Venue Help Please!!! Ashton Gardens or SMU Perkins and reception ???

msbkb

Hi ladies!

Has anyone had their wedding/reception at Ashton Gardens?  It's a beautiful venue and I am considering it!  Do they nickel and dime you as much as Piazza?  (Btw I love Piazza!! It's booked on my date ).  How is the food at Ashton Gardens?

My other option is wedding at SMU Perkins Chapel and reception at a hotel possibly.  I am thinking of the W as I hear they are offering great rates right now.  Also considering Dallas Museum of Art (waiting on call back from them concerning rate).  I looked into CityClub as well but the reviews on the food seem a little off. 

Any suggestions/advice will be greatly appreciated!  I am just beginning my planning for my wedding set for October 13, 2012 and am hopping to have venue booked by the end of this month.  Never been the girl that just dreamt of my wedding so the whole planning process is even more difficult for me.  Trying to gain more "interest" in the whole process LoL just can't seem to decide on venue

juliebug1997

How many are you inviting?  Can I also suggest Maggiano's at North Park?  We had a wonderful reception there in '09.  All of our friends and family still rave about it. 

There's also an out of the way Hilton on Preston that you could consider and we had our RD at the Double Tree Campbell Centre (Caruth Haven and Central) and the food was very good.

msbkb

Thanks!  I am planning on 150-200 depending on the venue.  I could do 200 at Ashton Gardens at same price as 150.  The venue there is beautiful just wasn't sure about the food.  I have also read blogs regardign them booking many weddings in one day and brides feeling rushed (no time for pics, etc.).

professorscience

Is October 13 a home gameday at SMU?  Because if it is, you can't do Perkins.

Some friends of ours got married at Perkins and had their reception at the Magnolia -- both ceremony and reception were gorgeous.  Another friend is getting married at Perkins and having the reception at Winfrey Point.  Hope that helps!

msbkb

Thank you!  Forgot all about football season!  I have a messge in to Perkins.  They are only open M/W so I will call them again Monday!  The SMU football schedule is not final online.  Thanks again!

crash2729

I'm using Piazza and I don't think that they nickel and dimed me TBH.

The reason I didn't go with Ashton Gardens is because I didn't want to be getting ready while someone else was having their Ceremony and I didn't want another bride in the room next to me. 

fallbride1109

Oooh, I love Ashton Gardens--but I didn't know they did more than one wedding a day.  That would be a dealbreaker for me.

If you are open to Ft. Worth, the Marty Leonard Chapel reminds me alot of Ashton Gardens.  My dream Ft. Worth wedding would have been MLC for the ceremony and Bass Hall or The Modern for reception.

I do love hotel weddings--I had one myself.  Those are convenient, elegant, and all-inclusive.  I also love Arlington Hall and considered it myself (and their caterer is Food Glorious Food, one of the best).  Also the Arboretum--their caterer is Stephen Pyles along with some other great ones on their approved list.

Shay102007

Honestly Ashton Gardens is very pretty but it's a wedding factory. You will feel very rushed on wedding day, they want you in and out if the chapel in an hour, your wedding reception will be along side another one I would go for Perkins if I were you

sparklingdiamond

Oh yay! I went to SMU so I love Perkins :-). We looked at getting married there, but just know they have a lot of restrictions on decorating and stuff. They have all of that info online I think!

msbkb

Thanks ladies!!  Is Union Station pretty pricey?  Like more than $15k F&B Mins?  I"m pretty set on getting married in a church or chapel.  Reception I am very open about.  I'm new to the planning phase so I am trying to get used to how expensive weddings are! Wow! LoL.  Do venues "Negotiate" at all or are most pretty set on their prices? 

High five to SMU Alumn!!!!!  The DFW board rocks!

xoxo

crash2729

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_texas-dallas-ft-worth_venue-please-ashton-gardens-smu-perkins-reception?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:102Discussion:07a571d4-66d6-40eb-b564-3c6759d46712Post:3bebc5b4-db27-4d0d-9634-d15e3925f73b">Re: Venue Help Please!!! Ashton Gardens or SMU Perkins and reception ???</a>:
[QUOTE]Thanks ladies!!  Is Union Station pretty pricey?  Like more than $15k F&B Mins?  I"m pretty set on getting married in a church or chapel.  Reception I am very open about.  I'm new to the planning phase so I am trying to get used to how expensive weddings are! Wow! LoL.  <strong>Do venues "Negotiate" at all or are most pretty set on their prices?  </strong>High five to SMU Alumn!!!!!  The DFW board rocks! xoxo
Posted by msbkb[/QUOTE]

<div>Most are pretty set. I looked at at least 7 venues. None offered to negotiate...I wasn't brave enough to try either.</div>

professorscience

I posted this in the other thread, but it's been buried.  Cityplace's F&B minimum was 10,000 and the food there was outstanding.  Plus, depending on which room you book, you get views of downtown or Highland Park.

LoverBean27

I agree about the Ashton Gardens being a wedding factory. That was a HUGE deal breaker to me when I found out they line up as many weddings as possible in one day. I felt like I wasn't important, lol. But to answer your question, I attended a wedding there and the food was decent. Not horrible and not outstanding.