Weddingbee boards

Hi, So I stumbled upon this message board and saw some great posts with really helpful advice. I am in the beginning stages of planning our wedding and am shocked by how expensive everything is!! We are from Massachusetts and have ties to Cape Cod (specifically the lower Cape area), so we were hoping to hold our wedding there and anticipate around 125 people. I'm planning on doing as many things myself as I can (invitations, my mom's making the cake, flowers, favors, etc.) but they don't even seem to put a dent in the budget because the estimated cost of catering and venue rental are sooo expensive (or at least more than what we personally are looking to spend)! I've researched and researched and I can't seem to find any good inexpensive options for Cape Cod (most places I've looked at have rental fees ranging from $2,300 (<-tables and chairs not provided) - $6,500 and the catering estimates I've received are around $11,000). Has anyone been able to find any good venue options on the Cape that didn't break the bank? or at least my small bank account :-) I'm starting to feel like my dream Cape Cod wedding is out of reach...

Hi!!!

I am getting married in Craigville in September and am doing everything in my power to try and and be efficient.  We are pitching a tent and it is def. not cheap!  We are using American Tent, very nice and honest.  Offer to write a check instead of C.C. and you might get yourself a discount!

Places I loved before opting for the tent are:

Willowbend, gorgeous country club in Mashpee.  Now after realizing the cost and worry associated with the tent I don't think the cost to use a country club is bad.

The cultural center of cape cod:  http://www.cultural-center.org/

I cannot begin to tell you how much I wanted my wedding at the cultural center but with 140 people we were a bit too large.  You could be fine with 125.  I still dream about having a wedding here.  It's an amazing beautiful building inside with art hanging everywhere.  It's an old bank and you can put your presents in the vault.  There is a hotel across the street too where we were quoted very cheap rooms (it's not 5 star but nothing on the Cape is.)  I can't remember the quote but it was like nothing for how gorgeous and expensive the rooms appear...trust me see it for yourself!  They will let you buy and serve your own booze which will cut costs.  They can provide folding chairs and tables.  If you are cutting music costs by opting for the ITUNES route they are set up completely with bose speakers...the curator played for some jazz for us and the sound was stellar.  (Can you tell I am in love with this building?)

We also interviewed lots of caterers and settled on the Island Merchant in Hyannis.  Bev, the owener, is amazing and a class act!  The food is unlike any food I have ever had-Jamaican Fusion.  The won Best of Boston fusion.  Contact Bev and tell her you want to pay a certain amount per person and she will create a menu that fits the budget.  It is a hidden Jewel for sure and I am sure their prices will go up once they really get into catering.

We have spent lots of time figuring out how to do a wedding down the cape and I would love to help another bride.  Feel free to private message me, I'd love to help more and hear what you're thinking!

-Elizabeth 

We visited a bunch of places on the Cape a couple of weekends ago, one of them being the Chequessett yacht club in Wellfleet. The person in charge of events, Reven, recommended Terra Luna catering. She said they're great to work with and very reliable, and most importantly their food is good. I've also heard that Treats catering is good and I met with these people, although not about their food, but about their Inn where they hold weddings. They were very nice and have been in the business for quite a few years.

By the way thanks for the advice on my initial post!

Terra Luna is catering our wedding. I've never been to an event they've catered, but the food at the restaurant is fantastic, and the owner, Raina, has been wonderful to deal with so far (though we're not "officially" meeting until spring... we've only talked on the phone up to this point. Wedding is not until September, I called in January and she said I was way, way early!)

ps. Miss.Tulip, try Martha Stewart Weddings for vendor reviews! There are tons.

I wanted to update my above post about Terra Luna catering. Our experience turned out to be less than positive and I don't want anyone to view my earlier post and consider it a recommendation.... just hoping to save someone else a lot of disappointment and frustration! I'd be happy to discuss further with anyone interested, just send me a PM.