Canton, NY Wedding $3000 Budget, Venues Proving Difficult to Find

Inuseiko

Hello everyone, my fiance and I are graduates of St. Lawrence University who also live in the area. We still live in the Watertown area and wanted to go back to our Alma Mater to be married, since it was where we first met.

However, the wedding costs are proving incredibly difficult to manage. We obtained permission to have the ceremony itself in the chapel, but we still need to find a venue for the reception. We also need to find a caterer that won't cost us an arm and a leg. As recent graduates, those limbs are vital to our economic future. Does anyone have suggestions for a nice reception venue or caterer. If worst came to worst, I'd be willing to do all of the cooknig myself, I'd just need a venue for the reception. Thanks so much!

AuroraRose41

Hey, Clarkson graduate here, haha! My fiance and I met at Clarkson! Anyways, I don't mind helping SLU alumni (I wasn't that big into hockey). The easiest way to help you would be to know how many people you expect to invite. I was not able to find any pricing for private events on these sites, but hopefully it gives you some ideas. 

The Best Western in Canton has a banquet hall (link) (<-click on the dining tab to view pictures of the banquet area). I have stayed at this hotel when I went back to the area as a recruiter for the Clarkson Career Fair, and it was very nice. 

The Clarkson Inn does private events, but I am not sure of the cost. It is also small (max 35 people), so it depends on your number of invited guests. Here's a (link) (<-click) to the private events site. 

There's also the new Hampton Inn in Potsdam, that hold slightly more people according to their website, but no pricing info available either. Link.

I had many sorority formal dinners at the Lobster House (link) in Norwood where we rented out a section of the restaurant. I did not plan these so I don't know if it was actually rented out or just called in as a reservation for X amount of people. 

There is also the Northern Family Motel in Potsdam. They have pictures of a tent wedding on their lawn on their website, and also have a large barn with accommodations and another banquet room called the Back 40. Here's a (link). They could probably recommend some caterers or other venue ideas too. 

My only other ideas would be to rent out Maxfield's, Duff's, the Blackbird Cafe, etc. I hope this was helpful! 

ETF: making links easier to read

AuroraRose41

Also just found that the Blackbird Cafe has a private room called the Park View for up to 40 people, and you could do a dinner and cupcakes for as cheap as $25.50 per person with non alcoholic drinks provided. (Link) to catering menu. 

There is also The Club in Canton which holds up to 175 people, but I cannot find pricing for catering. (Link).