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HELP!! Need Santa Fe Area Reception Site!

nikkismilesnikkismiles
First Comment
in New Mexico
Hello all!!

I need help!! My fiancé and I are getting married on August 6, 2011 at the Cathedral in Santa Fe.  I am now desperately looking for a great, elegant reception site for 250 people that is at a great price in the Santa Fe area.  Any ideas and suggestions would be of the most help!!

Thanks for all of your help!!

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Re: HELP!! Need Santa Fe Area Reception Site!

  • jandamathewsjandamathews member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    250 is pretty large.  I suggest checking into a vacation rental in Santa Fe.  They are usally furnished and very glamerous, and did I mention HUGE?  We are renting a vacay rental for the 2 sides of the bridal party and OOT guests, WAY cheaper than a hotel and much nicer.  Pricing can be from $300-$1000 night, usually with a 2-night minimum.  Just do a google search for Santa Fe Vacation Rentals.  Just talk to the leasing co. or the owner to see what their policies are on reception parties and parking.
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  • nikkismilesnikkismiles
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Oh thank you so much!! I never thought of this idea!! I had looked into quite a few of the hotels there, which were quite expensive, but I never thought of vacation rentals.  Thank you so much for your help and I will start googling!
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  • nikkismilesnikkismiles
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Any other ideas will be much appreciated as well!!
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  • Ximena MXimena M member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Sunrise Springs. 
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  • terahmjavaterahmjava
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Look into Museum Hill, they have really nice spaces!
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  • nikkismilesnikkismiles
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Thank you both for your suggestions, I will absolutely look into both of them!!

    Thank you!
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  • kbramlittkbramlitt member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Have you had any luck finding a location?  I too am in need of a Santa Fe reception site for May 2011.  Flying to NM  (living in Chicago now) the second weekend of January and need to set up some appointments.  I only need reception space for around 100 and am looking for something unique and not too expensive.  Let me know if you have come up with anything and I of course will pass along any info I find...diving into research now. 
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  • earmstrong520earmstrong520 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    For something unique...I am looking at the Lamy Rail Museum. They have a dance floor, dining space, a gorgeous bar and lots of character. Probably isn't too expensive since it isnt right in Santa Fe.
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  • BeazillaBeazilla member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Check out the Lodge at Santa Fe. Their minimum for a Saturday is $4500 and that's spent towards food, drink, etc there. They don't have a minimum for Fridays and Sundays. The courtyard is really nice and they have a nice ballroom.
    image
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  • nikkismilesnikkismiles
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Kbramlitt - I have finally narrowed down my search down to The Lodge at Santa Fe and La Fonda!!  I have found that these are two fairly priced areas that can accommodate my large wedding!! :)  You should be able to find many, many more great places at great prices since your wedding is a good size, but not too big.  I ran into most of my troubles just because of the size of my wedding.  Another place I liked, but wasn't big enough to hold us was the Inn and Spa at Loretto, which is also right on the plaza.  In my opinion, I found the Buffalo Thunder Casino, Eldorado Hotel and Bishops Lodge to be over priced.  When is your wedding date?  The other thing I ran into, is finding an indoor space because I am getting married on August 6th, which is the tail end of our monsoon season, which usually lasts July - August.  Also, the other thing to consider (that I had to take in mind too) is the heat for an outdoor wedding because it gets pretty hot out here from May to the end of August.  I hope all this helps, and let me know if you need anything else!!
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  • fantasychicafantasychica member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    So not to off your question, but you mentioned your having your wedding at the Cathedral in Santa Fe. Is it the loretto chapel or the St Francis Cathedral?   We're planning a Sante Fe wedding as well and all I've been able to do is browse the websites since we live in Colorado. Have you visited any venues or picked one yet? 
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  • nikkismilesnikkismiles
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    We are getting married at the St. Francis Cathedral.  I've heard that the Loretto Chapel is beautiful!  When are you getting married?

    I have visited quite a few venues since my guest list was at 250 people, but recently my FI and I decided to cut it down to 150.  I have looked at the Inn and Spa at Loretto, Bishops Lodge, Buffalo Thunder Casino, Cities of Gold Casino, The NM History Museum, the Lodge at Santa Fe, and La Fonda.  We are going to have our reception at La Fonda.  Let me give you a brief overview of the places I saw:
    • Inn and Spa at Loretto - They have a very pretty place!  They have 2 rooms and an outdoor area near the pool to use.  However, if you have a guest list of 200 or more (we talked to them when our guest list was 250) they can't accommodate the whole party in just 1 room, so they were proposing to us to split our party in between the two rooms whose doors face each other.  I wasn't totally keen on the idea, so I decided it wouldn't work.
    • Bishops Lodge - It's out of the city by about 10-15 minutes.  It looks very nice with nice green grounds and trees.  They too, can't accommodate a party of over 200-250 comfortably in their ballroom and were proposing to us to tent one of their lawn spaces, but since we're getting married in the beginning of August we didn't want our recpetion outside because of the heat and possibility of rain.  They were a little pricey too.
    • Buffalo Thunder Casino - It's out of the Santa Fe city and actually in the Pojaque pueblo about 15 minutes north of Santa Fe.  It is big and gorgeous!!  However, since Hilton owns the hotel and convention rooms part of it, they are really pricey on their receptions.
    • Cities of Gold Casino - It's also in the Pojaque pueblo, 5 minutes north of Buffalo Thunder.  They are better priced on their receptions and have a big ballroom, but I personally thought that the area was a little run down.
    • The NM History Museum - It's right on the plaza.  It has two possible indoor spaces and one possible outdoor space that can each accommodate about 100-125 people in each area.  However, when I went to meet with the lady that coordinates weddings and events there, she seemed really disinterested in me and didn't have any answers to my questions.  Also, with this kind of space, you have you bring your own caterer, chairs, tables, and pretty much everything.  You are also required to take out insurance for 1 million dollars in case anything happens there, and I really didn't want to mess with that kind of stuff.  Also, they have restrictions, such as no red wine, etc.
    • The Lodge at Santa Fe - It is a very nice property!  They are extremely well priced!! They have an indoor ballroom that accommodates about 150 people and an outdoor courtyard that can hold 250 people.  I didn't want to have my reception completely outdoors though (when my guest list was at 250).
    • La Fonda - It is right on the plaza and is literally across the street from the Cathedral, which works great for me!  They have an indoor ballroom that fits 350 people, and an upstairs room that has a balcony attached to it that fits 150-200 people.  They are fairly reasonbly priced for the reception, except for their hotel rooms are pricey.  We are going to book hotels somewhere else.  I feel like the customer service there is great.
    Let me know which places you are looking into, and maybe I can help!!

    Hope all this helps!
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  • kbramlittkbramlitt member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Wedding date is set for May 7.  Thanks Nikkismiles for the suggestion and others. I got an appointment set up with La Fonda but have not heard back yet from The Lodge.  We are also meeting with Walter Burke catering (incase we go with a venue we cater ourselves....has anyone used him/thoughts/others to use?) Appointments for venues are set with Sunrise Springs, Gerald Peters Gallery, and El Cielo.  Anyone have thoughts on those venues?  I am excited for El Cielo as I like the idea of having a location we can use for more than just an evening.  Since this will be a destination wedding for most of our guests I would like to host a welcome reception, luncheon, and the wedding/reception among other things.  Does anyone know of other B&Bs or vacation rentals that will allow receptions in Santa Fe?  I might also try to get an appointment at Museum Hill and another art gallery.
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  • fantasychicafantasychica member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Hi Nikki,
    Our wedding date isn't until 6/2/12 but want to get a head start since we live in Denver, Colorado. I am originally from New Mexico and I do  remember visiting the Loretto chapell when I was younger and it is beautiful, but I'd prefer to get married in an active Catholic church.  The rental fee for the Loretto chapel is TOO much for just the ceremony. I've emailed the St. Francis Cathedral, but havne't heard back, to see what their requirements are and fees, especially since we're from out of state.  Have you already secured your ceremony with the cathedral? Any helpful  info? :) I've received responses from La fonda, which I'm leaning towards and La Posada de Santa Fe which looks really nice also and seems cheaper than La Fonda.  I also recived a response from Encantado Resort, which also looks nice.  So many options to consider!...
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  • kbramlittkbramlitt member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    nikkismiles - thanks to your post we looked at La Fonda and upstairs space with attached terrace.  LOVED it and you are right, it was very reasonably priced.  So....that is where we are having our reception!  Thanks for the suggestion/review.  Would be curious to know where you are directing your guest to stay.   We were quoted $159 a night for our guest.  I would like to find some lower price point hotels to suggest to guest as well.
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  • Moonbeam81Moonbeam81 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Thank you so much for listing all the research you have done on Santa Fe Venues! We are not getting married till 10/11/2012 but I wanted to get an early start since we live in Las Cruces. Thanks again for all the info!
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