Ceremony Site- Please Help!

Calialilly

As my first post on these forums, Hello Everyone!

I am running into a huge dilemma and I need some help from some locals that aren't my FI lol 

I live in Canada and am planning my wedding in Seattle for February. Stressful planning a wedding from this far away and only going there once every couple of months. In any case, we are only have the ceremony in Seattle and the Reception will be in Canada in August. There is only going to be a maximum of 20 people at the ceremony. My FI and I both love the ocean and getting married on the beach is what we are looking for. Trying to find a beach to get married on in the Seattle area is almost impossible without all the rocks! lol I have found some places that are about 2 and a half hours away but I was wondering if anyone had any ideas that may be a little closer to home.

We are planning on going out to dinner at a formal restaurant after the ceremony so really all I need is a place to finally say I DO!!!

Can anyone help me?!?!!? 

Thank you!

jennyann28

You're planning a beach wedding in Seattle for February?  Are you sure you want to do that?  It will be very cold and rainy here in February...
That said, if you are certain this is what you want, check out Golden Gardens.  It is in the Ballard neighborhood, in North Seattle.  Also, Discovery Park has a nice beach.
If you want the beach though, I'd really recommend you wait until August and have your ceremony and reception close together in date.

Calialilly

Yeah I know its insane. Unfortunately as I am a Canadian citizen moving there to marry my FI the timelines are not adjustable. It will be cold and probably raining but we only do this once right? I'm sure we can endure 20 minutes of cold for the ceremony

Maybe even just a view of the ocean in the background but an indoor ceremony site? I am open to any ideas or suggestions. 

Thanks for the reply!

Archel

Yes, Golden Gardens has a building that you can use for the reception...although I'm not sure what their rental policies are like in the winter... I would for sure check out their website. It's a great beach and the good news is - you'd have it all to yourself!

enlightened1

You should try Shilshole Bay Beach Club.  The ceremony would be as close to the water as you can get w/o being on the beach w/ rocks.  Their ceremony fee is $1500, though. Good luck!

www.apulent.com

Tygirljojo

I second PP - it will be cold and very likely rainy in February.  That being said, if you're open to a place with a view of the ocean and you're looking for a nice restaurant for the reception, I suggest looking in Palisades http://www.palisaderestaurant.com/page/magnolia/ .  Another option is Salty's on Alki http://www.saltys.com/seattle/catering/weddings.asp .  Or since it's only 20 people, you could rent a nice vacation house for a couple nights that is on the water and simply have food catered to the home? http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/usa/washington/puget-sound/seattle#a20811

dreamwinds

You sound like you're in a similiar situation to us (he's Canadian and just recently moved down on his K visa). We're getting court-married this July (towards the end of his visa's 90 day period), with our bigger ceremony next year on the same(ish) day.

If it's not too nosy, do you already have your visa? Is February the absolute latest you can get married? Or is it the earliest month? Will it be the tail end of the visa's 6 month? And not to be a downer, but are you sure you'll be able to return to Canada in August? We've estimated at least 6 months to a year before he'll be able to get his green card to be able to leave the country. Sorry if all this is nosy. XD It's just our situations seem pretty similar.

I'm sorry I have no help in regards to a venue by a beach other than what other pp have said, just thinking of how you might be able to push it out to a less cold and rainy time of the year.

Calialilly

Thanks so much for the feedback already! I have checked out some of the places that you all have mentioned and things are definitely looking up!

I also found another place in my searches through the ones mentioned here that could also work.http://www.rays.com/catering/weddings

Thanks again!

Tygirljojo

I've heard good things about Rays - that would be another good option.

jennuinne

I agree w/ all pp.  Golden Gardens and Alki are the best Seattle beaches IMO, that are not rocky.  But it will be cold.  If you want a building, for only 20 people, your best bet may be to try a restaurant like Salty's on Alki, or Ray's near Golden Gardens.  I know there are several others.  Or maybe something downtown on the waterfront?  There are also a few nice ones on Lake Union, like BluWater, but that's not the ocean/sound.  The places that are specifically for weddings, are probably too big/expensive for 20 people.  There are also waterfront hotels, like The Edgewater.  Or you could do a small wedding on an Argosy Cruise?

kinmir30

Yah Argosy or the MV Skansonia. It is a ferry boat wedding venue as well. That would be fun if you have a lot of out of towners.

There are some other places that are on the Tacoma Waterfront too. Not sure if that is too far for you....

kinmir30

Oh and the MV Skansonia would include dinner. Off peak rates are 26-46 per person, but that is the only fee required.

http://www.skansonia.com/

jennlin

i would also check out tyee yacht club.

irshis20

I really love the rustic view from Ray's, so that would be my recommendation. If you want a sandy beach, Alki or Golden Gardens are your options. PP gave you a lot of other good reco's, too. I REALLY wouldn't do a wedding ON the sand in February, though...to heck with rain, it could be snowing!

BTW, anything in the Seattle area will not be the ocean. Puget Sound is a salt water inlet, but to reach the ocean you have to go over to the coast. I'm not sure if that matters to you or not, but since you said "the ocean" I just wanted to point that out.