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ETA: Yikes... just realized the poll is kind of confusing. The subject line of this post and the actual poll question are asking two different things. Sorry.
Oh man... So the planning has begun, and my venue choices are limited on the north shore where our wedding will be (ceremony has to be there because that's where the horse is -- and she's walking me down the aisle! :). I think I've narrowed it down to two.
One is rather pricey and is one of those where you have to either go with their pre-arranged "packages," or pay more for "a la carte" rates. The price doesn't bother me so much as just the fact that it seems so overdone and commercialized and also, one of our friends had their wedding there last year. We're kinda over it.
So the other option is this lovely little polo club we used to frequent in the summer when we lived closer to it. It's right on the beach, and it's pretty awesome. So I emailed their coordinator and asked for more info -- and that's where the porta potty bomb comes in. She tells me that the facilities include a kitchen, bar, clubhouse, stage, etc., but that unfortunately the land isn't zoned for septic systems and so the "lavatories" they provide are non-flushable toilets, and if we needed additional bathroom facilities we would have to rent our own porta potties... GROSS!
I don't know how many guests we will have, so I don't know if we would really need to rent out nasty blue porta potties (she tells me there is a company that you can rent nice ones with large interior, mirrors, etc. from, but, still). And, I haven't toured the club facilities yet so I don't know how bad these "built in" ones are... but just based on the thought alone -- would you be totally, completely disgusted with a non-flushing toilet if you were a guest? Or would you understand that the charm of having a beachside wedding in the "country" comes with its disadvantages?
When my FI's sister got married, they had porta potties and I have to tell you the truth; I was totally grossed out. We left early because I couldn't stand them. You know how they smell and guys drip, etc... and there was no place to wash our hands. They had sanitized wipes. Sorry...
EW! I am assuming that this place at least has running water/ sinks. If it doesn't, there is NO way I will go through with it. I absolutely have to be able to wash my hands.
I am *hoping* that their version of the potty -- the "built-in" ones that they have -- are not quite the same as the standard ones that you rent. Cause yeah, I'm with you. That won't do.
if you are going to use them i suggest having male and female only - reduces the trauma
i attended a function once and they had luxury port a pottys, like mobile bathrooms and people were talking about how nice they were, a strange topic i know but we were impressed - they were fresh smelling, clean and roomy
i said i would tolerate it. but only cuz when you gotta pee, you gotta pee. and there have been moments when the intolerable becomes tolerable. but i would certainly be holding my pee for as long as possible and avoiding it at all costs.
@littlemissmango: If you can get the really nice ones, maybe that would be okay, but I bet they are very expensive. This wedding was about 5 years ago and I am still traumatized by it.
I'm usually very easy going about most things...Except bathrooms. I'm really high maintenance about where I need to go. Combine that with a problem bladder that makes me go every 30 min sometimes, I think port-a-potties would totally ruin my day. Sorry :(
@eloping: Lol, well that is nice that you've experienced the "luxury" kind. If their existing potties are gross, maybe I will look into renting the VIP type. Haha. Oh, and I am pretty sure theirs are already male and female separated. Good call though on reducing the "trauma." :)
I am Australian, so maybe that makes me less discerning (every music festival or rural campside either has porta loos or drop toilets) than the next lass, but I would have no problem in it. I mean, who on EARTH goes to a wedding for the toilets? You're going to be in there for all of five minutes, suck it up.
I said I'd deal, but as a guest all dolled up and glitzed out and (probably) in some wicked heels, the luxury portables would be very much appreciated. I'm sure that rented loos for the day would be much cleaner than the county fair / demolition derby unisex porta-pots that I've encountered, but for your wedding with a sweet venue it would be worth it to look into the 'fancy mobile lavatories.'
ETA: I agree with PPs about having a place to actually wash hands...sanitary/alcohol wipes just don't make me feel like I've actually washed my hands.
LOL, this brings back lots and lots of memories. Even after having spent 10 years in the military, I would rather hold it then use one of those things. However, having said that, as a guest, it would not deter me from attending a wedding. I would just try to avoid the restroom.
I don't like using them at the best of times (fairs, etc.), but when I'm dressed up and pretty, I would hate to try to navigate my way around in there without falling into/onto the "toilet"!
I don't know about those blue porta potties that I see at a concert. Those gross me out.
Now I have been to a circus where they had rest room trailers. They weren't too bad because it at least was big, so the smell wasn't contained in a small area like the blue ones are.
I did a quick search and found these. Scroll down to the bottom to see the rest room trailers.
I've been to one wedding where they had fancy Portapotties. There was music inside, sinks and nice paper towels to wash your hands. Huge mirrors for putting on makeup. The toilets were more like the ones in an airplane. They flushed but with that weird blue chemical. No one had a problem with them at all. They may be quite expensive though.
@yrret107: Ooh, thanks for the link! Now THAT I can't see anyone complaining about. Sounds like what you saw, @MlleFrog.
You know, something like that might be spendy, but it's still gonna be way less than the costs of the other venue I'm considering. The polo club includes tent, chair, and table rentals, while with the other one, I'd have to fork over an additional $5k+ for all that. I'm starting to feel better about this!
I wouldn't be able to do it. They totally skeeve me out. The idea of everyone before me's "waste" just hanging out in there is nasty. Like another PP said, I've seen the luxury bathroom trailers and those are nice. If you could find room in your budget, I would suggest springing for those.
I don't really have a problem with it. I have however observed that in places where there are nice clean toilets people tend to keep them clean, but when it comes to porta potties there tends to be more spew, toilet paper thrown everywhere, and more yucky stuff that I wont describe.
I think the location sounds wonderful! and i've been in those porta potty's that are nice, with the mirrors and all it's like a trailer.. very nice and if you have some baskets in there with lotion and all you will be good to go!
... and if you have OPEN BAR a few drinks in and people will not care one bit where they need to shake the dew from their lilly at!
They make special, "fancier" port-a-potties. Some have sinks: http://www.porta-potty.com/special.html#anchorsp2
As far as tolerating it, well, yeah. When ya gotta go, ya gotta go. If that's the only place around to pee, I'll pee there! I've been to a few weddings that had them and it was fine.
Also, at a wedding, people are usually a lot less gross than they are at outdoor festivals and such. Dressed up, I think people will be a lot more careful about keeping them clean inside.
I have IBS so when I have to go, I go. It seems like when there's a big event, my attacks get worse so having a place to go to the restroom is on the top of the list. But something a bit fancier would be nice, like what sloth suggested.
These sound like terribly fancy port-a-potties, in which case, no, they wouldn't skeeve me out. Goodness knows i've peed in enough gross bathrooms that weren't port-a-potties! It's not like you're renting the ugly stinky blue ones
I have to rent porta potties for my venue to (Fi's parent's farm). I don't care if it takes 3/4 of my wedding budget, I'm getting the nice ones. That is, if I can find someone in the middle of nowhere northern Michigan that rents them.
Only if you rented one of the luxury ones would I be ok with it. I've used porta potties at events in parks, etc but in a dress and heels, I couldn't tolerate a tiny smelly dirty box to pee in.
if it's in your budget that you can splurge for nice ones, go for the location you really love. if it's not, you're better off going with a location with built ins. good luck! my venue only has 2 bathrooms, one that's in the open and one tucked away, so i know how annoying it can be to try and gauge whether it'll be sufficient enough!
I went to a friends wedding last year who had porta potties and it really was not bad. She had them out of view of the ceremony and reception. She got married at a Plantation in Virginia that had a huge house on the property. The ceremony and reception were in front of the house and the porta potties were around back. There was one for men and one for women and the one for women had a little basket inside it that was just like a bathroom basket. She also hung Christmas lights around them and inside of them to fancy them up if you will! There were little sinks inside with large mirrors too. It was not bad at all! They didnt smell bad and they were not gross or anything. I think I only used it one or two times. Anyways, dont let that deter you from an amazing venue! Most guests, once there, wont even think anything of it!
I would be really grossed out if I had to use one of those blue ones, those are gross and I don't use them under any circumstance.
However, I went to a really nice wedding and they had to rent those mobile bathrooms too. They looked like a nicer trailer home from the outside, but inside were roomy, clean, and very very nice. Those would be a fine option! You can also always jazz it up by putting some potted plants outside the trailer, a sign on the men's and women's doors, and having some other nice amenities.
@littlemissmango: Chelsea Clinton's wedding had port-a-potties. Granted it was a $3,000 one but I think if you can budget for a nice one-probably will cost you a grand then it's ok.
http://www.tmz.com/2010/07/26/chelsea-clinton-wedding-fancy-porta-potties-bill-clinton/
But if it's a blue one then I wouldn't do it. Remember you'll have to use it in your dress and as big as our dresses get I'd imagine you'd get something gross on it.
@ham2905: Good point except she might not have to use it. Many of these places that dont have public restrooms or enough to support 100 people still do have a restroom for the bride to use. At the aforementioned wedding my friend (the bride) did not use the porta potty - she used the bathroom that was inside the old house. It was just the fact that the house could not support 150 people using the toilet in one night!
The fancy porta-potties would be great, but if you end up having to use the single-ones, I think I would just go for the more expensive venue. Some things are make-or-break :).
I would be a little skeeved out if you had the regular old port a potties, but it wouldn't ruin the night for me, and if you had the fancier ones it wouldn't bother me in the slightest.
I have to admit, I went to a wedding recently with the single-stall typical porto-potties, and I was on my time of the month, and I just could not do it. It was dark and gross, and I was all dressed up and couldn't navigate inside there. If you can go with the fancy ones, I would go for it, but otherwise, I wouldn't. I was really uncomfortable, and wound up "holding it in" until we got back to the hotel.
I have been to a wedding that had the fancy port-a-potties, and it was fine because they have a little sink and mirror and they 'flush' so there isn't the same smell with them. I would be really bothered if the only option was a regular blue kinda port-a-pottie. I wouldn't stay very long if I had to use the bathroom.
The nicer trailer-style versions would not be an issue at all. I've been to fancy tented weddings with bathrooms in the tents, so technically they are porta-potties, but they are very nice.
I'm with many of the others - if it's the standard style, I'd find a new venue. When I go to street fests and other venues with those, I plan my night around NOT using them. Good luck!
I went to a wedding a few months ago and they rented a very nice trailer and I didn't mind at all that it was a porta pot. But I am telling you that it had a toilet more like what you have in an RV instead of the normal porta pots. It had running water for the sinks and mirrors. They said it set them back a decent amount though but it was well worth getting them over using a stinky port a pot and I would NEVER use a normal porta pot in my wedding dress.
If its a nicer porta-pota like some ladies have mentioned I might be okay with it. I went to a wedding with regular ones and I was so unimpressed. It was really gross.
Oy - I wouldn't be happy about it, but it's not going to stop me from attending a wedding. Like some others said, I probably would also hold it as long as I possibly could. But if that is your only option - that's your only option!
If the wedding requires any sort of formality in dress, I'd say no. I don't want to bring a nice dress and heels into a porta-potty.
I could stomach the nicer ones...but not the regular port a potties where everything tends to "pile up" <insert green face>. I would be really peeved if I got all dressed up for a wedding and ended up having to use one of those. I tend to go to the bathroom a lot so I would probably end up leaving early.
I choose other. The normal blue ones I would say no to. But there are others, I used one at a cirque du soliel that was basically like a trailer with 4 restrooms on it. They were almost as nice as a real bathroom. I wouldn't mind one of those.
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