PIck my Venue!

marksle84

Ok. So most of you know I am having to change my venue with only 95 days to go! So the options are in:
The Modern Art Museum
In house catering only
Modern feel
Personal Assistant
McDavid Studios- Bass Hall Family
Bring in your own caterer
Theatrical feel with stage lighting
Seperate Cocktail Space

bsn1752

I think that this is a question that you and your FI should decide together.

KendallandAlbert

I said Bali because let's be honest, eloping does sound nice.

marksle84

The problem is we like both places, but they are both very different. We've looked at a lot of places and gone back and forth so much!
Your opinions would be great, and it would provide info that we might not know!

fallbride1109

I say you can't go wrong with either as far as the look and feel so I would go with the one that gives you the most for your money.

There was a Knottie a while back who had a bad experience with one and swtiched to the other even after she had paid the deposit--but I can't remember which one was which!

Kme10rth

You might check with the venue that I just booked.  It is a brand new venue still under construction and they still have tons of dates available.  Its located in Azle Texas and very affordable.  http://www.theorchardtx.com/

marksle84

Stephie- I hope you remember soon!

Tiffany618

What's the cost difference?   Didn't you recently say you ruled out the Modern due to cost or was that someone else?

serlace

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_texas-dallas-ft-worth_pick-venue?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:102Discussion:1dad5672-d425-42bf-bd9f-0c8c94b953a4Post:546377b8-0ea8-4339-9131-e69f655af000">Re: PIck my Venue!</a>:
[QUOTE]I think that this is a question that you and your FI should decide together.
Posted by bsn1752[/QUOTE]

I agree with Brianna.  This is your wedding.  You need to pick a venue that makes you and your FI happy.

Do you want a theatrical feel or a modern feel?  Are you set on a specific caterer or does in house catering not matter?  Do you want a personal assistant?  What does your dress look like?  Which venue matches better with your dress or other decorations, etc?

These are all decisions you have to make.

marksle84

Tiffany- Had ruled it out, but since its last minute they are cutting us a break and they have a few of the rentals we were going to have to pay extra for. McDavid is less expensive though because of the catering.
I think we are going to go again this weekend and look at both.

Tiffany618

Well I agree with Brianna and Lacey - if both are in your budget then it is your personal preference.   We can't choose for you.

fallbride1109

Here we go.  Heh, sometimes I amaze even me.  Although I was wrong about her switching.  This was donnamarie02.  I think she was going to switch to Bass because the Modern was going to charge her over $400 for her to replace their chairs with Chivari (or something to that effect).  But instead I guess she stuck it out.

Reception: The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth Roxanne McLarry Catering Director B+
I have to say I would not of looked at this as a budget friendly venue. When I went for my initial meeting I told them I didn't want to go over $10,000 for 100 people. Long story short as time went along we needed to bump up to 118 people. They updated the charges and the total came to $16,000. We paid cash for our entire wedding so that big of a jump a few months away was not an option. I totally freaked out. I even considered pulling all the way out and switching to bass hall and just eating the deposit at The Modern. Roxanne told me to just take a deep breathe and it will be over soon. She would "work" on my total. When she got back to me she widdle it down to $12,000. After all of that widdling the only major thing we lost were viewing the galleries for $400, closing the bar during dinner and standard hor d'eourves instead of premium. The rest she just kept discounting as much as she could to make it happen for us. We were even allowed to find our own dance floor as opposed to paying $1000 for theirs. The food was amazing!!! They even made a custom menu for us b/c we didn't like the standard buffet options. Our guest are STILL raving about the lobster mashed potatoes they made for us. The only thing I did not like was the bar was based on consumption. They estimate what the total will be and we had to pay that amount in advance. Also, they went through 3 different wedding coordinators in the past year. The first one left to work close to home, Roxanne took over until they found a new one, the new one came sometime in the summer. However, lucky for me out of all the brides I was the only wedding Roxanne didn't turn over to the new lady. I dealt with the new lady a month before the wedding while Roxanne was out and she about drove me crazy. She would call/email me like 5 times a day, overly anal to say the least.

juliebug1997

I agree with the others.  Your venue is personal to you.  People are going to tell you what they would like and their tastes could be completely different from yours.  What happens when you pick one that every one likes and you have a terrible experience?

$400 for chivari chairs for how many people?  At a lot of places, from what I understand, those are upgrades.  What is considered reasonable for this upgrade?

marksle84

THANKS STEPHIE!!!
Thats actually why we had crossed it off our list last year. They charge for every little thing. Remove chairs, move tables, their dance floor, ect... It adds up fast. I haven't tried the food or anything and looks like we are in the same budget. So this really helps!

fallbride1109

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_texas-dallas-ft-worth_pick-venue?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:102Discussion:1dad5672-d425-42bf-bd9f-0c8c94b953a4Post:23955404-2acc-4d11-aac8-9e4c8a094938">Re: PIck my Venue!</a>:
[QUOTE]THANKS STEPHIE!!! Thats actually why we had crossed it off our list last year. They charge for every little thing. Remove chairs, move tables, their dance floor, ect... It adds up fast. I haven't tried the food or anything and looks like we are in the same budget. So this really helps!
Posted by marksle84[/QUOTE]

Yeah I remember she was totally surprised by the chair thing and I remember the dance floor was an issue too.  I really like Bass Hall too so if they look like they will be easier to work with you might want to think about that.  Again, who will give you more--that is what would make the decision for me.  Also if you can bring in your own catering that might further bring the cost down.  I think Bass Hall is smaller though and I know I saw one wedding there where the guests were spread out instead of being all in one room.  All things to consider.

ETA:  Did you rule out BRIT?

marksle84

We saw the BRIT on Saturday. The lobby is really neat and the coordinator is very sweet. But the lobby is the only cool thing about it. We would only have room to do cocktail hour in their and the other rooms had low ceiling and not a lot of windows. There was also a dividing wall between the 2 rooms we would need to use and it would block the view of the dance floor. So the space just seemed akward and not well planned. I'm all about floor plans, since my degree is in Interior Design!

fallbride1109

Here are LaDonna's pics.  Doesn't show alot of the venue however.
http://ninephotography.squarespace.com/journal/week/2010-12-19-to-2010-12-25

Here is Knottie Dreynol's pics of her wedding at Bass
http://wisnerphoto.blogspot.com/2009/10/wedding-colton-devin.html

And her review:
McDavid Studio, Bass Hall- A +++I loved our reception venue. THe lighting and the views of downtown were great. James Bruse, the events coordinator, went above and beyond. He allowed me to meet with him multiple times to make sure every detail was in place and he stayed the entire time, even though he did not have to, to make sure everything went smooth. It was reasonably priced and tables/chairs were provided.

MarieSD

Good job, Stephiehall! I remember that knottie that panicked when she saw all the additional charges at the Modern. She ended up using my (very budget friendly) florist as one cost-cutting measure.

This would be tough. When I walked into the venue I ultimately chose, I just had the gut reaction that this was it. Similar to my wedding dress. (No crying, no dramatic moment -- just a resolved feeling that I'd made my choice). Thankfully, because I don't know what I'd do if I had to choose between two options I equally liked!

Personally, if I really did have an equally good feeling at both, I'd look at the costs. But I had to worry about my budget and maybe you don't.

Definitely figure out if you'd have to split guests into different rooms at one of the venues. That's something to avoid if you can. I barely saw all my guests, and we were in the same room together for six hours. I can't imagine if some of them had been in a different space.

Tiffany618

Just a thought, but have you checked the nearby hotel situation for either venue? 

I would think McDavid would have the same hotel sell-out issue that you had with Omni since it is also downtown.

juliebug1997

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_texas-dallas-ft-worth_pick-venue?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:102Discussion:1dad5672-d425-42bf-bd9f-0c8c94b953a4Post:814c7111-a01d-47f3-93db-4802dc5ff3f9">Re: PIck my Venue!</a>:
[QUOTE]Just a thought, but have you checked the nearby hotel situation for either venue?  I would think McDavid would have the same hotel sell-out issue that you had with Omni since it is also downtown.
Posted by Tiffany618[/QUOTE]
I could see the Bass from my window at the Worthington this past weekend.  There's also a Hilton down there and an Embassy Suites.  Lots of places to consider. 

Tiffany618

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_texas-dallas-ft-worth_pick-venue?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:102Discussion:1dad5672-d425-42bf-bd9f-0c8c94b953a4Post:1b42814d-dc6e-4f8a-96eb-58f5f83be62c">Re: PIck my Venue!</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: PIck my Venue! : I could see the Bass from my window at the Worthington this past weekend.  There's also a Hilton down there and an Embassy Suites.  Lots of places to consider. 
Posted by juliebug1997[/QUOTE]

Right but she had mentioned there were two giant conventions that had sold out the whole downtown area.   Unless I dreamed that.

marksle84

Yes, we thought about this. Worthington has some rooms and we found a hotel by the chapel to house family. So yeah!!!

juliebug1997

The Worthington is literally a ten minute walk to the convention center area and there's Molly the Trolly.  That seems like you could have kept your original venue. 

TexanTreasure08

I don't really understand why you changed your venue just because they didn't have any rooms. There are lots of other hotels that usually offer a free shuttle for your guests to your venue if it's within a certain radius. Or you could just suck it up and rent a shuttle like I did. The one I picked was $85/hour and they could break up your time into 2 sections for going and coming back so you don't have to pay for them to sit there during your whole wedding.

dianaslik

I understand PPs questions about why she changed - I wonder a bit, too...

But my general understanding is that the deception made her uncomfortable with the venue as a whole...

TexanTreasure08

Ok I went back and reread that thread. I'm still a little confused, but I understand wanting to leave the Omni now. Have you called all of the other hotels to see if there are any open rooms? I kind of doubt that every hotel downtown is booked solid.

KendallandAlbert

I think the dishonesty and having a major conference going on while trying to have a ceremony fueled the change

juliebug1997

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_texas-dallas-ft-worth_pick-venue?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:102Discussion:1dad5672-d425-42bf-bd9f-0c8c94b953a4Post:1b8bf0a8-4ad0-4bfb-a2cf-d069f06accc3">Re: PIck my Venue!</a>:
[QUOTE]I think the dishonesty and having a major conference going on while trying to have a ceremony fueled the change :D
Posted by KendallandAlbert[/QUOTE]
I don't know that dishonest is what I would be calling the hotel.  Possibly at the time that she booked they didn't have a conference scheduled.  They are not under any obligation to tell her about that, and we can agree to disagree on what to call that.  Also, if most of her family is going to want to spend the night there and they were going to be taking up that block, then more rooms should have been blocked at the beginning of the planning.

I have worked with hotels for many years.  At our current prom location, I am not guaranteed to get into the ballroom before five o'clock.  I can only get in if they don't have something scheduled ten days out.  In other words, you could come in and plan an early afternoon meeting in the big ballroom ten days before my prom, and they would let you do it and you would have to be out by 5 PM.  Originally, the Gaylord wouldn't guarantee our prom until a month out.  So, if some big company came to them and said "We want to have a convention here and we're bringing 700 people" then they would have kicked us out.  That is the problem with using a convention hotel and that is one reason that I still will not go back to the Gaylord even though they have changed their policies from what I understand.  They're wanting to fill up the hotel rooms in addition to having meetings and banquets, etc.

Addendum:  Let me also say that the sales department (where you deal with the banquet rooms) and the hotel side are completely different departments.  Each one may not know what the other is doing.   The company hosting the convention may have done the block long before they set up their meeting space with sales/catering.

I feel bad that you have had this experience.  I hope you and your fiancee decide on what's going to make you happy very soon.  

professorscience

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_texas-dallas-ft-worth_pick-venue?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:102Discussion:1dad5672-d425-42bf-bd9f-0c8c94b953a4Post:e506bc60-a094-444d-952c-e9f556d6bec8">Re: PIck my Venue!</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: PIck my Venue! : I don't know that dishonest is what I would be calling the hotel.  Possibly at the time that she booked they didn't have a conference scheduled.  They are not under any obligation to tell her about that, and we can agree to disagree on what to call that.  <strong>Also, if most of her family is going to want to spend the night there and they were going to be taking up that block, then more rooms should have been blocked at the beginning of the planning.</strong>
Posted by juliebug1997[/QUOTE]

THIS.  We have a ton of local guests but I blocked 25 rooms with the provision that I could add more if necessary.  And the beauty of it is that I can release the rooms a week or so out and not be responsible for any that weren't booked.  If a hotel tells you six months out that they currently have no conventions booked at the time of your wedding, they are likely telling you the truth.  That doesn't mean they won't book a convention sometime between that conversation and the day in question.

KendallandAlbert

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_texas-dallas-ft-worth_pick-venue?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:102Discussion:1dad5672-d425-42bf-bd9f-0c8c94b953a4Post:e506bc60-a094-444d-952c-e9f556d6bec8">Re: PIck my Venue!</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: PIck my Venue! : I don't know that dishonest is what I would be calling the hotel.  Possibly at the time that she booked they didn't have a conference scheduled.  They are not under any obligation to tell her about that, and we can agree to disagree on what to call that.
Posted by juliebug1997[/QUOTE]

I think her original post said she asked when she booked if they had anything and they said no.  A couple months later they said they had booked something for that weekend years in advance.   I can see how this could be misconstrued as her feeling they are dishonest to a point.

As for the block, I agree. Unfortunately, some things just get overlooked.  I think it's a good lesson for all of us

ETA: I am in no way saying I think the Omni is dishonest (apparently that wasn't clear).  I am saying that she felt they were, thus her wanting to move venues so late in the game in response to folks asking.  I think we got a clearer picture of the crazy sitation on Friday night at the G2G than her post explained.  To each their own I guess.   Either way, it will come out beautifully and serves as a lesson for all of us to plan well and get things in writing.

marksle84

Kendall- So True!
A big lesson learned. I did feel like the Omni was dishonest in telling me there was no convention when in fact they were already booked solid. I was told to do a discount coupon code instead of blocking 50 rooms because I would have to have that amount held on my CC. She said to not worry about this. So I trusted what she said.
This situation was the last straw... I started to become apprehensive when she was unresponsive to my question emails and didn't want to schedule my tasting ect... Then when we went to the tasting the options were so limited it wasn't anything they claimed to offer. So I felt I was having to settle on a lot that was promised.
As an update- The proposal came in for The Modern and with the all the additional fees it ended up $4k over budget! McDavid it is