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obx event home vs reception hall

Ashes0509Ashes0509
in North Carolina-Outer Banks
I'm currently planning my destination wedding for Sept 2014. Most realty sites say that they can only allow you to reserve a home one year prior to the week you wish to stay. One of the biggest draws for having my wedding in the Outer Banks was so I would not have to waste money on a hall. I am nervous that if I wait until only a year before the date that many vendors could be booked up by then. Am I worrying for nothing? Maybe a year is plenty of time to find a rental? I have heard that some realty sites are trying to rent 'event homes' more than a year in advance . Does anyone know of any that already do? I am in the beginning stages and any advice on what to do or not do would be great!!
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Re: obx event home vs reception hall

  • jendem8jendem8 member
    Sixth Anniversary 100 Comments
    edited August 2012
    There are pros and cons to event homes.  In all honesty, you usually don't waste money on a hall venue because with an event home you have to pay the event fee and then rent all of the tables, chairs, possibly a tent, etc.  I did not go the event home route, so I can't give a lot of information on which companies to use, but yes, some vendors may be booked as far as a year in advance (photogs and officiants book up quickly), but you'll more than likely be able to get most of the vendors that you want.  Also, if you do end up getting an event home, do you have a specific week picked?  Once you have a date set, you can book other vendors; therefore even if you don't have your event home specifically booked, you could have some (maybe not all) of your other vendors lined up, right?
    image June 22, 2012
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  • LaughLinesLaughLines
    10 Comments
    Yes, as jendem8 wisely notes, event homes can add up.  I'm currently renting dining tables, chairs, a few cocktail tables, and glassware.  I bought linens.  My caterer provides plates, silverware, and napkins.  We rented a tent too - a large expense, but we felt like we couldn't proceed without one: with nearly 100 guests, we couldn't fit everyone inside if it rained.  Depending on the size of your guest list, and other factors, a venue may be less expensive.

    I have not heard of any realty sites renting more than a year in advance, but then again, I haven't asked, so am out of the loop on that one, sorry!
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  • mandafite821mandafite821 member
    Tenth Anniversary 100 Comments Combo Breaker
    I think most of us on the board planned our weddings around the year mark or a little less.  I was able to book all my vendors 9 months out.  Go ahead and talk to the realty companies though and see if you could "hold" one.  They typically don't have the "exact" price of the house until a year out, but they would probably let you hold one.  I probably would not book any vendors though until you have your wedding date set. We changed ours by 2 weeks in order to get the rental house we wanted.  
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  • ksj10032782ksj10032782 member
    Fifth Anniversary 100 Comments Name Dropper 5 Love Its
    Welcome! We had looked at event homes but determined the cost would be more than using a venue. As far as I know, the rental companies will not let you book a house until one year minus a week. The people currently in the house that week have first right of refusal to rebook that house. After that week, than you can book it. So I would decide on several dates then see what is available. Some won't provide rates until the new year but will let you reserve the house with a deposit. Beware though that they can change the rates despite what they say!
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  • ashley2516ashley2516 member
    Fifth Anniversary 10 Comments 5 Love Its
    edited August 2012
    I'm getting married in an event home through Twiddy and was able to book it in 2011 for my June 2013 wedding. The girl at the realty office said they were renting all the way out to 2014 then. Idk if it's just that particular house, but give the office a call and see. I would be really hesitant to book my vendors before having my house booked. What if the week you want ends up being booked? Unless, of course, you pick out a few different houses you like and are flexible with whatever one you're able to get.
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  • OBX2011OBX2011 member
    2500 Comments Fifth Anniversary 25 Love Its First Answer
    Most rental companies will allow you to "pre-reserve" a home for about $50. Reason being, the owners decide in October whether or not they will continue listing with that company and most importantly, if they are going to increase the rates. 

    Ashley--I would definitely confirm with Twiddy that you have actually rented the house vs. pre-reserving it b/c my sister in law used to work for Twiddy and that is not something they normally do.  Just don't want this to be a possible issue for you later....especially since a lot of your wedding planning can revolve around said house :)

     

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  • jendem8jendem8 member
    Sixth Anniversary 100 Comments
    Right, I was thinking if she had a few houses and a specific week set, obviously don't book vendors unless you're completely set on a date.  I've even had the experience of being "kicked out" of a home about 6 months before our scheduled vacation because the owners decided they wanted that week... I'm assuming that they won't do that with an event home...?  At least I certainly hope not.  That was another reason that I never really considered an event home though.
    image June 22, 2012
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  • hibiscus118hibiscus118 member
    Sixth Anniversary 500 Comments Combo Breaker
    edited August 2012
    As PP's have noted, event homes can add up.  However, I think it's more of what you envision your wedding to be, and how many guests you will have.  The whole event home vs. hall rental and one being better than the other is annoying to me.  Either one will be what you make of it.  The event fee on top of the cost of the house is usually only 1K and honestly, people who rent halls are paying a fee as well as renting a house usually, so I don't see why the extra event fee for a house is any different.  I just saw it as the fee I had to pay and didn't think much of it. 

    We rented an event home and did not rent a tent, tables, chairs, dishes etc.  We envisioned our wedding to be pretty casual, but not trashy by any means.  We had the ceremony on the beach, and held the reception in the great room of the house.   We used the large dining table in the house as the buffet, and brought some six foot tables and put table cloths on them and used the chairs from the dining room table.   People sat at those tables and used the living room furniture as well.  We only had 45 people and it worked out fine.  For the ceremony, we made 4 benches for about $80 (much cheaper than renting at the time since we had to pay travel fees to Hatteras)  For plates and flatware we got the fancy plastic stuff that look real at BJ's.  Some people like real dishes, we didn't care and didn't want to mess with it. 

    All in all, our event home wedding cost about 12k.  Which I believe is in line with others who get married at places like Budleigh.  That 12k also included the cost of the home and it's event fee.  We also did not ask anyone who stayed in the house to give us money.  Our bridal party stayed with us and it was a gift to them.

    The realty company I used you could not book until a year in advance, minus a week.  The people who were in the house the year prior had first dibs on it.  I worked closely with one of the girls in the office, and she had my list of event homes we wanted in order of which we wanted first.  She was on top of it and on Tuesday at 5pm when the renters who were in there didn't claim the next year, she booked it for me and called me at about 5:15 to let me know.  It worked out great!
    Laura & Dusty - September 7th, 2010!
    Hatteras, North Carolina
    Image and video hosting by TinyPic
    UPDATED 11/05/10 Lots of Wedding PICS!
    UPDATED 07/28/10 My Planning Bio Anniversary
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  • ashley2516ashley2516 member
    Fifth Anniversary 10 Comments 5 Love Its
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_north-carolina-outer-banks_obx-event-home-vs-reception-hall?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:598Discussion:db4a749b-6c1b-4399-8dcf-2b50a1cb6ecePost:23164772-ef35-4417-b367-2b5272cb8789">Re: obx event home vs reception hall</a>:
    [QUOTE] Ashley--I would definitely confirm with Twiddy that you have actually rented the house vs. pre-reserving it b/c my sister in law used to work for Twiddy and that is not something they normally do.  Just don't want this to be a possible issue for you later....especially since a lot of your wedding planning can revolve around said house :)
    Posted by OBX2011[/QUOTE]

    <div>Thanks for the advice, but we have definitely rented the house.  We already had to put a decent-sized deposit down, and we have a contract and next year's rate.  Maybe it's just because we've rented Wild Horse, but it can be booked more than a year in advance (and should if you have a particular date in mind). <img src="http://cdn.cl9.vanillaforums.com/downloaded/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-smile.gif" border="0" alt="Smile" title="Smile" /></div>
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