Venue Fails

So, without further adieu, lets dive right into our venue adventures!  So, Mr. Rocks is from Chicago, and I am from Pennsylvania - we figured out early on that no matter where we got married, it would be a "destination wedding" for at least 1/2 of our guests.  We initially looked around SW Virginia.  We liked the idea of getting married close to where we live (it would make planning very easy).  But we would want a place that had a geologic "wow" factor, and a place that was relatively cheap.  So we first looked at the Mountain Lake Resort (it is the place where they filmed most of Dirty Dancing).  So, it definitely would have a cheese factor (always a good thing!).

(Photo by me)

This is another wedding at MLR, at the lakeside gazebo - it was pretty, but the lake is dried up.  Not really the "wow" we were going for.  The reception hall was very pretty too.

(Photo by me)

Actually, pretty does not cut it.  "Quite Beautiful" is a better term.  I really love the look and feel of the reception hall.  BUT, they were pretty pricey, and, even though they have a hotel onsite, the hotel was also pricey, and they would have required everyone to stay at least 2 nights.  So, sorry Dirty Dancing place, but we'll have to say adios.

Next up was the Natural Bridge.  Here, we had the geologic "wow" factor.  See for yourself....

(Photo by me)

Stunning.  Really, really stunning.  BUT, this place also had problems.  First, there were logistical issues getting down there without guests seeing the bridal party first. 

(Photo by me)

Here I am contemplating the logistics of the bridal party needing to get down to the "back" about an hour before the guests start arriving.  With no where to sit without getting dirty.  Hmmm.  Also, in the event of rain (which the venue decides, not me) they would move the entire wedding to the reception hall.  And the reception hall was nothing to sneeze at.  So "nothing" that I did not even take a picture of it.  BUT, if we did go here, our guests would be greeted with this lovely statue....

(Photo by me)  

Who doesn't love a cowboy riding a dinosaur?!?

We also looked at Silver Hearth Lodge.  I don't have any photos from this place, but check out the website - the views are A-maz-ing!  Great views!  And the coordinator was nice.  And we could bring in our own food and booze, so it could be affordable.  And it was the entire top of a mountain, with plenty of places to for our guests to roam around.  And fire pits!  How cool would it be to end the night roasting marshmallows?  But, alas, it was not meant to be.  First of all, the road up to the venue is not the best road - very steep, very twisty, and gravel.  And the biggie - there are no flush toilets.  Yep, thats right, everyone would have to use porta-potties.  So, nope, sorry.  Not for our guests.

We also looked at Breaks Interstate Park and Hungry Mother State Park. Both were ok, but not spectacular.  And all had issues - either price, or no hotel onsite, or well, some of the people we talked to just annoyed us.

But the final "nail in the coffin" was a conversation I had with BM NZ.  I was talking about these places were we looking at and how none of them were "just right" and at what point did we start compromising.  And, in her great British wisdom (is that an oxymoron?!?), she said, "Why don't you have it in the Keys, like you were originally planning?"  (See, when were first got engaged, we though the Keys would be a great place to get hitched, but somewhere along the way, decided maybe VA would be better.)  "Besides," BM NZ said, "it sounds sooo much cooler when I tell people I have to go to a wedding in the FL Keys.  Telling people I have to go to a wedding somewhere in VA just sounds lame."  (I may be paraphrasing this conversation a bit).

So, its all for you, BM NZ!  Well, there may have been several other circumstances that involved us deciding to get married in the Keys (like actually finding a venue we liked!).  But we had decided, it was Keys or Bust!

Next up, places we looked at in FL!