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@LFarrace: Aw! I'm searching for the list of places I came up with when I was searching for a venue- but off the top of my head, there's Old Town Hall in Fairfax Va, Frying Pan Park in Herndon, Va (I think), Stone Mansion in Alexandria, VA...all 3 of these places were under $1000 for a Saturday wedding. Matter of fact, a lot of the options I remember looking at were historical sites (Aledphi Mill in MD, Cabell's Mill in Centreville VA) were fairly cheap & allow you to bring your own liquor, but have other restrictions (like no open flames). We have a very small budget for the area too (I have no intentions of having a wedding that's anywhere NEAR 10K, I don't care how pricey this area is) but with some work, it's definitely possible. Good luck! Feel free to PM if none of those ideas work out-I can go back and look through my venue doc!
Look at any community centers in your county. There were a number in mine that were very nice and met that criteria. We also looked at restaurants that were priced between $250-1100 (which included tables, serveware, linens, etc) - including one on the water in Baltimore.
Here is a possibility if you go off peak/winter season: http://www.historic-oakland.com/facility
Or...
http://www.pgparks.com/places/eleganthistoric/adelphi_rental.html
Also related threads that might be helpful:
http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/affordable-ceremony-038-reception-sites-in-maryland
http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/looking-for-venue-in-dc-area-for-1500-or-les
Have you looked at Historic Oakland in Howard County? Since it's a Columbia Association property, it's pretty affordable.
I think you will have a hard time finding a historic property that allows you to adhere stuff to the walls and/or ceilings. The risk for damaging the property is just too high.
Other options to consider: Adelphi Mill in PG county, Snow Hill Manor in PG County, Mt. Hebron House in Howard county
If you are willing to let someone else cook, a bed and breakfast is a good option for your guest list size. We got married at a stunning b&b on the Eastern Shore of MD, and our 33 guests fit perfectly. But we were not a budget wedding, so I can't speak to that end. Have you looked on intimateweddings.com for venue ideas? It may be helpful.
thanks for the tips. I did check into adelphi etc. they are on my small list of venues to get some further info for. Im hoping to find a few more in case the others are booked etc.
intimate weddings does have some great ideas. Im trying to write out the pros/cons of winter wedding inside vs warm weather wedding out doors...
I just came across a listing for the tea barn at fair hill which looks interesting and very reasonably priced. Im hoping to get some info from them which could help with the decision.
Im sure if I can find the right venue for the right price decorations & open flames can be compromised :) I certainly wouldnt want to burn down a historic building or anything. hopefully nobody wil be that wild for that to happen!!
I was going to suggest the James Monroe Museum in Fredericksburg, Va (may be too south for you), but you want a Christmas wedding. The events there have to be outside, and is only open for events April - October.
Good luck in your search! I know you can find the perfect venue within budget.
Check out the Hillyer Art Space in DC. It's right by the Phillips Collection and it's only 600 for 4 hours on a Sat night. It's perfect for that size too.
thanks for the tip. I will check it out. I may reconsider and do a warm weather wedding instead. i guess it all depends on what I can find for price & availability. :) it seems like there are more options for spring/summer weddings. I would love to do an outdoor wedding but im so worried about weather....
thanks for the tip. I will check it out. I may reconsider and do a warm weather wedding instead. i guess it all depends on what I can find for price & availability. :) it seems like there are more options for spring/summer weddings. I would love to do an outdoor wedding but im so worried about weather....
Are you willing to do it in the district?
If so, consider renting the Cleveland Park Club. It's not as fancy as it sounds, but it's very homey, and I think it'd fit perfectly with the vibe you're going for.
We were considering that as our venue, but nixed it because we're having around 65 people and it would've felt too small.
I think it'll meet all your needs (and it's really reasonably priced!), BUT the parking situation in the neighborhood is terrible, so you'd definitely want to encourage people to carpool or even consider hiring transportation.
PM me if you want me to introduce you to the lovely people I talked with there! I can show you the pics I took as well.
It's nice to know I'm not the only one in this boat. One venue I looked at MD would have cost our whole budget alone - and that just covered the rental fee and catering.
@LFarrace: Good luck! I'd love an update if you find somewhere. What you're looking for matches a good amount of my criteria too.
Unfortunately we had to set our wedding budget way higher that we would have liked. Food and venue alone will put you around $10,000 (for 100 guests) and we had to accept that :( It may be good to look at places that have lower costs if your wedding is small. I know ours does that, but they are not the cheapest place we saw. If it's not too far for you or your guests, look into the Middleburg Community Center. I don't remember their costs, but they were good and the place was extremely nice for a community center. They have a catering kitchen, cocktail area, and ballroom, and a nice backyard area where you can have the ceremony. You can even use their little garden for smaller ceremonies.
I did check into the middleburg CC. they wanted $2800 and were pretty strict on things.
I cant imagine the cost of venues etc for a wedding with 100 guests. wow that has to be tuff to find something that doesnt break the bank and can accommodate that many guests.
Im glad i dont know that many people. the guest list we were able to come up with was just about everyone we could think of. and who knows how many will actually show :)
Another idea I came across is to rent a "vacation" property. I looked on the virginiaisforlovers.org websit and they have a rental properties section. you can find some pretty cool place that cost less than 300$ a night and you get to stay there. some are in va beach, others on the cheasapeake, in the mountains etc etc. they can even accommodate several guests.
But I dont know if I would really want my guests staying in the house over the weekend. after all that work & planning I just wanna take my shoes off & relax. Not continue to entertain :)
sadly there arent a lot of options available in the immediate area. you end up having to travel further to get a better deal. but then you end up making it a "destination" wedding just 2 hours from your house. which kinda forces people to make accommodations if they dont want to drive home after some drinks. Which I know most of my guests are in the same boat as us, either not a lot of money to spend or they have pets to be tended.
but the only places that are reasonable and allow you to do your own food are further out.
not sure what time of season you are planning but there are a couple places I found that are reasonable. if you are willing to travel.
the tea room at gambril state park. looks pretty but its only open apr-oct. theres no AC during those months.
the tea barn at fair hill. still waiting to hear back from them on the details but i have read its only 300$ for 3 days. also no AC or kitchen facility.
the brookesville academy is an indoor kinda historic looking building, they have nice landscaping and you can do indoor or outdoor. they have a kitchen etc and are pretty reasonably priced. i believe about 450 for the whole place for 5 hr event + 2 hr set up.
all three of those are in MD. bout 2 hr away.
there the art building on main in gloucester Va. it rents for 100$ for i think 4 hrs. but i have never heard of gloucester...who knows how far that is!! so again the same situation, you have to travel.
@LFarrace: That's amazing! When we thought of everyone, the head count was over TWO-hundred. We wittled it down to 100 and our venue is going to cost us $4000. But we are saving in other pleces, someone has just come forward and said they'd DJ for free, we are buying all our own liquor, and I'm being really stingy with my decor spending. Things like that make me feel better about the cost of the venue and food.
I just remembered another place...again I don't remember the rate, but IF you're not getting alcohol Clydes had a good rate. Their bar prices were ridiculous. If we didn't want to serve alcohol, we would have considered them more seriously.
And yes unfortunately, you do have to go about 2 hrs out to get away from the Northern VA prices. For a while I was looking into B&Bs just across the border into PA. Prices drop dramatically at that point and there are some really gorgeous properties. The majority of my guests are travelling from other states, so to them it wouldn't make a big difference. But if everyone coming to yours in local, it could cause a lot of hullabaloo. I looked up Glouchester, I bet it's a nice area, but its east of Richmond, eek...like 3 hrs away.
Oh and lastly (i forgot to include this in other posts)
CATERING!!
I worked as a caterer serving events.
as a catering manager doing sales & administrative work for a private co. for such events as VA gold cup etc.
also a director of catering for the four points hotel in dc.
(in addition, restaurant management.)
i have seen how it works, what it cost to make these foods and what they charge. I also know about function space rentals.
ITS A RIP OFF!!!!
example: spinach dip. catering companies charge upwards of 30-50$ to serve 25-50 guests. you figure 2-3 pcs per guest per apps.
the same spinach dip served by the old catering co i worked for......... from costco. $8 we marked it up & threw away the container.
or you could make it yourself:
large container sour cream- costco $7
package knor vegetable soup & dip mix $1.50
package chopped frozen spinach $2.00
1 chopped red pepper $1.50
add water chestnuts - 1 can $1.50
serve with tortilla chips, crackers, pretzels (my fav) or baguette slices. we all know how inexpensive those things are. just a couple bucks.
time it takes to make- 10 minutes.
what it cost to get spinach dip from a caterer you can make it 5 times yourself and feed over 100 guest with it.
*caterering is expensive because you are paying for the privelage to have someone serve it to you.
if you are trying to save money in the food department- which is the other most expensive thing. cater it yourself. WHICH IS EXACTLY WHY MOST PLACES WONT LET YOU BRING YOUR OWN FOOD. THEY KNOW THAT!!!
they will also negotiate with you as well. get an estimate for the things you want to have. come back & tell them it is beyond your budget. a lot of times they will give a "10% discount" as a courtesy. if you dont book with them, they dont get paid. they want you to book. even if it is a little less $$. money is money.
oh and room rentals..... they can negotiate that price down to literally nothing!! if there are no other events in a hotel that day, they would rather bring in some $$ than NO $$. if you buy food sometimes they will wave the room rate. you just need to haggle with them & say you found "hotel XYZ" that offers free room rental with food.
they will wave it for you.
i got out of that business. I decided to start providing domestic services for people that they really could use, which would help them at a reasonable price. now i make their dinners & do laundry, & even prepare the food for parties without charging catering prices. they buy the food, i put it together. theres no reason to rip people off just because they are having a wedding! I mean dang! :)
I hope this helps to give some insight into this area. if you can negotiate you can save some money. it is possible.
lol I definitely need alcohol!! all those out of town guests and family members :) i might be drunk even before they arrive!!
yeah glouchester sounded like it would be pretty far...
depending if your venue allows decorating/candles there are some really cool super cheap DIY ideas.
im collecting glass jars (ie pickle jars), tying some ribbon or wrapping some lace, or even a little raffia around them, put some candles in there...bam. and its recycling!
christmas lights are also cheap & easy. everyone usually has at least a set or two stuffed away that only get used once a year.
really cute toilet paper roll flowers spary painted white & sprinkled with glitter.
im having a "craft night" with my girlfriends and we are gonna have drinks & do crafts. and they are even on the hook to collect jars.
which venue did you end up using? even though its $4k thats still a lot better than what most wedding cost. and you have 100 people. I wish I had even the 4k.
-my little yorkie dog had glaucoma & had to have one eye removed about a yr ago, then 2 other surgeries to keep the remaining eye. and of course 65$ eye drops $70 ointments twice a day & $200 opthamologist visits every 3 months.... it all added up to oh... a wedding budget! and we are still paying it off :) shes lucky shes cute!!
hence why im trying to DIY EVERYTHING!! if i wasnt worried about rain then id just do it at a park & call it a day. but murphys law it would thunderstorm on just my section of the park lol
I know I'm tardy to the party but I just spotted this thread.
@LFarrace: If you're willing to go into Baltimore the First Unitarian Church (http://www.firstunitarian.net/) allows outside caterers or you can bring in your own food; but only beer and wine are allowed. A UU church isn't for everyone, but with me being AME (African Methodist Episcopalian) marrying a divorced Jewish guy, that's pretty much the only church that will marry us. Lol!
I believe their sanctuary, which is gorgeous with original Tiffany stained-glass windows and barrel-vaulted ceilings, rents for $800 (kinda high), but the reception hall only costs $250 for 3 hours. Go figure. It's in the beautiful Mt. Vernon area of Baltimore near their Washington Monument, and there are some great spots outside for photo ops if the weather's nice.
Good luck!
@LFarrace: I have been really intrigued by the tissue paper roses, I'm curious to know how yours turn out. I was just looking at a Brides magazine tutorial for tissue paper pomaders and they were really pretty and like $3ea.
Our wedding is going to be at WeatherLea Farm & Vineyard in Lovettsville, VA. Yeah, they were the best price we could find for a DIY style wedding. Their prices are different depending on the # of guests. For under 50 guests it would cost $2,750. If you had the ceremony elsewhere it would be $500 less. And I know you said you were worried about rain, but you can get married in the barn in case of bad weather...oh yeah forgot to mention, the reception space is in an old restored barn. :)
And forgive me if I'm going off topic...have you looked into Fauquier Springs Country Club? They are not "a-la-carte" like you wanted, but their prices are good and they have a lovely outdoor ceremony space with a gazebo. We would have gone with them, but it's a little far logistically for out OOT guests vs. where we live. But I think it's probably closer to Manassas than it is to Ashburn.
If your going for something different....
Luray Caverns has weddings inside the caves. Not sure about the cost but that isn't too far from you.
Did you look into the Frederick area? What about Butler's Orchard? Or the Wisp at Deep Creek Lake in Western MD? Or Oakland or Cumberland MD? The small historic towns might have more flexibility.
You may have already thought about this, and I know that it's no longer en vogue -- but a firehouse would meet all of your requirements...you can find them just about anywhere and they can be decorated very tastefully.
Ugh, be happy you don't live in Mass! We didn't get one quote for less than $20,000 for 150 people! Yikes!
Our venue is right outside of MD in PA. It's in Chambersburg... I don't know how far that is for you but were driving an hour to get there because the price is too good to pass up. $400 for the entire day and the day before to set up is included... you can hire or bring in your own catering and they provide the tables and chairs. It's lovely. It's called The Capitol Theater. We found a caterer nearby whose only $2500 for an amazing 3 part meal and a 4 tier cake (which is sooo beautiful) and it's all to feed 130 people.
For a small added fee you can get married downstairs on the grand theater stage! (were super excited about that part!) Theyy have a bar and a bar tender but you can put down a certain amount towards the guests drinks or have a cash bar or pay full for the bar... the best part about the venue payment and the bar payment is that they just bill you a week or so after the wedding if you don't pay up front. The bar tender cost $17.50 an hour.
another option I have been looking into is a vacation home rental. some of the places you can find either on the beach or in wine/horse country etc etc. for less than 250-300$ a day.
I have a girlfriend who is renting a beach house for 2 weeks for her wedding. the week prior to the wedding she is having all her guests there, then the wedding at the same spot & on the beach, then when all the guests leave her & the husband are staying for an extra week to have a honeymoon.
so im starting to look into some of those options. if is impossible to have a wedding for less than 3-5k, might as well get the most out of your money :)
then tricky part is to find something close enough that it doesnt turn into a destination wedding.
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Hi Bees!
I know this is likely a redundent topic...
Where in the tri state area ( the ENTIRE states of Virginia/Maryland/DC) can you rent a decent wedding venue that allows you to
1. bring your own food (not just a licensed caterer)
2. have alcohol
3. decorate with TAPE!
4. and not pay an arm & leg for it.
I have been doing countless hours of research on google; wedding sites including this one; have read every post written that i can find; & have checked every individual link I come across. And, to much disappoint have pretty much come up with NOTHING. a handful of possiblies at best. which often have some restrictions
As much as I would love to have the funds available to have a 10K plus wedding, I just dont. My husband to be & myself will be paying for it ourselves. ......I wont even go into the economic state of the nation or gas prices :) the point being we just dont have it.
is it wrong that I would sill like to have a small elegant celebration of the day???
-no more than 40 people at most. close friends & family.
-would like to make my own food (I have tons of catering experience & my guests are anticipating my food)
-totally cool DIY decorations & favors.
-DIY simple invites
-was hoping for a christmas winter wedding (to help with decor & ambience)
- really like a historic classic/ traditional style
-even have a family pastor to perform the service
*hoping to stay away from outside parks as Im afraid of weather & I like stillettos & dont want to get stuck in the dirt
* also hoping to avoid a restaurant reception as I want to personalize & do things more to my specifications. Plus I can buy a big bottle of top shelf liqour from the ABC store for the cost of 3-4 drinks.
*trying to avoid a church wedding because I dont want a totally dry wedding.
*cant have it at our house because we live in a one bedroom apartment
Im starting to think it is impossible to accomplish. Im thinking outside the box as much as possible & everyone has really cool ideas on here which I have investigated many. But even a firehall is over $1000 & has a caterer. Community centers rent space for a funeral for 1/4 of the price. soon as you mention wedding it triples. so sad = cheap & happy = EXPENSIVE!!!
IT SHOULD BE ILLEGAL TO CHARGE THAT MUCH FOR A COUPLE HOURS!!
Is this a fruitless search? should I give up? change my date? this is the only thing standing in the way. I cant even make an official date until I find somewhere.
I think it is harder to plan a wedding on a tight budget than having the financial advantage. Because nothing is cheap anymore.
in conclusion...
Im pretty desperate for some feedback and wisdom from those who have gone before me. or for someone to point me in the right direction of some affordable venues. What is the cheapest possible route for having a wedding? what seasone does that happen? I thought cold weather WAS off season. is it indoor/outdoor? Geeze!!
Any suggestions, feedback, and peals of wisdom anyone could offer would be so appreciated & taken into consideration!!!!
-Discourged bride Laura