with me lately. I just wanted to say we are buying my friends birthday cake from your bakery and I am so excited about tasting it! Did you try any of the moose cakes or just the traditional butter cream ones? We ordered the chocolate moose one and are going to try it tomorrow! Hopefully I will get out to DC sometime soon. Have any other DC people been out there yet?

 

[Gypsy]

Ours is actually the Black and White Mousse! It is SO Yummy! Be sure to tell me what you think! The Vanilla Bavarian was our runner up. As for 'traditional' cakes... I don't know if they have any there. We tried...7 different cakes at the tasting and none of them were 'traditional'-- however, quite a few were sensational! The Vanilla Bavarian was the most 'traditional' but lighter and moister than anything similar to it I'd tried. I could eat a SERIOUS amount of that it was so light and wonderful. Which is why we chose the B&W mousse because we wanted something richer and truly decadent.

I don't think anyone's had the time to go to the Parks Center yet. I hope your schedule has been good- hectic and not bad hectic. IF you get a chance though, it would be great!

ETA: How is your mom honey?

 

[indecisive]

Thanks Gypsy, you are so sweet. My mom is home and doing better. The cake was Amazing!! Rich and decadent are the exact words that came to mind. We also had some chocolate covered strawberries at the bakery that were perfect... I love their chocolate! Just wanted to let you know you made a great choice in bakery. I hope things will settle down soon so we can check out the site.

 

[Gypsy]

I hope your mom is still doing better! This is the first chance I''ve had to PS in two weeks... and it''s only b/c a) my boss isn''t here and b) It''s the first day of my period and I''m SO tired and cloudy I''m waiting for caffiene and Midol to kick in before I tackle the heavy duty crap I have to do today. I''m just sticking to phone calls, and easy crap until 10 am when I have a meeting...then the day gets hellish. Yuck.

How are things with you honey!

I''m so glad you liked the cake. We loved it, but it''s great to have a second opinion!