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Washington-Seattle
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Looking for locations...

enmouldenmould member
10 Comments
in Washington-Seattle
Totally new to the boards, relatively newly engaged :)

I'm looking for sites for ceremony and location in the greater Seattle area. We're hosting it ourselves, estimating about 100 guests, and our budget for site+rentals (tables, chairs, linens, etc) is about $1500. We're getting married August 2012, hoping for an outdoor ceremony, either indoors or outdoors for reception.

We've checked out Tracy Castle, was a nice facility but the used-care-salesman pitch asking us for a deposit before even getting to look at the contract drove us out the door pretty quick.

We've also looked into a few other sites that look lovely but seem out of our range. I fantasized about Mountain Springs Lodge in Leavenworth, but too pricey I think and it'll be a decent ways to travel for our out of town guests who are mostly coming in from the east coast. I was impressed with Robinswood House, but again it's out of our range.

Right now I'm looking into Druid's Glen golf course / Fire Creek Grill in Kent/Covington area. Anyone have experience with them?

Other options we're looking at: Point Defiance in Tacoma, a ceremony at Discovery Park in Seattle with a reception somewhere else, things like that.

Any other ideas/suggestions for a newbie knottie?

~Emily
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Re: Looking for locations...

  • meganhardanmeganhardan member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I'll recommed my venue, Browns Point Improvement Club in Northeast Tacoma.  We're getting married outside in the lighthouse park, then having the reception inside.  They can easily accomodate 100 guests, and have tables and chairs available for up to 150.  You will have to rent linens though.   It's $1525 for Fridays and Saturdays, $1,195 for Sundays-Thursdays.  The rental is from 9 am to 1 am.

    I would suggest looking into Seattle Parks as well, maybe the one at Alki or Golden Gardens.

    Hope that helps and good luck!
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  • elyse05elyse05 member
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I just booked Foss Waterway Seaport,  on the waterfront in Tacoma.  It's beautiful and cheap: A little over $700 for the venue on a Saturday  (that includes the table and chair rentals that they provide pretty cheap).

    Earla is pretty nice to work with, she never books 2 events at the same time, so if it rains we can change our wedding to inside the boat museum instead of on the esplanade rather easily.

    I'd check it out soon if you are looking for a Saturday.  I just booked mine there for August 18, 2012 and I think they only have 1 Satuday evening left!

    Let me know if you have any questions!
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  • SharingourloveSharingourlove
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I think the PP have given you some good ideas!  We also looked at the Foss Waterway Seaport (we both are boat/water people and I've been to many events there - our issue was we needed more room! 

    For Point Defiance you will want to check right away as the most popular areas get booked 1 to 2 years in advance.  My future step-daughter was married at the Pagoda (which I understand they hope to have back in operation later this year) and got in line 2 years before her July wedding..  Good luck and congratulations!
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  • megpie021megpie021
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    If you are willing to go north a bit, some of Everetts city rentals are really nice. Floral hall is really pretty and the American legion hall is right next to the arboretum and over looks the water which is why we chose it. 
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  • enmouldenmould member
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Thanks all, adding these to my list to check in to! :)

    We're aiming for 8/25/2012, but possibly 8/18, so we may share a wedding date Elyse! :)

    I was driving in to SeaTac this morning for an early AM flight, and the view of Mt. Rainier at dawn was, as usual, stunning. All I could think of is how neat it'll be to share the wonderful PNW and REAL mountains with all our east coast family and friends!

    ~Emily
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  • chelsea1110chelsea1110
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I am getting married at EM Fine Art Gallery in Seattle and their fee is $1500. It's an amazing new venue so that's why they are such a low price. My wedding isn't until July 2012 so while they dont have tables and chairs right now they said that they for sure will by my wedding and because I booked now it will be included in my price. I looked high and low for months for a good budget venue and they are hard to find! Another place I looked at was Mt. Baker Community Clubhouse. I don't remember their price but it was under $2500 I believe depending on how long the rental time is. My budget was originally 3k for a venue and from my experiance even that is hard to do. Like someone said above, your best bet is a park and rec rental that does by the hour. Or check our EM Art Gallery! The owners are great people and so easy to work with!
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  • mmh407mmh407 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    You and I in almost exactly the same boat! I am also expecting 100 guests, have a $2000 for the venue, and am looking at late July, early August. Here are the places I have looked at and fit the indoor/outdoor requirements.

    Monte Villa Farmhouse- if you are willing to listen to freeway noises when outdoors and have the reception in two adjoining rooms, this place is gorgeous and the rate is unbelievable. IT is 1500 for a whole day. Jesse is better to talk to than Stacy. I had a hard time getting anyone to return my calls at first, but once i started talking to jesse, everything was great. Didnt choose this place because I wanted a bigger place and my mom couldnt stand the freeway noise (which i didnt notice as much as she did)

    Hollywood Schoolhouse- gorgeous and 1600 for a sunday, but there is a 2500 catering minimum and the alcohol is all pre-paid so you have to do an open bar which gets ridiculously expensive. 

    UW Center for Urban Horticulture- there is an open house this thursday and the outside grounds are beautiful but the indoor reception area is just like an open boardroom. I heard it is cheap because it is college campus. you need to someway, somehow be affiliated with UW though, but there might be ways around it if you get sponsored by someone you know. 

    Lake Wilderness Lodge- decent outdoors, somewhat boring indoors, but it is under your budget and they allow outside catering and alcohol. i found the woman you have to deal with kind of rude. i hate carpeted areas and it felt too not wedding like, but people get married there a lot and it is on the water which is kind of amazing for the price. 

    Shooting Star Event Gardens- cute and quaint and under $2000, but it is all outdoors. the lady who runs it is SOOOO nice though and seems really accomodating. there are tent options in case of rain, and outside catering and alcohol is permitted. She is doing tons of work to it too, so there is a brand new dance floor and warming buffet table. 

    So i didnt choose these places for one reason or another, but they might be great for someone who is not as particular as I am. if you have any questions about those places, i have notes about each of them laying around somewhere, so let me know through this post!
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