So, back in March, when my parents came to visit, we went to the Houston Heritage Society to check out their event places. I dreamed of getting married at the St. John Chapel, a quaint little chapel where you can ring the bell as you exit, and having a reception on Conally Plaza, the outdoor space next to the chapel with lovely, big oak trees:
I love the juxtaposition of the historical chapel with the ultra modern downtown skyline.
But they only have the following dates available:
10/31/09, 11/28/09. 12/19/09. 12/26, 09, then it skips to June 2010. All the nice spring months are taken by city festivals. Boo.
And it would cost an extra $1000 to get married at the chapel for a 30 minute ceremony. I don’t love it $1000 worth. Okay, I do, but I really do not have that kind of money to throw around.
So now we are branching out to outside of Houston. I would love a barn/vineyard type feel. Something like this, perhaps?
The decorating ideas I have would fit much better in this type of setting, I fear. See the complete article on this wedding here.
Were you able to get married in your dream locale? Or did you compromise due to availability, price, or something else?
Such a cute chapel — and I love how it’s so different from its surroundings! But wow, $1,000?
I know! $1000 is a bit ridiculous for a 30 minute ceremony.
My reception is going to be about 2 blocks from that cute chapel. Have you considered doing photos there instead?
Have you considered the Magnoilia Ballroom? Or some of the places around Market Square?
Totally compromising. If I had my way it would be an intimate destination wedding with 20-30 of the closest people. The FI has a huge family and feels that every single one of his cousins (aunts, great-uncles, step grandparents) HAS to be there. I am definitely compromising as long as we can keep the ceremony on the beach 
I did consider Magnolia Ballroom but it’s out of my price range:(. Which places around Market Square are you thinking of? Thanks for your suggestions!
My sister got married in Galveston, at the Hotel Galvez (?, I think). It was gorgeous, and I don’t think they spent a lot..
Ooh I do like the quaint church against the city skyline!
Do you have a venue yet? We won’t be able to visit more venues until Nov (9months before the date we want!) =(
We’ve started to look around, and while we found a place we like it’s not exactly what we wanted. It seems like everything in the area is either way too overpriced, or way too formal, or both.
Wow that is alot for 30 minutes! but it would make for some amazing photos I am sure against the skyline….
We got married at The Rainbow Lodge in Houston because we really wanted that rustic-y feel. Have you looked in George Ranch? I think they do weddings, and they have some great barns, etc…
my dream venue is a nice little officer’s club in san francisco with gorgeous views of the golden gate bridge. but the rental price is an unfortunate nightmare and takes up a good chunk of our proposed budget.
check out indiansummerlodge.com!
Although I love our location (a large civic center with a full wall of windows over-looking the water and an outside ceremony), I originally wanted to get married at an old plantation style house with huge oak trees that is positioned on the water. Unfortunately, when I was visiting locations, the owners of the plantation home were really rude. I knew I didn’t want to put up with an attitude which would only stress me out and potentially negatively affect my wedding day. Additionally, you can only rent the location (at $1500 – the top of my budget) for four hours. That four hours has to include everything – set up, event, and clean up. There was just no way I could have my set up, ceremony, reception, and clean up within 4 hours. Now we are going to get married on the water outside of the civic center and then have the reception in the ballroom. Its going to be wonderful!
What a bummer that your dream location didn’t work out–$1000 for 30 minutes is quite a lot!
We actually booked a church for our ceremony and three months into our planning process, they canceled on us. We were left to find other options and ended up just having our ceremony at another room in our venue. It worked out SO much better because we were able to have a friend act as our officiant AND write the ceremony ourselves.
I suspect that Treebeards @ Market Square might be able to accomodate a party. I was also invited to a wedding @ the Majestic Metro (but I didn’t attend). Some of the restaurants (that don’t really have Saturday day business) might accomodate you by brining in staff if you want to have an event during the day.
I haven’t been to Indian Summer Lodge, but my photographer has shot a number of weddings there. And I’ve noticed that Agave Road in Katy is popular.
I also know people have had events at the Firestation in in the Heights. http://www.houstonheights.org/firestation.htm
I was going to suggest the Magnolia Ballroom also — we got married there 3 months ago and LOVED it. But understand if it’s out of your price range (though they are significantly cheaper on Sundays if that’s an option).
I only visited 2 venues. We loved the Ballroom so we went with it. The other we considered was the Museum of Natural Science — holy MOLY was that expensive.
However, I also heard great things about Indian Summer Lodge and Courtyard on St. James. We also briefly considered Butler’s Courtyard (in old League City close to where we live) — I attended a wedding there years ago and it was nice.
I don’t know how far you’re willing to travel outside of Houston, but just a little past Sugar Land there’s an awesome place called “Briscoe Manor.” It definitely has that Southern charm feel and it’s a really nice venue.
I’ll be excited to see what you choose. That chapel is really cute, I agree. My location was a compromise, too, but I think I found a good one online and it worked out really well in person.
that sucks it didn’t work out, it’s such a cute little chapel! I’m a total idiot and the place where I was dying to get married had a $3500 site fee…and that, in spite of our tight budget, is where we’re getting married…I didn’t realize it wasn’t common to have such a high fee until afterwards! ooops!
We actually had to change venues 5 months before our wedding because the original venue we picked was sold and the new owners wouldn’t honor any of the contracts! We had a destination wedding and it was nearly impossible for us to get away and scout out another venue. Plus it was the middle of February (in the mountains) and most of the roads to the ranches were closed due to a million feet of snow. Talk about stressful. Luckily we found another place in pictures, confimed (sight unseen) that it was “worthy” with our coordinator and photographer and booked it! Turns out it was SO much better than the original place and absolutely amazing. I guess everything happens for a reason.
Mrs. Chick, Houston Age and Occupation: 28, Rights and Reproduction Manager Fiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Computer Programmer Engagement Date: November 15, 2008 Wedding Date: April 2010 Venue: A farm outside of Houston About Me: Mr. Chick and I met almost ten years ago at Baker Blues, a college jazz party. He was attracted to my intensity, and I was mesmerized by his trivia pursuit skills and his dorm furniture adorned with his initials. We've grown more sophisticated through the years, with our love of wine, owning a house together, and parenthood (of a cat), but we have not lost our silliness or childish sense of humor!
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