I'm starting to plan a wedding for about 80 guests and would appreciate any feedback from those of you who have done or are doing the same. My budget's $12k with most of the expense going to the reception. I'm planning to skimp on other things, like getting a used dress, doing my own hair, FI wearing a suit he already has, no wedding favors, etc. Initially I was against the idea of a "wedding factory," but the more I started to look at what they offer and the convenience, the more I'm swayed. Plus there don't seem to be many unique venues around here, so I gave up on looking for one. The most important thing to me is finding a venue with great photo ops where we can throw a fun party for our friends and family and feed them good food. I don't want to travel too far east of the Deptford area since some of our guests are coming from PA, and I want them to be able to get home at the end of the night. In other words, nothing at the shore.
I was eyeing Brigalias until I saw there's a 100 person minimum for their smallest room, and I wasn't too impressed by the looks of their smaller venue, Villa Manor. Right now Auletto Caterer's is at the top of my list, but I fear their fees may exceed the $120 per person (including tax) I'm aiming to pay. The wine cellar looks neat, though!
Rode's Barn in Swedesboro is also on the short list, but I'm not sure I'd know what to do when it comes to handling all of the decorations myself since it's a DIY space. The fact that they only offer a consumption bar option also scares me off since I know we'll have some big drinkers at the reception. On top of that, things like bussing the tables and linens aren't included and will cost extra. I'm also concerned from looking at pictures if there will be enough dancing space for my guests.
Lucien's Manor is tempting since it sounds like they have flexible packages within my budget, although my FI had his first wedding there so I'm not sure if people would find that weird. I don't think I'd personally mind but I don't want to field questions or hear comments about it on my wedding day.
I'm feeling totally lost when it comes to choosing a venue, especially since I'm not from the area and none of my friends have gotten married here. It also seems like a lot of folks here have huge weddings with 100+ guests, which isn't in the cards for me, so I can't get inspiration from looking at the web. If any of you can help I'd love to hear your experiences and advice. Thanks!