Park budget wedding help (rentals)

Re: Park budget wedding help (rentals)

• hollyweenOR

  

  January 2012

  I don't have much input re: rentals or public spaces (though I understand they fill up very quickly for Saturdays; I think the city starts taking reservations January 1st- well, the first business day anyway- and many people will line up that day to book for Saturdays in the summer).

  
  

  McMenamins' food in general is pretty meh. I mean, no one will say it is gross, or not eat it, but it's just kinda meh. Could be better, kwim? I've only been to one McMenamins wedding, at Kennedy School, and honestly, I don't remember the food at all. So it was probably just fine. It was a really fun wedding, and it was nice being able to wander over to Detention and the Cypress Room and grab drinks after the reception started to wind down. Edgefield would be a lot of fun for that too! We briefly considered Edgefield, but we decided we wanted to pick more of the details ourselves (we're beer nuts, so we wanted to serve specific beers, for example).

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• DramaGeek member

  

  January 2012

  McMen's food is fine.  We go there a lot for staff meetings or happy hour because it's close, and it's fine.  Not amazing, but not terrible - definitely palatable and everyone can find something.  However, I have no idea what the options are for catering.

  
  

  As far as locations go, I would try Leach Botanical Garden and Overlook House.  Both have indoor and outdoor options, as I recall, and both have tables, chairs, etc on site.

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• MBeezKneez

  

  February 2012

  The portland parks & rec sites says they do not take reservations until February 15th, if that helps.

  
  

  I'm going the park route because other venues were too expensive or just 'blah' as you said. Just be aware that getting a park permit for a wedding is a LOT more expensive than the brochure lets on!  There's a $250 fee to use an open space in a park (not a wedding garden, but a park) for a ceremony, and a $150 special use fee if you want music and/or alcohol at an event with 150 attendees. I am assuming that is a scaled price because they asked how many people were invited. On top of that there are application fees, deposits, and various other costs as well. Altogether, it still only added up to 850 for me, which is a steal compared to 2500 for an indoor venue.

  
  

  
  

  

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• jharty81 member

  

  February 2012

  I have heard good things about McMenamins wedding food, I am getting married at COrnelius Pass Roadhouse and they just told me they are updating their menu within the next month, so maybe there will be more options you like. I'm thinking of choosing their BBQ option.

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• MissMyah member

  

  February 2012

  Portland Parks & Rec started handing out summer 2012 wedding dates on January 3!! My fiance and I camped out 1/2/12 for our wedding date at Mt. Tabor (we're getting married 6/23/12). If you want a Portland city park, call them **immediately** and see if there are any dates still open this year or start coming up with plan B. If you're thinking 2013, plan to camp out downtown the night of 1/1/13 or super early on 1/2/13. But, yes, with rentals, etc. it ends up being over $10k with 125 people at a park (about $450 in park permits and deposits alone), if you are frugal (i.e., we are only spending $500 on our photog). I have figured out ways to cut costs that I am happy to share if you end up going that route though.

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