Another Reception Question :)

Re: Another Reception Question :)

• treneeb member

  

  September 2011 edited December 2011

  Can you tell us what your approximate budget is?
  
  You could try the Orpheum Theater. Its pretty and would be big enough, I don't know the prices though.
  Lumen looks really cool.
  If you end up cutting your guest list Oliva on the Hill might work.
  You could also check out Windows On/Off Washington.

  
  

  Our wedding is at the World's Fair Pavilion and I'm super excited about it.  Its a beautiful venue, but the catering situation is frustrating.

  
  

  Hope this helped!
  
  
  Oh, and just about all the places in Forest Park are rentable.  The art museum, the golf club, even the zoo!!

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• cbvcru67 member

  

  September 2011 edited December 2011

  Thanks for the heads up!  My Fi has talked with WOW, but his cousin was married there as well so we were hoping to find something different.  I will definitely take a look at the Orpheum. 
  
  I also really loved Olivia on the Hill - that is such a great suggestion.  We are actually inviting around 200-225 so we need our space to fit that and are anticipating ~180 will actually come  (we are getting married on a holiday weekend and roughly 50% of our guest list is OOT from 300-1800 miles away) and I think OoH only fit around 125 or so for a seated dinner.
  
  Another venue I found that I thought was super cute but was too small - The Choteau House - it's kind of country chic in the city.  So pretty!  As far as guests go,  we are definitely prepared to pay for all 200 or 225 depending on who RSVPs, but we would not mind having a few declines - parental invites from old jobs across the country, ect.  We are hoping to stay at or below 100pp before taxes,  but including any room rental fees / estimating using the 175 count.
  
  From what I've seen so far, most of the venues in Forest Park are done by Catering St Louis which has many different options, and their prices are like 82/pp-98/pp, depending on entree, but those facilities also come with 1-3K room rentals.  So doable, but at the upper end of our limit.  We also looked at the Natural History Museum and that would have been cramped for our numbers and would have required moving tables to fit the dance floor.  I really, really liked the photos I've seen of the Art Museum space previously, but I don't think they are renting out currently until the renovations are complete in 2014.  And we aren't willing to wait that long   hehe. 
  
  I've read quite a bit about the Zoo and will probably go check it out at your suggestion.  FI is a little concerned about the "animal smell."  Has anyone else attended an event here?  It looks like the pricing is very reasonable and I believe there are tax breaks, but (and yes, I know it's at a Zoo), he is worried about the hall having a funky smell and isn't excited by the idea.  Thoughts?

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• maryandkirk0909

  

  September 2011 edited December 2011

  I got married at the Orpheum Theater.  Ours was about $75pp and we were very, very happy with everything.  We could have done it cheaper, but wanted the better bar and better/ more food choices for guests.  We had 150 people, but invited about 225 (we're in the same OOT friends situation, went to college and met H in CA, then he worked on the East Coast while I went to law school, so everyone was OOT except for my family).  

  
  

  Rental 2 years ago on the Orpheum was $2500, then food/bar was about $60pp, so I guess that is technically $76.66 pp- still within your budget.

  
  

  It is also nice because they'll give you a room block directly next door at the Mayfair hotel if you want, they're completely remodeled suites and the hotel is really cool- and was $119 a night or something- really good pricing.  And for every night you get 10 rooms rented, they'll give you the Presidential Suite for free.  LOVED that.

  
  Stand up for something you believe in.

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• mrsthiel2011

  

  September 2011 edited December 2011

  We are having our reception at the zoo and I couldn't be more excited about it! It's at the Lakeside Cafe and there really aren't any animals from the front enterance to the venue, so no worries about animal smell (french fries maybe). I think the most expensive entree is $69 with 19% service charge (range is 50-69). There is no sales tax, because they are non profit. This includes 4 hour open bar, appetizers during coctail hour, and the cake. Also, they have about 20 linen colors to choose from at no additional cost.  I think the rental fee was $2500. Let me know if you want any more info on the zoo. i think it's definately worth checking out

  

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• crh1020 member

  

  September 2011 edited December 2011

  You can always check out the Magic Chef Mansion.  We are having ours there in June.  I think if you rent the mansion and the carriage house it can hold up to 200 people.

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