Would you take this risk?

[sugarjo]

FI and I decided on a venue for the reception, a beautiful gallery in downtown Denver. And we''ve been batting around different ideas for the ceremony. (a church is not an option with FI... i am catholic (not practicing) and he doesn''t want to go through all of the classes/meeting and such for a catholic wedding, and i feel like i would only want a catholic service if we were to do it in a church.)
anywho- we thought it would be really pretty to do it at the botanic gardens. so i contacted them, and they will not allow me to actually book for my January 30, 2010 wedding until October 1, 2009.
that would be only 5 months out. kind of a risk that i''m not crazy about-
however- January isn''t a popular month to marry in Denver
and- it is a really beautiful venue.
ah.......should i risk it.
thanks for your input.
sj

 

[Rhea]

It''s probably worth the risk. Gardens in Jan isn''t something most people do! But I think I''d be too nervous to do it myself. I''d want something more firm than that, I''m the nervous type.

 

[Morgie44]

I am not sure... I am super type A and risk scares me, so I probably wouldn''t take the risk. Can you find out how booked they are for this January, so that you can get an idea of what you are up against. If they are fairly open for this January, it might convince me to do it.

On a side note - I am not Catholic and we are being married in a Catholic church. I was baptised in another Christian denomination and my FI was Baptised and received his first communion, but was never confirmed in the Catholic church and my church seemed to be completely OK with this. I asked our church''s secretary SEVERAL times because everyone was telling me differently that I would first have to go through the Baptism/Communion/Confirmation process, but both through email and over the phone I was told we are good to go. We haven''t met with our priest yet we will not do so until 6 months out from the wedding, so I am really really hoping we aren''t thrown a curveball. My cousin was also married ina Catholic church last weekend even though she is not Catholic (her now husband is).

Anyways, sorry for the long winded story, but I just wanted to make sure you were aware that it is possible for you to get married in a church if that is something you are interested in.

 

[marchswallowbird]

I wouldn''t do it. Too much uncertainty, and you can''t buy your invitations until you have a venue, and what if there is some snafu? Also, are there any people coming in from out of town that you would need to do save the dates for? Usually those go out pretty early, depending on where people are traveling from.

 

[emeraldlover1]

I''d wait and make sure you are the first person that calls on that day in October. Honestly, I think you''ll be fine. You can have everything set to go with your invitations and just update that once you know. I don''t know any place that takes more than 2 months to make invites once the final proof is done. Three months is plenty of time before to send invites out. I would also call the garden periodically throughout the year to make sure that they haven''t changed their procedure.

I have friends that are planning their entire wedding in 6 months across the country in Napa Valley and they haven''t had a problem. So, I think if this is what you want I would risk it.

 

[ams0124]

Hi Sugar!
I''m kinda on the fence about this one...I''ve been to a few weddings at the Botanic Gardens (during wedding season) and they went off beautifully...I don''t recall any of the brides having a issue with the booking....It does sound strange that you can''t reserve a date until 5 months before the wedding...I would see where you would have concerns.

Humm...The gardens would be beautiful if you chose to have it there...especially in the winter I think. I do know that during the spring and summer they only allow weddings in certain parts of the gardens...so you can''t just say "this is pretty let''s have the ceremony here" which I think kinda sucks.

Don''t know if that was any help

...but just wanted to let you know what I know about that place.

Good Luck

 

[Smurfysmiles]

i know it is indoors and i wonder if a lot of brides who are having winter weddings will want to do it there since it will still have a kind of summery feel? I know what you mean though, I''ve been bugging fi to take me there lol (we live just outside of denver and havent gone to it yet!)

 

[meresal]

I have a little experience with this. The church that I really wanted wouldn't let me book more than 4 months out. Due to the fact that I am very picky, I would not be ok with having to wait an d "see". If it came down to it and the date I was waiting for was taken, then I would most likely move it to a date they had open, meaning I wouldn't be able to book any of my vendors until 4 months out as well. That to me was the deal breaker.

Here's the question. What will you do if you Can't have that specific date? What are you more picky about, the venue or the vendors? or are you going to be picky at all? Everyone is different.

If you don't mind me asking... why do they have such a long wait for a public venue?

 

[kittybean]

I encountered this same issue with the Botanic Gardens. Although I would''ve had more time than you will, I decided not to take a chance. It is a gorgeous place, and I loved the wedding I attended there recently, but I am too much of a planner and worrier. There are so many other vendors to book and coordinate, and what happens if they tell you they''ve booked your date? What happens if they do change their policy(as such bureaucratic public establishments are wont to do) and it negatively affects you?

Meresal--to explain, it''s not really a wait. They just refuse to book anything for a particular calendar year until October 1 of the previous calendar year. For example, I would have had to wait until October 1, 2008 to book it for my June 20, 2009 wedding. Therefore, sugarjo would have to wait until October 2009 to book her January 2010 wedding. Pretty preposterous, if you ask me. For me, my anxious little soul couldn''t bear to spend a couple months in limbo, so I scrapped them as a venue.

Morgie44--a little more about Catholic weddings: you are absolutely right. Both parties do not have to be Catholic. Only one party has to be Catholic. That said, please, please, please talk to your priest more than six months before the wedding. Depending on which diocese you are in, you may have to take a long survey (called FOCCUS), consult with a priest or a specially-designated married couple for counseling regarding that survey, and take a series of classes to complete your marriage preparation ("pre-Cana"). Most churches within my diocese require that you begin this lengthy process 8-12 months before the wedding date. You (or your FI, since he is the Catholic one) may also have to register as a parishioner at the church where you''re planning to have the ceremony, or you may have to obtain permission from his "home parish" to get married elsewhere, if that''s the case. Please check with your priest to make sure that it will be fine to begin your process later and that you otherwise are meeting any requirements they have. I just want to make sure you don''t have any problems crop up too late! The whole process is so complicated and full of red tape

.

Okay, sorry to threadjack with the Catholic bit, sugarjo! Question for you: would you consider having the ceremony at the gallery?

 

[sugarjo]

kittybean,
thank you for the pointers. you have all given me much to consider. i am also quite the planner and leaving it up to fate is a hard for me to swallow.
to answer your question, yes i would love to have it at the gallery, however it is not big enough to allow for a "transitional" area.

i think it sounds pretty smart to ask what they have booked for this January. and i will be printing my own invites, so i will have full editing ability.
thank you all so much, you have many good points to consider....

 

[musey]

If they don''t allow anyone to book more than 5 months out, then it''s not much of a risk. Just make sure you call the moment they open on 10/1/09 to be sure that no one snags it before you. Not that it will likely be a problem, but just in case!

Worst case scenario: you have to find a backup location. As long as you don''t have to change the day/time/etc., you''ll be fine as far as vendors: you just tell them your change in location.

I''m a big planner too, but I found that most of my worrying about things going "wrong" was unfounded... finding backups and making alternate arrangements is not as hard as you think. It''s just a party, in the end!!

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 12/12/2008 12:57:45 PM
Author: musey
If they don''t allow anyone to book more than 5 months out, then it''s not much of a risk. Just make sure you call the moment they open on 10/1/09 to be sure that no one snags it before you. Not that it will likely be a problem, but just in case!

Worst case scenario: you have to find a backup location. As long as you don''t have to change the day/time/etc., you''ll be fine as far as vendors: you just tell them your change in location.


I''m a big planner too, but I found that most of my worrying about things going ''wrong'' was unfounded... finding backups and making alternate arrangements is not as hard as you think. It''s just a party, in the end!!

Agreed. I''d take the chance personally, but this comes from a bride who planned my whole wedding in 6 months!

 

[Guilty Pleasure]

I''d risk it, with a plan for back-up.

I''m actualyl doing that because my first choice church won''t let me book yet. I have three churches, all of which won''t let me book yet since we''re non-members, and I figure at least one will be open still when the non-member booking date arrives.

 

[rubybeth]

I''m with musey and neatfreak--if it''s where you really want to have it, it''s worth the risk. Just call right away the first day you can book it. And, with the vendors, just let them know when and that the ''where'' is still to be confirmed. We have the same sort of policy where I work with our meeting rooms. We can only book the current month and the next two, but if you call us the first possible day, it''s unlikely that the room will be booked up that fast. People are generally lazy and/or procrastinators. If you''re on the ball, it''s yours!

 

[ash313]

I''m chiming in with the folks who say go for the risk. I agree that if you call right away, you should be fine. And, like meresal said, just have everything else set to go.

Also, I wonder if they would be willing to let you know if anyone else calls and is interested in that date? FSIL is having a similar issue with her venue, and they offered to let her know if anyone else called, and that she would get first dibs as long as called and booked it on the first day possible.

Good luck, sounds beautiful!

 

[bee*]

I''d risk it too. You''ll just have to be up really early that day to book it!

 

[BigDiamonds]

I''d risk it with a backup plan. We''re having ours at an amphitheatre that''s part of the Boulder park system, and they don''t take reservations until 9 months out. Their website had specific instructions, including that people physically in the office got priority over people on the phone or fax. So 9 months to the day before the wedding, I showed up 10 minutes after they opened. There were already six other women there booking parks for that weekend! Luckily I got the place and time I wanted with no problems.

If it''s what you really want, I would do it and just be really on top of making the reservation the moment you can. Good luck!

 

[sugarjo]

Thank you all!!!!!!
I think you are all correct and if I make a back-up plan, 5 months out is plenty of time! I think I am going to go for it........
You all rock and thank you for your input and honesty....
(I love this place.....)

 

[sugarjo]

P.S.
Smurfy---
You and your FI should really come down to the gardens if you have the chance. They are so beautiful at night in the winter, they hang up lots of lights and it is so lovely.....Note: not cheesy Christmas-y stuff!!!! FI and I live about 5 blocks from them, and go when ever we can!!!!!!!!!!