Downtown Orlando Wedding Help

jbdonnelly

Hello everyone! 

I am recently engaged (3 weeks ago) and my fiancé and I are trying to plan a wedding for November 2015.

We are completely new to this whole procedure and don't really have any outside help from anyone. 

What we're planning is a relatively small wedding with no more than 80 people (hopefully closer to 65 or less) and we're on a very tight budget (trying to plan the whole thing for under $5,000) and I need some advice.

Venue - This is the first thing that we need to secure and it's the hardest thing for me to find.

We have family coming from out of state and would like to make things easier on them, so we were thinking of a place where we can hold the ceremony and reception in the same place and that it's close to hotels and things to do. Because of this, we were thinking of Downtown Orlando since it has pretty much everything close by. But, after looking into a lot of the venues around there, I can't seem to find a place that fits out budget that isn't an outdoor ceremony (Florida is too unpredictable when it comes to weather). I'm okay with having the ceremony and reception in multiple places, but I don't want to have my out of state family drive all around a place they are unfamiliar with.

Is my idea possible? Am I going about this the wrong way?

Are there any venues you think I might have looked into that aren't going to cost me my entire budget?

I just want it to be as painless as possible for everyone, so I'm up for any suggestions including how any of you would handle this situation.

Thanks, all.

pequenaguajira

I'm in the same boat as you. I found that the Orange Country Regional History Center was relatively inexpensive for the downtown area. I don't know if you've been to or like that venue. I love the history center and I thought it fit my fiance and I's personality. They quoted me $1500 for ceremony and reception on a Sunday, includes chairs and tables and dance floor. And it includes a really highly reviewed/rated event coordinator that is very nice. I haven't booked it yet because I'm exploring alternate options but it's been the cheapest I've found in that area.

Good luck!

jbdonnelly

That's actually a venue that we really love, we have some history with that place. 

Interestingly enough, they just quoted us $3,250 for the same thing...

Did your quote include the Cocktail hour as well? 

If they had quoted me $1,500 instead of $3,250, I would have booked on the spot!

pequenaguajira

That's weird. I didn't ask about cocktail hour but I can't imagine your price jumping that much just for that. I'm going to do a tour of the venue this Sunday to make a solid decision. I'll have to ask about the cocktail hour and see if that might be why there was a price difference. Damn, now I'm thinking I better book asap before they change prices on me!

pequenaguajira

Ok, I'm back with more information. So my package does include the cocktail hour. There are two reasons why your price is different than mine. First, they recently changed their prices and they were honoring the old price with me because I inquired with them a while back. Second, they have two rooms for receptions. One of the rooms is for 60 people or less and the other one is 60 people or more. I currently have 60-70 people on my guest list and they agreed to squeeze those extra people in since I won't be doing a huge dance floor but a really tiny one since I know a lot of people won't dance. I think you're getting that high price because they are giving you the new price and the huge reception room. If you can really bring the number down to 65 like you were saying and you talk to them about their old price, they might work with you. The lady expressed desperation to fill up Sundays because no one books on Sundays with them. Just a thought!

burkeevents

Knottie1432322426

you can do your wedding in park .. you just have to pay some fees and thats all .. you can have your own food and everything ..  Im going my wedding in Orchid garden beautiful place but a little over your budget however I found a very good deal my wedding planner she have some packages in where I will have the photographer, dj , photobooth (4 hour) all the decoration ceremony and reception all the floral with fresh flowers (bouquets ) and the coordination for $3,000 she is amazing you dont have to worry about nothing I have everything in her hands .. she is taking care of everthing and I have the photographer the DJ and the photobooth for a very cheap price .. she is amazing .. If you want her contact information let me know .. She is doing me friend day of coordination for $250 .. she has amazing prices ..