Our wedding isn't for awhile yet, but we want to decide on a venue relatively soon because we are planning a New Years Eve wedding and they tend to book up quickly. We've narrowed it down to two places, but I am having trouble deciding between the two. Also just a little FYI, I know that everyone's priorities for the wedding are different, but having a unique venue has always been at the top of our list.
The first one is the University of Michigan Museum of Art, which is gorgeous and very elegant. It is at the very top of our budget, so we would have to compromise on some other things. In general, they are pretty strict with their regulations, so we would not have as much freedom as we would like. Some things are not a huge deal, but my biggest concern is that our event would have to end by 12:30 am, which would be fine if it were not NYE. I would worry that people would not have enough time to sober up and then drive home. There are free cabs in the area that night, but I don't know how far they would go and most of the guests live at least a half hour away.
The other one is the Museum of Contemporary Art in Detroit. This place is more urban, so it would definitely be more casual compared with the other place, but we could more or less do whatever we want as long as we want. We would pay for how long we want to use the space instead of a flat fee, so we would save money (about 2K, considering that MoCAD includes some tables and chairs). Also, this museum is smaller so our guests would not be wondering off all night. I know that it could be a really fun party, I just worry that this place will not feel as much like a wedding.
My parents (who are contributing a good chunk to this wedding) like the feel of UMMA more and don't find ending at 12:30 am would be a problem, though they want us to be happy and choose what we want. FI likes both but prefers MoCAD (both the vibe and the flexibility). They are so different that I am having a hard time comparing the two!
Any opinions are welcome, especially concerning the end time and flexibility. I know it is ultimately up to us to decide, but I just want to know ahead of time if I am making a big deal out of nothing or missing something important! Thanks for the input!