zoebartlett
Super_Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2006
- Messages
- 12,461
I just returned from a weekend away with my mom, where we went to the White Mountains in NH, then to the southern Maine coast to look at venues. Although I really loved the places in the mountains, we basically decided that it was too far to ask our guests to drive. We have many guests flying in, and I''d feel bad asking them to land at the airport and then drive 2-2.5 hours up north to attend my wedding.
So now that that decision has been made (phew!), we''re now deciding between a few places. We''re planning on a July 5 or 12, 2008 wedding, ideally. We''ll keep an open mind about a Sunday wedding, but for people working the following day, Sunday may not be the best option. I''d love your thoughts or opinions. Here are the three my FI and I are now considering (in no particular order):
1. My parents backyard. They live in a small, picturesque town with a center of town known as "the village." It''s the historic area of town and the houses are beautiful and it''s just a very quaint place. I grew up in this town (I''d rather not name it) and my parents have lived in their house since I was in eigth grade. Next door are the town tennis courts, a hop, skip, and jump down the road is a baseball field, and behind my parents'' house is an elementary school with a playground. This is important because it is kid-friendly.
If we have it on the 5th of July, OOT guests could arrive early and if they arrive before Friday, they could come to my parents'' house and watch the Fourth of July parade, which goes right down their road. It''s the most "famous" parade in the state I believe and it''s one in which during campaign and election years, many politicians walk the parade route. After the parade, there''s an art show and food/drinks on the town common. It''s fun to walk around and see the houses decorated in red, white, and blue, and take part inthe festivities. I imagine it could be a fun way for OOT family and friends to spend some time before the big day. That night there would either be a big BBQ at home under the tent instead of a traditional rehearsal dinner OR a more traditional rehearsal dinner at a restaurant for family (local and OOT) only.
The Big Day would include a simple ceremony at home, followed by the reception under the tent.
2. Clay Hill Farm, York (Cape Neddick), Maine (www.clayhillfarm.com): This is a beautiful bird sanctuary and restaurant on the coast of Maine (not right near the water though). Basically, if you hold a wedding there, they close the place down and it''s yours for the day or evening. We''d have a daytime wedding. It''s so quiet and pretty and peaceful at Clay Hill Farm, and a plus is that they do everything there for you. Yes, you''d provide a photographer, flowers, musicians, and any other "extras" but they handle all the food, desserts (or wedding cake, which we''re not doing), and alcohol. This is a big plus because we wouldn''t have to worry about that stuff. It''s also in an area that has a lot to do: downtown Portsmouth, NH is a historic town with shops and restaurants; nearby Wells and Ogunquit have the beaches, shops, adn restaurants, and even York Wild Animal Kingdom. The surrounding area is kid-friendly but not necessarily the venue itself. The cost for kids is the same as it would be for adults, which is outrageous in my opinion.
3. the Bedford Village Inn (http://www.bedfordvillageinn.com/) in Bedford, NH. This is a beautiful inn and wedding/reception venue, complete with a gift shop and really pretty gardens. I''ve never seen the guest rooms but I''ve heard (and seen from the website) that they''re very nice. I''ve been there to eat both in the formal dining room and in the more casual, pub-like atmosphere of the tavern, and I know the food is really good. The atmosphere is not really kid-friendly, as there''s not really open space to run around, either indoors or out. I don''t know if they charge the same for kid food as for adult food.
I know will probably come down to cost, and having kids (other than family''s children) could be dependent on cost. If it''s doable though, I''d love to have all kids come.
If you''re eyes aren''t glazed over by now, I''d appreciate any thoughts you may have. Thanks for reading this far!
So now that that decision has been made (phew!), we''re now deciding between a few places. We''re planning on a July 5 or 12, 2008 wedding, ideally. We''ll keep an open mind about a Sunday wedding, but for people working the following day, Sunday may not be the best option. I''d love your thoughts or opinions. Here are the three my FI and I are now considering (in no particular order):
1. My parents backyard. They live in a small, picturesque town with a center of town known as "the village." It''s the historic area of town and the houses are beautiful and it''s just a very quaint place. I grew up in this town (I''d rather not name it) and my parents have lived in their house since I was in eigth grade. Next door are the town tennis courts, a hop, skip, and jump down the road is a baseball field, and behind my parents'' house is an elementary school with a playground. This is important because it is kid-friendly.
If we have it on the 5th of July, OOT guests could arrive early and if they arrive before Friday, they could come to my parents'' house and watch the Fourth of July parade, which goes right down their road. It''s the most "famous" parade in the state I believe and it''s one in which during campaign and election years, many politicians walk the parade route. After the parade, there''s an art show and food/drinks on the town common. It''s fun to walk around and see the houses decorated in red, white, and blue, and take part inthe festivities. I imagine it could be a fun way for OOT family and friends to spend some time before the big day. That night there would either be a big BBQ at home under the tent instead of a traditional rehearsal dinner OR a more traditional rehearsal dinner at a restaurant for family (local and OOT) only.
The Big Day would include a simple ceremony at home, followed by the reception under the tent.
2. Clay Hill Farm, York (Cape Neddick), Maine (www.clayhillfarm.com): This is a beautiful bird sanctuary and restaurant on the coast of Maine (not right near the water though). Basically, if you hold a wedding there, they close the place down and it''s yours for the day or evening. We''d have a daytime wedding. It''s so quiet and pretty and peaceful at Clay Hill Farm, and a plus is that they do everything there for you. Yes, you''d provide a photographer, flowers, musicians, and any other "extras" but they handle all the food, desserts (or wedding cake, which we''re not doing), and alcohol. This is a big plus because we wouldn''t have to worry about that stuff. It''s also in an area that has a lot to do: downtown Portsmouth, NH is a historic town with shops and restaurants; nearby Wells and Ogunquit have the beaches, shops, adn restaurants, and even York Wild Animal Kingdom. The surrounding area is kid-friendly but not necessarily the venue itself. The cost for kids is the same as it would be for adults, which is outrageous in my opinion.
3. the Bedford Village Inn (http://www.bedfordvillageinn.com/) in Bedford, NH. This is a beautiful inn and wedding/reception venue, complete with a gift shop and really pretty gardens. I''ve never seen the guest rooms but I''ve heard (and seen from the website) that they''re very nice. I''ve been there to eat both in the formal dining room and in the more casual, pub-like atmosphere of the tavern, and I know the food is really good. The atmosphere is not really kid-friendly, as there''s not really open space to run around, either indoors or out. I don''t know if they charge the same for kid food as for adult food.
I know will probably come down to cost, and having kids (other than family''s children) could be dependent on cost. If it''s doable though, I''d love to have all kids come.
If you''re eyes aren''t glazed over by now, I''d appreciate any thoughts you may have. Thanks for reading this far!