Weddingbee Blog

Have you ever watched Platinum Weddings on WE tv? You knooow, the one where couples spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to make their wildest wedding dreams a reality? Well I have, but really that’s not saying much ’cause I’ve given just about every wedding TV show out there a shot. Yes, even CMT’s My Big Redneck Wedding, thanks to MOH Meghan.

This is our favorite cake from My Big Redneck Wedding. I think it has flair, no?

Image via CMT

Anyhow, I find Platinum Weddings to be kind of a depressing show to watch sometimes. Some of these people spend millions of dollars on their weddings, and while I am a firm believer that people should spend however much (or however little) they’d like on their weddings—I think after a certain point it’s possible to be excessive. Maybe I’m just jealous that I won’t be giving away blocks of gold as favors at our wedding. Anyway, some of these “platinum” couples spend an average couple’s entire wedding budget on the flowers alone! Ahh, but I digress.

So, with that being said, I was totally inspired by this show. I know, I know…think of me as a pleasantly surprised skeptic! One of the couples (Brittany & Shahram) got married and had their reception at a gorgeous site in San Francisco. According to the wedding planner who initially showed them the site, it was the former Federal Reserve Banking Hall and has lots of history. The architecture was gorgeous and I was in love (again).

Image via WE tv

Sigh. This was undoubtedly the venue of my dreams and, although it would comfortably fit our 250-person guest list, I was firmly convinced it was out of reach. We went on looking at venues in the East Bay Area (a bit closer to where I live) but nothing, absolutely nothing, compared to the Bently.

Eventually, with some encouragement from beautiful Mama Seal, I took a tentative step toward our San Francisco dream and emailed the venue coordinator. The cost was about as steep as I’d imagined, but I didn’t let that discourage us from at least taking a look at the place—I mean, what could it hurt to look?

Mr. Seal and I hopped on BART (our local metro) and headed out to the city. The sight we saw upon arriving was, for lack of a better word, breathtaking.

Let me share. Without further ado, I introduce to you the Bently Reserve (cue Debussy’s “Clair de Lune”):

No really, cue up the music! Press play!

Video via YouTube

Is the music playing yet? (C’mon. I’m cheesy, but go with it—I promise it’s more amusing this way.)

Above images via Bently Reserve

Image via Checkers Catering / Photo by Choco Studio

Image via Bently Reserve

I left in a daze. Two weeks later I brought Mama Seal and two of my aunties to see the venue in person. With the Mama’s “seal” of approval, we signed the contract and put down the deposit the next day.

So, even though I convinced myself, as I always do, that dreams are not reality—I have my dream reception venue. Though it was more than we were originally looking to spend, it is absolutely worth every nickel. I didn’t compromise when it came to who I would marry, so why would I compromise on where we would celebrate our marriage?!

That’s all for now, kiddies!

Did you have a dream reception site? Did you talk yourself out of it? Were you inspired by a TV show?

(personal photos unless stated otherwise)