(Note: it may become apparent that I’ve finally figured out how to embed pictures into posts, and am quite excited about it.)
Tents, installed floors and portapotties seem like a lot of effort and cost for questionable results. Especially if the weather is unpredictable. Like Erica (hi!!!), I’ve been to a fair number of events with portapotties nicer than my own bathroom at home. But we heard that even your very basic construction site-esque set up can cost a bundle already; what with the set up fee, the waste removal payment, renting the thing, etc. costs can add up. So we’re trying to go for options that have already built in these facilities. We visited one such space today: the Park McCullough House up in North Bennington, VT.
For those of you who don’t know, Williamstown sits in the far northwestern most corner of Massachusetts. You can literally walk to New York and Vermont. It’s a long walk, and probably on the chilly side these days, so it’s not one I’d recommend - but it’s certainly doable. So that’s just to say that North Bennington, VT isn’t too far away. Regardless of where we end up partying wed, shuttles will definitely be involved, I’m guessing, so driving 25-30 minutes to a reception site is workable.
In the late afternoon, we drove up to the Park McCullough House to check it out. (All pics taken from their website.) A few Williams folks had mentioned it as a possible venue. It’s an old historic home, where a former VT governor had lived. The place is done up as a museum - it’s actually a bit like walking into a movie set, or someone’s home in the 19th century, except they’re out to tea and headless dummies are wearing their clothing, cordoned off behind velvet ropes.
The grounds are lovely; the house is being maintained by some sweet people who run a nonprofit dedicated to preserving this rich little slice of local history. I’m definitely pro that.
Here’s how we were told the evening could run down:
Ceremony in the rose gardens. Though since we were checking it out in mid-October, during a frightful cold snap and after a few hail storms had apparently battered this little part of Southern Vermont, the lovely roses pictured below were reduced to pretty bad shape.
Cocktails on the veranda. During this time, we were told, any guests interested would be given tours of the house. To check out the aforementioned headless dummies wearing period dress. Definitely a unique wedding experience?
Dinner & dancing in the renovated carriage barn.
The carriage barn is, obviously, the main event space, and the main draw. It has been renovated to house a catering kitchen, bathrooms, is heated, etc. And, importantly, it is possible that it could house a party as large as ours. We may have to add a tent on the patch of grass in the foreground above to accommodate a dance floor, but it’s better than the 100, 120 person caps we were hearing about for other indoors spaces.
The carriage barn also still holds the carriages from the days of yore. Another unique feature of possibly having the wedding here. I kept asking the woman if the carriages would be removed for the event. Don’t get me wrong, despite my deep, unfaltering love for Laura Ingalls Wilder, and wanting to be romanced in horse drawn carriages wearing a homemade dress with a bustle, I’m not sure I’d want the carriages to feature so prominently in the decor.
My main, concern, actually, was for these antiques. Are you telling me that after several hours of drinking and dancing, you’re not going to want to clamber into one of these to either take a nap, pose, make out or what have you? (Remember that scene from Titanic? As awkward as I thought Rose and Jack were…) The on-site planner walking us through the property assured me that everyone she’s seen has been very respectful of the carriages and that no one has come close to behaving in a manner as untoward as I’d imagined… but perhaps she underestimates how … um.. much fun.. I and some of our friends can be :)
So… if the event were to take place here, I’d have to post signs with gentle reminders for people to leave the carriages alone.
Be honest, would you try to climb in?
