Help from the natives!! Ceremony venue ideas!!!

Re: Help from the natives!! Ceremony venue ideas!!!

• OBX2011 member

  

  August 2012

  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_north-carolina-outer-banks_help-from-the-natives-ceremony-venue-ideas?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:598Discussion:2f4737d3-7a2d-4180-b567-1c3bd83197d7Post:51e387eb-0932-4124-a602-c5f36f78d4c1">Help from the natives!! Ceremony venue ideas!!!</a>:
  [QUOTE]Hi just a question if anyone could help that would be much apprciated!! We were orginally planning our wedding in Manteo as the reception would be in the roanoake aquarium but do to the utter lack of guest accomadations out that way and lack of venues big enough and in doors for our wedding we have no decided to move the reception to Pine Knoll Shores aquarium. Has anyone ever had a wedding around that area (and hour lets say in any directions) I would really just like to know what are some venues for a ceremony in doors and preferably not a church (we aren't very religious) . And is it feasible to find somewhere to accomadte our guest... the wedding will have around 400 guest?
  Posted by bgrjourney[/QUOTE]
  
  That is a really pretty venue!  I can't really think of an indoor venue that would hold 400 as we haven't had a lot of posters married near Atlantic Beach.  Maybe call around and speak to some different vendors in the area and ask if they know of anything since they more than likely live there year round and have done a few weddings in there time ;) 
   Have you actually booked the one in Pine Knoll?  Why not just have the ceremony there?

   

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• bgrjourney

  

  August 2012

  no we havent booked its too early yet and im worried about booking and not finding somewhere for the ceremony close by. the problem with having the wedding there is i was hoping for the wedding to be around noon and then have a few hours for pictures in between and the aquarium is not even availible for set up until after 5 so... it would be a tight crunch and add on extra hours which will get costly...unfortunately

  

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• OBX2011 member

  

  August 2012

  OK, so we have somewhere to start.  How many of these 400 guests are actually going to be invited?  We all start with a huge guest list, but once the budget comes out, numbers tend to get crunched.  Don't get me wrong, it's great to have a huge reception, but keep in mind that having such a large guest count could very well knock out the majority of venues in the area.  I would definitely go over that list and your budget and see if the two can work together.  If so, then if Pine Knoll is the only place that will hold that many, then that's where your venue will be.  If you can knock those numbers down a bit, you open yourself to a lot more options. 
  
  I would not recommend spacing your ceremony and reception so far apart.  That leaves your guests with not much to do during that time and left with no place to go.....and by the time evening comes around, everyone will be exhausted.  Even though you and FI are the key in all of this, you host a reception to thank your guests for sharing in your day and you want to make sure they are taken care of too.  Also, why pay the extra money if you don't have too.  And most importantly, if you cannot steup until after 5pm, who is going to actually make sure the tables are set properly and that the room is actually ready to hold a reception for that many people?  I am not trying to knock your ideas at all, just trying to throw out some insight since a lot of us have already done this before....and were exhausted by the end of the night, and I only had 96 guests! 
  
  Something is going to have to give here....either the guest list or the beach altogether b/c not many places throughout the islands can hold that high of a guest count.

   

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• Phillyboy06

  

  August 2012

  Char beat me to it, but said it pretty perfectly. With a guest list of 400, I can't possibly see how you can do that "budget friendly". Please take no offense. I can tell you that our list is 40. We are way over our original budget of $12K. Also, like Char said, trying to get that many in one place would be next to impossible.

  

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• bgrjourney

  

  August 2012 edited August 2012

  well the aquarium in Manteo is our first choice and whil setting up (you can set up earlier there than Pine Knoll) there would be a cocktail hour plus the staff help set up the tables so all we would have to do is linen and centerpieces. Also we have a huge wedding party (10 a piece not including jrs or flower girl or ring bearer) so we have plenty of help with the set up.
  
  As far as the guest list and the budget because 99% of our guest are from NY or CO I doubt they will all come. However the aquarium can squeeze its just that it would be better if we could knock off 50 people which from past experience will defiantly happen (i usually never get more than a third of people to show up to something Ive invited them to). But that is why we are planning two years out because our friends and family are important to us and we want them all to be there if they can be. So we plan on accomadating all our guests who can come and cutting back in other areas if need be
  
  Thanks so much for the advice!!
  
  
  I approximate about 150-250 will actually come max. So basically the family and the few friends who are either close or financially stable enough to take such a trip. ( alot of our friends will just be getting out of college or dont have stable finances to plan for such an expense.

  

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