Weddingbee Blog

(mock) Craigslist wanted ad:

Could your venue be where we get married? (San Francisco Bay Area)

Young engaged couple seeking wedding venue with no rental fee and bring-your-own-catering and -alcohol option. Preferably in a location that is special, such as by the ocean, that showcases some flair, and is not a typical hotel ballroom. Ideally, venue should also provide at a low cost: Chiavari chairs, uplights, spotlights, choice of linens, and candles. We are a responsible couple and our guests are *generally* well behaved, with the exception of chef Uncle Peter, who may start complaining excessively about the meal, and my flamboyant single Aunt Marge, who may flash the crowd; but said uncle and aunt can be contained if levels of alcohol do not exceed 0.01%.

-end-

*sigh* If only we lived in a perfect world.

IF.

We were this close to signing a contract with Brisbane’s community center, but I suddenly had cold feet. While Brisbane was a new, clean, and modern facility, it was lacking a certain character that I had wished for in a wedding venue. It was because, all along, I knew where I wanted my wedding to be.

I asked Mr. French Toast if he could consider the venue where my colleague tied the knot five years ago, which I literally fell in love with when I walked in. It offered…

• a vineyard setting (romantic—check)

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• an inland location about an hour drive from San Francisco (warmer weather for March—check)
• an outdoor ceremony location overlooking the vines and an even more beautiful indoor-ceremony room with gorgeous chandeliers (rain contingency—check)

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• a reception room lined with wine barrels (non-hotel—check)
• Chiavari chairs and uplights (minimal decorations—check)

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We made an appointment for a visit, and seeing the venue again five years later still gave me the butterflies. I turned to Mr. French Toast and gave him the Puss in Boots look.

“Pretty please, with a cherry on top?”

And with that, the i’s were dotted and the t’s crossed. We finally committed ourselves to a venue! Once the deposit check was sent, everything started to feel surreal. Why I went full circle just to return to where I started—who knows? Maybe it was a way for me to justify that the Palm Event Center was worth it. Maybe it was an outlet for me to do some wedding research before plonking down an absurd amount of money for the deposit. Regardless of what it was, I am so happy with the decision, and I truly cannot wait until the day I walk down the aisle in this beautiful venue.

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How was your hunt for a wedding venue? Did you find the venue of your dreams, or did you have to sacrifice a little here and there to make things work?