BELLEVUE HALL VS GOODSTAY HOUSE & GARDENS

JennLongino

OK LADIES! Here they are... my final two venues.
In the left corner of the ring we have Bellevue weighing in at absolutely perfect
In the right corner we have Goodstay House weighing a little lighter on the wallet

Bellevue Hall was absolutely STUNNING!!!!! I was in tears while I was there. It embodied EVERYTHING I was looking for. I didn't even care about spliiting up the guest for just the dinner because that house was my dream house! My FMIL was on board! She loved it as well. **whew** I thought for sure she was sold and that Bellevue was going to absolutely be my venue!

but then...

The Goodstay House. The pictures online do this house no justice. I thought there would be no competion but unfortunately I was wrong. They house was huge, and mazelike. The decor inside was beautiful. The gardens were beautiful. The price per person was just right. The onsite coordinator handles EVERYTHING on your wedding. She was on her game! The only thing I didn't like is the way everything would be set up - dance floor in a seperate room. I don't mind splitting up guests for dinner - but I absolutely do not want to have the dance floor in another room.

So now it's my dream vs. the price tag. I will be meeting with Bixby's cateres to further discuss the pricing for Bellevue. If I can magically make the price comparible then my FMIL (who is paying) will definately be on board.

oh... and I BOUGHT MY WEDDING DRESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and it's totally Bellevue ;o)

Ms.BriarRose

I think you need to go with what your dream place is.  If you do a Friday or a Sunday, and also do an offseason time, you may be able to bring the pricing of Bellevue down to what you need it to be.  Just a thought...

Congrats on buying the dress!!  Where did you end up getting it?!  Pics if possible?!  Please??

JennLongino

We did ask if there would be a lower price for an off day at Bellevue. Unfortunately there is not. I'm working with Bixby's catering right now to lower the cost per person on the food. She is amazing!!!!

The dress I got from Irinis. It was in inpromptu trip that I didn't even want to do. I had my eyes set on Maggie Sottero Ambrosia. I tried it on and it was beautiful but it wasn't the one. I wound up going with Demetrios GR 179. I don't have pics yet but I will get them this weekend. The dress wound up being 50% off costing me $800.00!!!!  I added a skirt underneath to make it a little more poofy at the bottom and I'm also going to add flower to the gaps in the pick up. I'll show you the stock photo but it does the dress NO justice! I felt like a typical bride on "say yes to the dress" haha. went in for one thing and came out with something different! It really is true when they say you have to try things on!!

Ms.BriarRose

It's GORGEOUS!  I am so happy you were able to find your dream dress!

I know totally what you mean about getting a dress that you would have never thought of.  We went up to Alfred Angelo in Lancaster to try dresses on (I had my heart set on a colored train), and I actually told the lady to not put my dress in the dressing room because I had seen it online and thought it was hideous!  Needless to say, it ended up in my dressing room.  I tried one on before it (actually my top pick), and thought it was awful.  My mom told me to try my dress on only to make room in the dressing room because I had so many dresses in there!  Needless to say, I walked out and decided right then to not try another dress on.  It has sleeves, re-embroidered lace, sweetheart neckline, and sequins; I wanted strapless, no lace or sequins, embroidery and maybe pearls/beading, and a straight neckline.  I ate my words, thats for sure.

My best friend from HS is getting married on Saturday, and she was the same exact way- wanted something with little to no train, no embellishment, draping, and a straight neckline.  She ended up with a sweetheart neckline, a longer train, and tons of embellishment (lace, beading, sequins, pearls, sparkles, embroidery, the whole bit), and no draping or rouching at all.  She couldn't find anything that really struck her fancy with what she thought she would like, so she asked the saleslady what she would pull if my BFF had no idea what she wanted.  It ended up being the dress she got.  She absolutely glowed in it, and I cannot wait to see the final and finished product on Saturday.

So, for all you dress-shopping brides- let this be a lesson to you!  Don't set your dream dress in your head in stone, go with the flow, and TRY EVERYTHING ON!  You never know which one could be The One

Ei*

I looked at both of these venues and I liked Bellevue better (although i went with neither place) because it was more secluded, beautiful spaces, etc...you wouldn't want to be getting married at Goodstay and be wishing you were at Bellevue... 

nancyr

anyone have a link for goodstay house? thanks.

JennLongino

i cant post a link from my phone. Im not near a computer but i will give you one tomorrow. Im going there wednesday so my FI can see it before i put my deposit down. Plus i cant wait to see it again with new eyes. When i saw it last i kept comparing it to Bellevue. This time i get to look at it and say "this is where im having my weding"!

JennLongino

http://www.udel.edu/conferences/locations/wilmington.html

hope this helps.. you have to go through u of d's website to get info on it.