Any Rogers/Bentonville/Fayetteville area brides?

samanthakelso

Our wedding is going to be March 16, 2013. We have just moved to the area from Branson, and are tentatively planning a wedding at Silver Dollar City, and giving out park tickets for the next day as a favor. This sounds really fun to us, but I get wishy washy about it sometimes. Everytime I do a search for local chapels I come up with the same three or four places. I feel like Pratt Place is going to be expensive (no prices on website...my mom always said, if you have to ask, you can't afford it. LOL), we love St. Anthony's on the Creek but get mixed reviews from people on it...The Garden Room and Serendipity have never answered my emails, I'm willing to try them again though, in case it was just some kind of mix up.

Finding a dress was the easy part! What awesome stores we have here! The ladies at the White Dress Boutique were so sweet and helpful when I stopped in. I ended up purchasing my dress at She Said Yes, and I can't say enough nice things about them either.
Any thoughts for an outsider trying to find some info? I appreciate it!

Sharpschruter22

What about Eureka Springs? That's the wedding capital of the south! I don't know anyone who wouldn't LOVE getting married in Thorncrown Chapel. Who wouldn't want to get married in a glass cathedral in the woods? The 1886 Crescent Hotel is also a gorgeous location for a wedding, reception, or both!

samanthakelso

We considered Eureka. Since it's only an hour from Branson we spent a lot of time there. I always thought I wanted to get married at Thorncrown and have the reception in the Barefoot Ballroom  at the Basin Park. I didn't like the catering options at BP, and since all of our family will have to drive 4 to 6 hours to get there, I feel like I have to offer them something more than cake. Basically what it boils down to is, I think I'm feeling guilty that everyone has to travel to get to us, and I have to make it "worth their while", I guess.

Crystal Bridges is a great suggestion, and one I might persue. The room where the cafe is would be beautiful lit up at night. We just discovered Magnolia Gardens, and we're going to look into that as well.

I appreciate all of your suggestions!

imanw

We are getting married at the garden room. They can be hard to get a hold of. I would try again. When I was checking out different venues serendipity and the springdale country club were so nice. It was a hard decision but it ultimately came down to prices and the garden room was the best deal at the time. In my opinion prattplace is expensive.

Sharpschruter22

What is it with Basin Park catering that you aren't a fan of? The venues I suggested is where I'm getting married and having our reception. The Crescent and BP are catered by their respective chefs and have the same options. Have you tasted the food? It's phenomenal! What's not to like?

samanthakelso

I really appreciate everyone's help. You know, when you get engaged everyone says, "Oh, just do what makes you happy!" When what they really mean is, do what makes you happy as long as it fits in with our schedule and plans." 
That's the reason I'm doing all this second guessing. I just wanted to go to New Orleans and make a wedding/honeymoon combo, and if people wanted to show up, great!  But I was guilted into a "real" ceremony and reception. And then the drama began. My soon-to-be mother-in-law got engaged right after we did  and another family member just announced that her wedding is going to be the day after ours...5 hours away. It's all gotten to be so overwhelming.
I need to stop wavering and stick to our (second) original Silver Dollar City plan, have a cake reception there, and have a food and drink reception at the Moon River Grill. It was what made me happy before, and I need to stick with it.

Now, next week I might be crazy again, lol!

To answer sharpschruter22: As for the catering at BP/Crescent, the food is ok, but in order to have anything the way I want it without settling, I'd be spending like $60/guest. Not happening. And the bar prices are outrageous. I understand everywhere jacks up liquor prices, but based on principles alone, I can't pay for one beer what I could spend on an entire 6 pack...and I couldn't have an open bar and expect someone to pay $12 for a drink. I feel that way about all venues with crazy bar prices.  Both venues are beautiful, and we love staying at the Basin Park, but it is just not the right fit for us and our wedding right now. Yours will be amazing, you can't go wrong with Thorncrown OR the Crescent in terms of beaty and atmosphere.

Sharpschruter22

A family member scheduled her wedding the day after yours?!?! What's wrong with her?! She knew when yours is, right? That would make me furious. My snotty cousin became engaged 2 months after me and scheduled hers for the month before mine and I was super pissed at that, but it turned out to not affect me that much. We had ours scheduled first and all our relatives knew about it. Most said that for monetary reasons they will only be able to go to one. Mine is a destination wedding averaging 6 to 8 hours travel time for most, but hers is in Houston. She's a brat so most family members don't like her anyway and would rather come to mine, the only one going to both is our gma. Please tell me how this woman decided to have hers the day after? At least it's not the day before, but still. And then your future mil too? Sheesh. I hope you're not going so that you can go immediately to your honeymoon. I understand what you mean about the cost and thank you for saying mine will be beautiful. That's the ultimate goal! Mine will be 50 a person with 100 people. I thought I could do the wedding for ten g, but it's going to be nearly double! 17g is now the total, and I'm paying for the vast majority myself so I am fine with it. It's my dream wedding! The avg wedding is 27,000 so I'm 10g under! Lol. We aren't having a bar. We don't drink and neither does my friends or family except for a select few that are aware its a dry reception. They are all alcoholics so they can go to the sky bar on top of the hotel and get their own if they insist on drinking at our reception. We are having each type of punch they offer, lemonade, iced tea, soda, and coffee. It's a plated dinner with a yummy chicken dish, a beef dish, or mushroom ravioli for the vegetarians who all love mushrooms. I'm excited! Now spill the dirt on your relatives! :P

samanthakelso

LOL, so you understand about family!
It is a cousin, and yes, she knew when our wedding was
She met this guy online and has only known him for like, 2 months, so I am one part ticked she planned the wedding for the day after mine, and one part worried about her rushing into things.
It mainly affects one small group of people who would be attending both...and it just so happens to include the people who were going to take my kids for the week so we could go on our honeymoon. (I was married briefly ten years ago when I was 20, I have 9 and 7 year old boys. Never had a wedding or dress or anything...so this is my "REAL" wedding.) They will probably come to our ceremony and then immediately leave for the other. Oh well, I guess it's just less people I have to buy Silver Dollar City tickets for, since that's what we plan to give as favors.

And the mother-in-law....well, she's a treat. Actually she's really, really sweet and well meaning, but she is super dramatic. It's one of those one-upper situations, you know? Just little irritations here and there.
Hmm...I should change my user name so I don't give myself away should they join here, LOL!! That would be my luck, and add to the drama.

Sharpschruter22

Oy vey! What a mess! So are you going to her wedding the day after? There's no way I would.