Member- MsLiveOak
- 6 years ago
- Wedding: January 2016
Hi Bees!
This is my first post! I have read the ingenious ideas that you ladies have, and I hope you can help me. I summed it up at the end 🙂
I am a wannabee, though my love and I have been together for 8.5 years (high school sweethearts), and I know that since school is finishing up, something is coming soon! We have been ring shopping a few times, and he has been dropping hints that he has finalized the details of the proposal, of which I know nothing!
Thus far, I know that we both love the outdoors and want an outdoor ceremony. Since he likes the idea of rain on our wedding day (a wet knot is stronger), we will be getting married around February 2015 and will likely have to use a clear tent on-site, unless we find another place with a wall of windows and a beautiful view. I have found a couple of possible outdoor ceremony locations (one in Santa Clarita Valley where we go hiking often that has sentimental meaning to us, one in Anaheim, and possibly a third in the Santa Monica Mountains/Malibu Mountains area) that are beautiful, rustic, and easy on the pocketbook in terms of site rental.
The challenge: bringing everything on-site is expensive (bathrooms, etc.), and for all the effort it would require, I began to consider indoor sites with a view, within 30 minutes of the ceremony site. I’m looking for a space that can accommodate 100-150 people for sit-down dinner/buffet, cocktail hour, dance floor, open floor-plan and relatively updated decor that is not stuffy, with delicious food or an option for bringing in outside catering. I like the Oaks Grille restaurant in Valencia, but they can host 70 ppl max. for $3500, and with my guest list, I would have to rent the entire space for $10,000. As much as I want our wedding to be beautiful and memorable, we are also saving for a house, so I don’t want to spend more than $10,000-$15,000 for the entire ceremony and reception, including food/beverages, DJ, photographer, etc.
TLDR:
Need reception site with indoor venue in Santa Clarita, Anaheim, or Malibu area with rental fee less than $3,000 that can be covered by food & beverage min. for 100-150 ppl w/ room for dance floor. Open to restaurants/creative spots not typically used for weddings receptions also.
Bonuses: beautiful/updated/rustic, has a view, open floor-plan.
If there is nothing in any of these areas that suits, I will consider other areas in Southern California as well (anywhere between Yosemite and Temecula or San Diego), though trying to stay centrally located for family.
Thank you ladies! 🙂