Botanical Center Bride(s)

JandA7406

What is your timeline for the day?

Where are you getting ready?

Are you taking pictures before, if so, where?

What hotels are you using for room blocks?

Are you using the tent for your reception?

musictchr25

Hi!  

We haven't finalized everything, but we have a lot of time still - Oct 6th.  We want our ceremony to start at 5pm, so that we have time to do pictures after outside. We are not doing a first look.  We are having two photographers, and one will be with me during getting ready and the other will be with FI.  We will likely be doing pictures throughout the park and in the Botanical Center.  I will likely be getting ready in a hotel room, the same one which FI and I will stay on our wedding night. FI will likely be getting ready at his parents house - his dad is the BM.  

I have been talking with many hotels about room blocks. We are thinking of doing blocks in both Providence and in Warwick since we have a diverse group of guests - some who may want to go out after (Prov) and a lot from OOT who may need easy access to the airport (Warwick).  Marriots, Crowne Plaza, Hilton Garden Inn, and Sheraton Airport. Still looking for other options though.  

We are not using the tent. 

What are your plans?

JandA7406

I am going again this weekend to finally sign our contract - our wedding is 9/14/13 so we A LOT of time.  My initial plan was ceremony in the Med room (the large one), cocktail in the smaller room, reception in the tent.

530-6 - Ceremony
6-7 Cocktail
7-11/12 - Reception

I hope to also have 2 photographers and haven't decided about a first look.

We will most likely get ready in the same hotel - I want something boutiquey (NYLO).

As far as hotel blocks - I am not sure how that works first off and 2nd I think we will do Providence & Warwick too only because Providence tends to get pricey.

musictchr25

Chantel - Are you still around? Would you be able to share your day of schedule with us?

JandA7406

We went tonight and saw a cocktail/reception set up.  I was sold on not using the tent and it will also save $1300.

Poodip

Hi!  Our wedding is on Oct. 14th.  The ceremomy will start at 5:30pm, cocktails at 6, reception from 7-10:30pm. We're not using the tent as we plan to have a smaller wedding (50 guests).  I'll probably get ready at a hotel room as well (although not sure where yet) whlie the fiance may get ready at his parent's house.  We're doing a first look... our photographer suggested 1hr for that so around 4pm just around the park and the botanical center.    I've already blocked both Marriotts (in downtown Providence and Warwick) to give guests options. Most  downtown hotels charge like $25/night for parking and don't have free airport shuttles so tend to be more pricey overall.

Are any of you using lighting enhancements? (uplights, gobos, etc.)  I haven't visited the Botanical Center at night so I'm not sure how the provided lighting looks....

JandA7406

We were there this past weekend and while the lighting they do have makes the space look great, I plan to do uplighting.  I also wanted to add chandeliers (maybe) or some string lights but people are fighting me on it.  I think I'm trying to go over the top because originally I was going to do the tent and I love the chandeliers and don't want to lose them! See picture for the string light idea I was thinking of..

How do room blocks work?  Do we have to pay a fee for them to block them??

There is also the option of ceremony at the gazebo, not sure if either of you were aware. Becuase I did away with the tent I liked that option because I like the flow of having the three things in three areas (ceremony, cocktail, reception) but then I have to worry about 1. renting 2 sets of chairs or 2. the caterer moving the chairs and they may not want to from all the way down there.

mege913

I got married there this past NYE.

We did a cocktail reception (so no assigned seating, no plated meal).

We got ready at The Renaissance Hotel in Providence (you don't pay for the block, your guests pay, they were very accomodating and awesome to work with).

At 6:15 our bus took the wedding party/immediate family from the hotel to the Botanical Center.  Then it picked up our guests.  Our wedding started at 7:30pm, we had already done pictures so it just started right into the reception after the ceremony.  It all lasted till 12:30 am.

The lighting there is totally adequate, the lights are all on dimmers.  However, uplighting looks gorgeous (the extra money was not an option for us).

Be warned, it is VERY hot and humid in there.  We had all the doors open and I was still really hot (then again I danced ALL night so that could have had an impact).

We had about 100 people, and did the ceremony in the first room, then set that up as a more relaxed "lounge" type area just by using the benches already in the Botanical Center.

Our guests LOVED the venue.  They were all amazed by it, and in my opinion, using the tent almost "wastes" the beauty of the venue.  If you can fit all of your guests in the building, I would just use that, it will really wow your guests! (And you can save lots on your centerpieces and what not b/c you don't want to compete with the beauty the venue already provides!)

mege913

Oh, we also took a few pictures before right outside the state house.  It is walkable from The Renaissance.  If the weather had been better (it had rained all morning) we were going to take pics in the park, but I didn't want to run all over the place in my gown with the ground being wet/muddy!

Poodip

@mege913:  Wow...it was hot despite having your wedding on NYE??  I don't remember it being too hot and humid when I visited, but maybe it warms up considerably with a bunch of guests (and of course, dancing!)  :P     I'm hoping that if we do lighting enhancements, it won't add more heat!  If you have any pictures from your wedding, I'd love to see how you set things up!  

@JandA7406:  Agree with above.  The hotels offer "curtesy blocks", which means that you don't have any financial obligations.  You just have to call them, tell them how many rooms you need/want, and they'll offer a certain rate and send you a contract to sign. Your guests would need to make their reservations at least 1 month before the wedding, after which the blocked rooms get released.   BTW, the string lights look cute! We're having paper lanterns ourselves....

JandA7406

@mege913 - I too would like to see some pictures if you have any.  Our wedding is September so I hope it's not too hot.  Thanks for the info regarding room blocks.  I plan to not use the tent and I really would like some sort of other lighting just for the "look".  I love the venue and agree that using the tent defeats the purpose.

@JandA7406 - Thanks about the string lights and I too hope to do uplighting.  I was thinking NYLO for our getting ready hotel.  I want some edgy and boutiquey.

mege913

As soon as my pics are in I will link you to them!