Weddingbee Blog

Beginning our venue search, we got to Pennsylvania with a schedule of places to see. There were three main places we were interested in. The catering halls and country clubs we visited all melded together into a blob in my mind. Mr. Porcupine and I figured that if we were going that route we would just get married in NYC. We wanted something different and unique. We had both agreed that we wanted a rustic feel to the wedding. We also wanted a space that, although it would stand out, we could still make our own with NYC touches (whatever a NYC touch may be).

A front runner for me for some time was the rotunda at Lauxmont Farms. Lauxmont Farms was the place Mr. Porcupine’s brother got married. The place that had me hooked on the idea of a Pennsylvania wedding. It’s a huge horse farm (I know, I know—horse farm? But to city folk I’d describe it as a huuuuge mass of hilly land with some horses strolling about.) with multiple locations for the actual wedding ceremony/reception. The location I was interested in is a huge rotunda perched on top of a hill. The ceiling has a beautiful white and blue situation going on, and the view speaks for itself.

Photography via Klose Photography

Photo by The Wiebners

It was a beautiful day when we got there, but the first thing I noticed was chipped paint. Chipped paint on the doors, the windows, the interior—everywhere! I was not pleased, but figured it was something they must routinely touch up. (Right?)

We sat down with the wedding coordinator, who was as friendly as could be, and were shocked by the fee. It was steep and included only the space (oh, and flowers in the bathroom—umm okayyy). As we walked around the rotunda, I noticed the floor was just a giant slab of gray concrete. CONCRETE? I thought I was getting out of NYC. The windows in the back were draped with white curtains from IKEA. I actually used to have the same ones in black in my living room, and gladly tossed them in the trash when we moved.

And, worst of all, it STUNK like horse crap. STUNK. BIG TIME. The wedding coordinator assured us that it was “unusual.” However, it’s a HORSE farm! How could that be unusual? Did they usually not poo? I weighed the negatives with the positives as we strolled along the property. I wanted to love this place as much as I thought I would and have my rustic-chic-meets-NYC wedding. But, it wasn’t looking like that was going to happen there.

Next up we visited the Cork Factory in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. As we drove in I was not impressed. It looked like…well…a FACTORY. (Duh, apparently the name didn’t give it away to me?) However, as we walked in I immediately saw what I loved from the pictures. Although once a factory, the space had been transformed into a beautiful, rustic hotel with a wedding venue in the back. I immediately saw visions of the wedding going on into an all-night party at the hotel. (Sorry, that was my sorority-girl head poking in.) Not only was the hotel beautiful, but the ceremony/reception space was truly different with exposed brick and wrought-iron chandeliers.

Photo by Hoffer Photography

Photo by Klose Photography

After sitting down with the wedding coordinator, a few negatives popped up immediately.

• There is really no comfortable space to store people as they wait for the ceremony space to be transformed into the reception space. Cocktail hour would be smushed into a small, low-roofed back portion of the event space that could be walled off while the transformation took place. I couldn’t imagine 150-plus people fitting comfortably.
• The outside terrace area looks off into a parking garage. Not my idea of a view.
• The menu options were lackluster.
• The venue has an 11:00 PM curfew—which would mean an early end to the wedding. Buh.

Mr. Porcupine was hooked, though. The space spoke for itself, and I really did love all that exposed brick… I left feeling unsure, but more hopeful than I had after leaving Lauxmont Farms.

Did your venue search turn up any disappointments?