Since this is purportedly a wedding planning blog, at least a blog documenting a wedding being planned, I shall try to do some summarizing and reflecting from time to time. Wish me luck!
So, what have we learned from The Venue Hunt? Many of these points should go without saying, I’m sure, so humor me if I state the obvious.
First: Where In The World?
In this globalized era of Destination Weddings, frequent travel and far-flung friends and family members, where should one get married? The old bride’s hometown tradition doesn’t always seem to be the best option. Especially when the bride doesn’t really have a hometown, as in our case! So why did we decide on the Berkshires? Well, Williamstown is a very special place to us. Not just because we both went to college there, but because we have both chosen to spend time there as young adults and as “adults.” Individually and together. I followed The Big Sister to Williams, and it became a home for me; the place I have live longest in my life besides Vienna, actually. Four years of college, then three years of work. Joe also spent four years of college here, pseudo unbeknownst to me… and he chose to come back and base a lot of his international-man-of-mysteryness (don’t ask me what my fiancé does, I’m not sure I know! :) ) operations from this idyllic part of the world. Then we met and spent our first year as couple living in Williamstown. So, Williamstown.
Next: What Kind of Ceremony Venue?
But where in the Williamstown area? I think it was particularly helpful to have a good idea of who our guests are, and the kind of experience we want our friends and family to have. We’re hoping there will be a fair number of you traveling in from all over the U.S. and even all over the world. So we wanted to show off some of the trademark and unique aspects of the region.
New England in the fall - simply a gorgeous proposition! And if we’re going to prematurely join the leaf-peeping cohort, then let’s make sure people get to see it! That’s why we checked out Sheep Hill and were very excited about what we found. The staff was friendly, accommodating and responsive, and the view is gorgeous!
However, as luck would have it, the hapless family of Bridesmaid Sarah (whom I befriended as a first year back in 1997) has a lovely Little Home with a Big View: Casa Schivs. And Bridesmaid Sarah had, weeks ago, volunteered their yard as a potential place to get married. Mama Schivs (aka East Coast Mom) also mentioned this as a possibility when we spoke on the phone a few weeks ago. At the time I had demurred, not wanting to trouble them too much. But who am I kidding? It’s p-e-r-f-e-c-t! The setup works better than the top of Sheep Hill and it is already a place where many of us have fond memories. So, a different hilltop in Williamstown, from which to appreciate the autumn splendor of the region.
Finally: Where Can We Get Down?
The reception; sometimes referred to as “dinner and dancing,” but more accurately described as “feed me and then it’s time to boogie!”
The Berkshires are also self-referenced as “America’s Premier Cultural Resort.” Why the self-aggrandizing title? Well, it’s not too far a stretch! Within miles you have 3 fantastic museums: the Williams College Museum of Art, the Clark Art Institute, and MASSMoCA. Theatre Festivals, music festivals, dance festivals, jazz festivals - all abound during summer months and the rest of the year. We wanted to showcase this aspect of the area as well, plus we wanted an indoor venue. Ostensibly to protect us from the cold, but really to provide neighbors with a wall between our merrymaking and their peace. MASSMoCA fit the bill perfectly. So that’s where we plan to party into the night once we’ve become Mr. & Mrs.
What Else Should One Consider?
Well, in searching for the perfect venue, there are definitely many things to consider. Here are a few biggies for us:
1) Capacity: how many dancing bodies can the space handle? Oh, and if they’re going to sit down to eat, can they all fit doing that?
2) Style: rustic hoedown in a converted barn? elegant chandeliers and gilded powder rooms with plush carpeting? sand-in-your-hair beach wedding with warm sand between your toes? bonfires, kumbaya, camping lovefest in the woods? chic lines and industrial modernity in a hip loft space? what’s your style?
3) $$$: how much does it cost, and what’s the associated fee schedule? are you limited to a specific set of vendors? do you pay extra for setup and takedown? what’s the deposit policy? what comes with the basic venue fee?
4) Logistics: how do the ceremony & reception venues work together? how does the evening unfold logistically? Will the ceremony venue allow for pictures before or afterward? Will guests flow easily from ceremony to cocktails? Or to shuttles for the reception? And dinner with various speeches, will that flow into a night of dancing (and debauchery)? how do all the spaces work together and how will guests (and the wedding party!) get from one space or room to another?
5) Responsiveness: I found the responsiveness of the contact at the site to be an important factor - will they answer your questions promptly and affably? do they allow you to set your own vision for the evening? are they helpful in giving suggestions? will they be there on the day of the event, and do you want them to be?
There are tons of lists of questions one should ask various people every step of the way available in wedding planning books, guides, websites and magazines… those were definitely a help, but most useful to me was having conversation with various vendors and discussing thoughts with Joe.
