Starfire

jadel74

Hi, I know there is someone here that is getting married at Starfire the day after us (we are getting married there on 11/5, and they [you] are getting married there on 11/6).

Was wondering what you're planning on doing with the space? We cant decide if we want to have the ceremony out on the course or by the patio. Also thinking of doing some lounge furniture in one of the corners outside if you want to share it or something.

Jen

Celles

You're thinking of lcarp203. 

I'm getting married at Starfire too, but not until February.  We're planning on having our ceremony by the patio because our guest list is relatively small and we really like the natural backdrop provided by the trees. 

lcarp203

Hi!  I am glad to finally meet that person who is having their ceremony on the 5th!  I am getting married at Starfire on the 6th and promise I will be done with my rehearsal before you walk down the aisel -wink-

We are getting married on the small patio lawn just like Celles.  I did not like the feel of the golf course.  It just seemed so wide and open with little ambiance.

As far as the space reception space goes, I am not sure if we will have enough room for any patio furniture.  Our buffet is being set up on the patio under cover.  We are going to have them set up some tables outside for the cocktail hour.  I have also purchased lanterns to set along the patio as decoration as it gets darker.

A few questions for you (and Celles too!)-

1) The Sun will set on Nov 6th is 5:30pm. - What time are you guys having your ceremony start?

Celles- are you doing a "first look" with Drew?  Or will the first time you see your FI be as your walking down the aisle?

Jadell- Are you doing one with your photographer? 

This will make a difference on ceremony start time for me and I just cant make up my mind!

2) Are you using the other room for your dance floor and DJ?  Any thoughts on how you will transform that room from a decoration standpoint?

3) Are you renting linens so they are floor length?  Or are you sticking with the lap length that Starfire provides?

4) are you using the wedding arch Starfire provides?  If you are not, are you renting something else?  Or, are you doing any ceremony decorating?

I think those are the main things with regards to the venue that I have been thinking about recently.... maybe we can throw around some ideas which may help one of us out!

Celles

Great questions!  I'm eager to hear everyone's thoughts on them, too!

1) Our ceremony is tentatively scheduled for 4:30 - 5:00, followed immediately by a cocktail hour from 5:00 - 6:00.  The idea is to catch the sunset at the tail end of the cocktail hour, so we'll have pictures in full daylight as well as at sunset.

I'm 98% certain we'll be doing a "first look" with Drew, as well.  He's in favor of the idea and I've heard that it can be a very calming experience for a nervous bride.  I have some serious social anxiety so I know I'll need that!

2) Our guest list is fairly small (60 are invited, but I'd be surprised if more than 40 attend...), so we aren't planning to use the second room at all.  I'm not really crazy about it, to be honest.  I do like your idea of wall hangings to soften the space.

My bridesmaid's husband is a semi-professional photographer.  He has some amazing pictures of the Arizona landscape.  We were thinking about converting a few of them into black and white, enlarging them to poster size, and putting them in black Ikea frames.   We would then hang them in place of the golfing pictures in the foyer.  I haven't run the idea by Brooke yet -- but I can't imagine she'll object, given how willing she has been to work with us and other brides.

3) I'm still undecided on linens.  I'd like to rent (or buy) floor length ivory linens and pair them with turqouise table runners, but I'm not sure if it's worth the additional expense or not.  (My color scheme has evolved from whimiscal blues and greens to more elegant jewel tones.  I blame the MOH -- she really did not like the royal blue I originally chose!)

4) I think I'll use Starfire's arch.  I may talk to my florist about adding some accents, but I think the arch looks fine on its own.  (Or, rather, it photographs fine -- I haven't seen it "irl" yet!)

And now here's one for you:

5) What are you ladies planning to do with that small room just off the bar?  Brooke said other brides have used it like a children's room, but we aren't planning to have any children at our wedding (not because we dislike them, because we don't, but because none of our close friends or family members actually have children!).

lcarp203

Here are some of my thoughts:

1) The Sun will set on Nov 6th is 5:30pm. - What time are you guys having your ceremony start?
For ease I am thinking that we will have the ceremony start at 4:00pm.  I really like the idea of just a round easy number for people to remember.  Probably just because it is easier for me as I tend to be always running around like a chicken with my head cut off in my personal life so 4 would be easier for me to remember as a guest than 4:30, but I admit - I am a spaz.

I emailed Brooke to ask what time we could get out on the golf course on a cart.  She said 15 min before Sun Set.  For us, Sun Set at 5:30 means no more light and no more pictures according to our Photographer (Drew).  So, we can get out on the course around 5:15.  So, it will leave a little under an hour for family pictures and pictures of the 2 of us around the clubhouse.  I am not sure if that leave too much time to wait for Sun Set, but I did not want to run out of time either.  So, I may skip the first look since we will have time after the wedding, althougth I really like the idea.


2) Are you using the other room for your dance floor and DJ?  Any thoughts on how you will transform that room from a decoration standpoint?
We are going to take down the large pictures in the second room.  I have made large boards with Love Quotes on them.  I am still not sure how I will hang them, I may need to consult Brooke, although, I am sure I can figure it out...  I just dont want them to come crashing down during the wedding!  I will try to post pictures tonight in this thread since I am already running late for work today

3) Are you renting linens so they are floor length?  Or are you sticking with the lap length that Starfire provides?
Ahhhh!  This is where I am struggling!  I really would like to rent floor length, but they are 13-26 dollars a piece.  I could swing the expense in my budget, but, I am just not sure it is worth the money.  I may have to start looking around.  Let me know if you guys have any good recommendations for linen companies!

4) are you using the wedding arch Starfire provides?  If you are not, are you renting something else?  Or, are you doing any ceremony decorating?
Another one I keep going back and forth on.  The arch really is not in our color scheme.   I wish it was a wood arch or a wrot iron.  FI keeps telling me he would build one for me.  But, he is working in Annapolis during the week and only home for less than 48 hours over the weekend.  So, I don't want him to spend his only free time building me an arch!  So, by default, we may just end up using the white one as I will have no use for an arch after the wedding so I do not want to buy one.  Oh yeah.... and we live in a condo, so there really is no way to build one or store one!

We are having pomander on the aisle chairs (6).  And, my floral quote includes some sort of ceremony flower arrangement, either 2 baskets to put on both sides of the bride and groom or the arch.  I just need to decide on what I want.

5)  What are you ladies planning to do with that small room just off the bar?
Brooke stated that she had a decorative divider that she could block the entrance way to that room with.  I will most likely just have her keep that up throughout the night and not use the room.  We are not having kids at our wedding either, so I really don't have a need for it.

We are having a photobooth and Brooke did say that we could set that up in that room.  I am not crazy about that idea because I would like it in the second room as something to get people in the dance room as I am not sure how many "dancers" we will have. 


Celles- I like your idea about the landscape pictures!  We are going to try to remove as much of the golf stuff as we can from the venue.  I say go for it! 

jadel74

LOL we'll try to not trash the place.

I haven't been there since August when we signed the contract. We're going in on the 26th for our tasting, which is great because I need to dig in and take some measurements.

We aren't using that second room with the golf theme. I guess we'll just close it off.

We're doing a ceremony at night. It's a Friday so we want to make sure the people that have to work have time to make it in. We're starting cocktail hour around 530-6 inside by the bar (which is where we'll put the high-tops). Then, the guests will be given candles and escorted to the alternate ceremony space. The more I think about it, the more I think it would be a huge pain to do the ceremony on the golf course-from a musical and lighting perspective. Dinner is outside (it's seated) on the lawn. I'm lining the lawn with 24 inch glass vases and candles. I'm buying one every time I get a 40% off coupon from Michaels, so they're only like $15 a piece. I figure I can resell them later.

Still totally want to do some lawn furniture but I need to check out the space and see how much room there will be. Maybe we'll put it on the patio?  I really wanted to hang some lanterns and whatnot over the dinner space. I'll be bringing a measuring tape with me next weekend to see how it will work (if at all).

I didn't realize the linens are lap length. But I was planning on using them, so I guess I still will. I bought some great dark purple taffeta fabric at SAS Fabrics for $2.99 a  yard; I'm making the overlays with those rather than renting.

We'll do the dance floor on the inside. I'm going to try to figure out how to uplight the room so it has a nice purply-glow.

jadel74

We're going for our tasting on Saturday; I'll let you ladies know how the food is.

jadel74

Ok...so I just found out Brooke has left the company (not sure what happened). Waiting to hear back from the "person that takes her calls".

I'm in freakout mode. Wedding is in exactly 30 days.