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My favorite VENUE is...

MissOwlMissOwl
Combo Breaker First Comment
in Ohio-Columbus
Hi ladies!

Since our board has been so active recently, I'm going to post a 'my favorite vendor' question every few days. that way newbs can find that info quicker than looking through tons of vendor reviews.

Be sure to include:
Name of vendor
Price Range
Why you love them
contact info if you wish

let's start it off with one of my fave wedding elements:

My favorite VENUE is...
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Re: My favorite VENUE is...

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    KellyRVTKellyRVT member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011

    OSU Faculty Club
    moderate price range
    Love the building's vintage charm and old school class, and the fact that it's on Ohio State's campus and overlooks the Oval in the front and Mirror Lake and the Amphitheather in the back. Laynie the coordinator is enthusiastic and loves her job which destresses the planning process. Whatever you want, she will help make it happen.
    Anniversary
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    BuckeyeBride2011BuckeyeBride2011
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Ok this sounds like fun.

    My favorite VENUE is . .. . . .

    Westin Great Southern Hotel
    Yeah its expensive ... at first.  But I LOVE the ballroom - I think its the nicest in town.  And you don't have to decorate it at all because its already so nice.  So that can actually save you some money.
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    eleventwentyfoureleventwentyfour member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    My Favorite Venue is...

    The Darby House!!
    Price Range: Moderate but can get somewhat expensive depending on your date/time, food and bar wants, etc.
    I love it because it is naturally beautiful and scenic, the people are wonderful, and I think it's pretty unique.
    I'm working with Mike, he is awesome- so responsive, knowledgeable, and excited to help! 
    The website is www.darbyhouse.com.
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    osumegsosumegs member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    My favorite venue is also Darby House :)

    I love it because it is so beautiful. The outdoor ceremony space is stunning, but the back-up rain option is also nice. We actually went with a Sunday afternoon wedding just to get the space.

    I am working with Kate Brooks.
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    justchecking101justchecking101
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    My favorite and our party venue is..

    Franklin Park Conservatory.

    Price Range: Moderate, but anything can go high.. It's all about what you make it. :) 
    Beautiful Palm House!  Luxurious and classy, yet casual. Because it's so beautiful and tropical, we don't need many, if any, flowers! With that said, we're having a destination wedding and a reception here, so FPC will allow us to bring the Caribbean back with us for our guests that can't make it to the ceremony!
     
    www.fpconservatory.org
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    shushu1208shushu1208 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Royal American Links!

    Price Range: Moderate - very affordable.
    It is a little outside of Columbus, but the ballroom is beautiful with cathedral ceilings and a fireplace.  They also have an outside lawn and balcony, either of which is where you can have your ceremony.  The greens are beautiful as well and Judi is great to work with.

    http://www.royalamericanlinks.com/
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    MissOwlMissOwl
    Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    yay this is fun! keep them coming ladies!
    as some of you know, i'm not engaged yet so this is also good recon for me :)
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    dustalou18dustalou18
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    My favorite venue is...

    (also) Franklin Park Conservatory
    Price although seems pricey at first, once you consider all the money you save in decorations and floral budget it ends up  being very similar to other venues in the Columbus area. 
    The Palm House is the perfect mix for someone like me who really wanted to have an outdoor wedding but was too scared for the weather being bad and didn't want a lame back-up plan.  Another main thing that drew me to it was the ability to have the ceremony and reception at the same place.

    Sorry ladiesI know I haven't been active recently but it's because my stupid computer just said "operation aborted" every time I tried to post - but my lovely finance showed me a way around it (by using the "quote" button, in case anyone else is having this problem also), so now I can reply to posts again!! 
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    nnoble4nnoble4
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    The Ohio Union!!!!

    Price Range: rental starts at $2000 (for the ballroom or performance theater), that's not including food and beverages.

    Why you love them: The ballroom's chandaliers. They are GORGEOUS!!!!!! It's a ballroom, but not a typical boring one. I also love the different rooms  you can use for different aspects of the wedding. It's also close to Browning, and they helped us with the process to use it for the ceremony.

    contact info if you wish: http://ohiounion.osu.edu/plan_an_event
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    stanzi113stanzi113
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    The Grange Audubon Center!!!

    (Im biased since its my venue).  Its unique, no one seems to know about it yet, & the price is good.

    I was a bride looking to snag North Bank when I stumbled across the Audubon Center.  Its perfect for a downtown venue, GORGEOUS modern building, amazing view, cheap, and ample parking. I was worried about the indoor/outdoor aspect of North Bank since my party was big enough to require a tent annex.  The Audubon Center was a great compromise.  Similar view (not quite as spectacular) but still pretty.  Plus its all from an indoor room.  But there are decks and trails and patio space for an outdoor cocktail hour and guest wanderings.

     Im really looking forward to getting some bridal party shots in the park and near the river. (and of course on the playground)
    image 210 Invited
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    KBlank14KBlank14 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    The Blackwell at OSU

    I am getting married in May, and so far they have been awesome.  There is no cost to actually rent the ballroom, you just pay for food and drink.  They also only do one wedding per day, so you don't have to worry about competing with another wedding.  We didn't look at a ton of other places but the ones we did look at were Franklin Park Conservatory, Ohio Union, Tartan Fields, and Scioto Reserve.  They were all great, but I love the Blackwell because their wedding coordinator Blaire is awesome and so far they have been so accommodating and willing to do anything!  I don't hear them mentioned that often on the boards, but we have been thrilled with all the little things that come with our reception, like my fiance and I getting the presidential suite complementary on the night of our wedding.

    I definitely recommend them so far!
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    MissOwlMissOwl
    Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Bonus round: 
    If there were other venues that you toured and really liked, but just didn't end up booking for whatever reason, go ahead and mention them too!

    Honorable Mentions include...
    Linky link to MissOwl's Pinterest Wedding Countdown Ticker
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    nnoble4nnoble4
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Franklin Park Conservatory for sure....though we were not a fan of paying per drink.

    We also liked the Renaissance Hotel, but mainly for the rooftop terrace....so we would have been disappointed if it rained on our day and we couldn't use it.

    Columbus Museum of Art....but like FPC, you had to pay per driink. I like the open bar, single prince per person idea so you aren't surprised at the end.
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    BMDunlap01BMDunlap01
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Via Vecchia Winery!!

    Price: Very affordable. $2,000 for the entire day and it includes all the tables and chairs. Plus you can have an indoor or outdoor ceremony there at no additional cost.
    Why I love them: I'm a little biased because this is where we selected to have our wedding but they are so personable and really want to work with you and in your budget. They are really flexible and offer tons of ideas and referrals for those looking for it. The winery is all exposed brick and wood beams - kind of a rustic feel. Plus they're building a brand new bridal suite this year. I also love the fact that they are a relatively new business that not many people know of. If not thing else, you have to try the wine. It's delicious! It does close the whole month of October though to make their wine. I know that's a popular time of year for brides.
    Contact Info: http://www.viavecchiawinery.com
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    kiyamurphkiyamurph
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Of course I'm biased but my favorite venue is Heritage Golf Club!

    It's affordable and you're the only event happening the entire day so you don't have to worry about running into other guests.  To me, that was the deciding factor between other venues.  The golf course makes for beautiful pictures since it's so green and you're surrounded by nature.  The sales and catering director, Jody, is AMAZING and I love working with her.  I'm planning everything from Washington state and she's been very responsive to all of my emails and (annoying) questions.  I also like how they do in-house catering because I didn't want to have to worry about booking that separately and the food is delicious!  I can't recommend this place enough.

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    kiyamurphkiyamurph
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Oh and I do want to give an honorable mention to Darby House.  I honestly fell in love with the place because I thought it was so beautiful, but FI and I were set on having a Saturday evening wedding and the minimum at the time was $15000.  It was way too expensive, but would've loved to have our wedding there.  At the end of the day I'm happy with my venue!
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    KellyRVTKellyRVT member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Honorable Mention to The Westin and The Athletic Club. The Saturday minimum for the Westin was $15k which is why we didn't consider it. But, their Friday minimum was ony $5k. 
    Anniversary
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    gcbuckeye2gcbuckeye2
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    My favorite venue is:

    Pinnacle Golf Club in Grove City!  The minimum for a Saturday is $10,000 I think.  We are having our ceremony and reception there.  The greens are beautiful, and there is an outside space for the ceremony that we will be using.  Their website is www.pinnaclegc.com, and the contact person is Lisa.  She has been great to work with, and she also has a lot of great ideas.  The ballroom is beautiful, too so it doesn't require many extra decorations.
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    15Step15Step
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I third (or fourth?) the Palm House at the Franklin Park Conservatory!

    I actually set an appointment to check out the Veridian/Grove/Brides Garden, and I found it lovely - especially the Brides Garden with the fountain and swing and stonework and metal 'knot' you can get married under.  I was happy with these options, then the coordinator (Brandon, she's awesome) said "now lets look at the Palm House".  I'd seen it several times before, but this time was different.

    I walked down that grand stairway and into the gorgeous palm trees and orchids and just... stood.  The beauty of the space is so breath-taking it just hits you like a ton of bricks!  I saw my wedding immediately and in that moment knew I'd found the spot.  The fountain, the brick work, the plants, the glass ceiling and the after-dark lighting installation... lord.  Combined with the West Terrace as the outdoor option, I was a goner.

    Pricing is reasonable (for what you get) and can get expensive, yes - to book, pay for ceremony fee and bar minimum its a $7k commitment.  I prefer consumption-based bar, so that doesn't bother me.  Preferred caterers run the gamut from affordable to very expensive and have been excellent to work with so far.  Decor and florals not really needed thanks to the space.  Love the indoor and outdoor pairings each space offers.  Free parking.  Incredible support staff, very friendly and attentive and quick to respond.

    Super happy, can't wait to get married there!
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    KTM25KTM25
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I am going with Tall Timbers. The facility is very pretty and definitely within my budget! Our taste testing went very well. The food is very tasty and included in one lump fee! The staff are all helpful and friendly! You can have your ceremony there indoors or outdoors but I am choosing to get married at my church.
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    HollyK5320HollyK5320
    First Comment
    edited December 2011

    Pinnacle Golf Club!!

    When we walked in, we were sold right then and there. It's a bit pricy - $12,000 minimum for a Saturday in the peak season. But it's totally worth it. The outdoor reception space is large and accomodating without looking like a huge field that you just sit in (no offense if you like that look). And the ballroom for the reception is breathtaking. It decorates itself with the marble dance floor and beautiful windows. I feel so lucky to be getting married there in 479 days!

    Honorable mention: Heritage Golf Club. Really a lovely venue.

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    kleem15kleem15
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    stanzi113 where can I find information about the Grange Audubon Center? Or do you have any information you can send me? I heard about it from someone else and cant find anything on it!
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    BMDunlap01BMDunlap01
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    My honorable mentions would be Venue at Smith Brother, Franklin Park Conservatory and Darby House. They were just too expensive for us. They are beautiful though!
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    77Angie77Angie
    First Comment
    edited December 2011

    Scioto Reserve

    It is my favorite because it has a modern feel.  We wanted to have a loft city wedding but there wasn't a venue that would hold our guests.  We went to SR and I fell in love!  It has just been remodeled in the past few years and looks great.  There are huge windows around the room looking out onto the golf course.  I am so excited to have our reception there.  The price is moderate depending on what day and weekend you get married. 

    My runner up is North Bank Pavillion.  I would loved to have it here as well but the lottery booking system was too much for my type-A personality.  You can bring in your own alcohol which is a huge savings!  Needless to say, since we aren't having our reception here, we want to have our engagement pics done around that area downtown.
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    jnkreagerjnkreager member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    My favorite venue is... The Valley Dale Ballroom!!

    From the outside it really isn't much to look at (I actually had driven past it dozens of times and thought it was a gymnasium), but it is soo beautiful inside!  It was big in the Big Band era and reflects that vintage glam vibe.  It has really shaped the theme of our wedding (Frank Sinatra impersonator during dinner, retro-looking BM dresses, etc.), and I am just so excited!

    It is so reasonably priced $1900 to rent for 6 hrs with all tables and chairs included.  Their drink package is pretty average (unlimted beer, wine, and pop for around $15/pp), and we are using their preferred caterer so we got a discount there.
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    phunkydreamerphunkydreamer
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Going with: The Granville Inn
    Runner up/honorable mention: Taylor Mansion
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    AutumnEnchantmentAutumnEnchantment
    Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    The Everal Barn!

    We're on a fairly tight budget and booking this place still allows us to spend some money elsewhere.  Unfortunately we are not Westerville residence but it cost even less for them!  It has a nice rustic/country/vintage sort of feel being a restored barn but best of all it has been restored beautifully.
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    green795green795
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Creekside. We aren't country club people, and we're not hotel ballroom people, and we wanted something modern and elegant and somewhere our families haven't been to yet for a wedding. We loved it  on the first tour. We loved the layout, the location, and the decor, and it was easy to bring in our wedding colors through table linens, chair covers and sashes, and favors. It made for beautiful pictures. Katherine was great to work with and was really on top of the details, the food was delicious, and overall we and our guests had an amazing experience! 

    Runner ups include the Athletic Club and Walters Commons. We went to a wedding there a couple years ago and although everything abut it was beautiful we didn't like the layout. It's an L-shape and we didn't like how you couldn't see all of the guests. Half were on one side and half on the other and the head table was tucked away in the corner and was hard to see. The space for cocktail hour was rather tight also. But if we would have had a smaller guests list that would have fit one side or the other, it would have likely been in the running. 

    Walters Commons is beautiful. If we weren't already having our ceremony there, we would have looked at it for our reception. We didn't want all of our venues to be St. Charles and turn it into a St. Charles themed party. We had that with the ceremony and my husband and all of his groomsmen being alumni.  But it is a very large and beautiful space and would have been in running also.
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