What would you do?

[House Cat]

My DREAM wedding venue is out of my price range for a weekend wedding by about $15,000. Just recently, they have added mid-week weddings, so I gave them a call and they are *almost* in my price range now. Just out by a few thousand. This place includes just about everything though, food, flowers, incredible photographer for 6 hours, band, valet, help with planning and design...and the site is AMAZING! (You get married in the middle of a lavender field for goodness sake! For a california girl like me...that''s a dream come true!)

So, what would you do? Would you have a midweek wedding and splurge on the extra few thousand to have your *dream wedding?*


If I did this wedding, I would plan out far ahead enough...June 2010...so that people could ask for the day off. Honestly though, a lot of our attendees are retired, stay at home moms, have flexible work situations, or are school teachers, so midweek isn''t really a problem. Would you do it? Do you think a midweek wedding is a terrible thing to do to the people that are working? Any other things that I should think of?

Wanna see the venue?

Bear Flag Farm

 

[bee*]

Well my wedding is on a Thursday so maybe I''m not the best person to ask. We wouldn''t have been able to get my venue for a Saturday for four years as it was booked out for so long so that''s why we went with our date. We haven''t had anyone say they won''t be able to attend and everyone is looking forward to a four day weekend so we haven''t had any problems in terms of that. We have had a 19 month engagement so everyone has had plenty of notice.

 

[Porridge]

I would definitely go for it! It looks STUNNING and it''s going to be such a blessing to have all that stuff included. Mid week is fine if there''s notice!!

 

[Vancity]

In the immortal words of NIKE:

JUST DO IT!

Just took a look at the site, and those lavender fields are nothing short of gorgeous, House Cat!

(I am always astounded by how many beautiful wedding locations there are in Cali!)

 

[fleur-de-lis]

Geez, and I''m here thinking about how lavender attracts bees like mad and how terrified some of my guests would be.

As for mid-week, it''s likely most out-of-town guests would decline, and for those who come less alcohol would be consumed (and with less frivolity/dancing/etc.) than during a weekend fete. Are either of those factors for you or your FI?

 

[rhbgirl24]

I would GO FOR IT!

 

[jstarfireb]

I personally wouldn''t have a mid-week wedding...but many of my guests are young, just starting their careers, unable to get time off during the week, etc. I''m actually having mine on a Sunday, and I think I''ve lost a bunch of guests because of that. One actually said "if it were Saturday, I could come"...so my opinion is colored by that. If you think your guests could come and you could give them plenty of advance notice, then it shouldn''t be a problem.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

I''m having a Sunday night wedding, so I''m in the same boat as a midweek one. I say GO FOR IT!!! *If* you can swing the extra few thousand...

 

[Rhea]

My wedding was mid-week. I''d seriously consider it if it''s your dream wedding. I honestly don''t see too many drawbacks, a few people might not be able to make it, if it''s your dream wedding in your budget.

 

[panda08]

I wouldn''t have a problem with it (mine is on a Tuesday) and if people are inclined to come, they will.

If you''re positive this venue is the ONE, the thing I''d want to be darn sure about is that I''m happy with all the vendors the venue comes with. All inclusive sounds great - less planning! - but what if you''re not happy with all of the vendors they have? I considered a lovely venue once but it insisted on a particular caterer, etc. Turned out that I didn''t like the caterer and the venue would not budge on it so I passed.

 

[wyndham]

Hi House Cat,
This venue looks BEAUTIFUL, what a great find!
Quick question for you: when you say a "mid-week wedding", do you mean a Thursday night? Or are we talking like a Tuesday/Wednesday? I think a Thursday night wedding could work so your guests could make it a long weekend trip, but I think a Tuesday/Wednesday wedding requires guests to take more vacation days (they have to basically take the whole week off in order to make a weekend out of it).
I have been to a couple of Sunday night weddings before, and my observation is that in the US they''re generally smaller events with an older crowd, and the mood is usually much more subdued than Friday/Saturday night events. I think it''s really up to you to decide what makes sense for your guests: it sounds like it might not be a problem for some of them, but you might not have as big of a turnout as you would with a weekend event. Basically, your decision roughly boils down to dream venue with smaller turnout vs. less dreamy venue with potentially larger (though still not 100%) turnout.
Best of luck to you, this place looks amazing!

 

[emeraldlover1]

All inclusive wedding at that location....DO IT!

 

[House Cat]

Date: 4/16/2009 6:14:18 PM
Author: emeraldlover1
All inclusive wedding at that location....DO IT!

You can put your mouse on the little speaker (lower left corner) and it will tell you the title of the song playing. The first song is called "Sometimes" by Frances England.

 

[AmberGretchen]

I agree with the others - go for it!

 

[House Cat]

The mid-week weddings are any day from Monday through Thursday, so a Thursday wedding is totally doable. The event is sort of late afternoon to early evening, ending by 8 pm.

I think our crowd is going to be more subdued anyway, no matter when we have the wedding. I wish things would be a bit more lively, but I seriously doubt it will happen! Our group is older and they don''t really drink much (ha!)

We are allowed to check out the vendors before signing. I will be doing that.

We have seen SO many venues in the past few months. The search has been exhausting. I think that it''s time to go with the place that I''ve really loved all along.


Oh..and the bees! We won''t be right in the lavender. The area is lawn in the center of the lavender field. They''ve been having weddings there for a long time, I''m sure it''s not a problem. BUT, I''ll bring my epipen and benadryl, just in case!

 

[ahappygirl]

Yes. Your dream, your wedding day. YES.

(And it IS lovely!!)

 

[Loves Vintage]

Uhm, so now I wanna get married there!!! Except, I'm already married, so I can't.

Seriously, book it now!!!!!

I love the website and the music. I bet it is unbelievably gorgeous! And, lavender fields!! Be still, my beating heart!

 

[FroggyMont]

It looks gorgeous!! I would totally book it

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Do it! It''s your wedding, you deserve your dream!

You can always catch up with friends who couldn''t make it when you throw anniversary parties/baby showers down the road. And just think of what beautiful and wonder pics you''ll be able to share with everyone!!

 

[Kelli]

Go for it! Plan ahead enough so that everyone can take a day off work, and have your dream wedding! It sounds awesome!

 

[brooklyngirl]

If there is enough notice, I don''t see a problem with a weeknight wedding. You might lose some guests over it, but you have no control over that.

The only thing I would caution about all inclusive places to find out exactly what they''re including, and what are the extra fees. For instance, flowers can have a huge variance as far as price. What what/how many flowers are they including in their package? How many people are in the band? Do you have to pay extra if you want more instruments/people in the band?

The venue is gorgeous!

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

If this is your dream wedding then do it!

If people really want to be there for you, a midweek wedding wont stop them, and if people wont be there because it is a midweek wedding.. it will cost less wont it??

 

[jjjul]

A mid-week wedding sounds bizarre to me. But if you love the place and it''s you''re dream venue then def go for it.