Wedding Reception Forum

Crappy Reception Venue Options...

Hi Everyone,

This is my first post, so if this should go in a different category, please let me know!

Here's my dilema:  I live in a smaller town and we are planning our wedding here; that means that there are limited venue options.  There is one location that we LIKE (it's a barn loft), but it is NOT handicap accessable, AND we would have to rent tables and chairs WITH the venue,plus it's a little bit of a drive out-of-town, and knowing our extended families, driving out there won't be a problem, but we worry about their ability to drive safely home.  There is another available location IN town (where a taxi service or shuttle would be more reasonable) but the venue is kind of crappy. It's basically a gym that you can rent out - and it LOOKS (and kind of smells) like a gym- complete with basketball hoops!

We are aiming for a vintage-country feel to our wedding and I am at a loss as to how to proceed! Do I take the venue that goes with our theme and the added hasstle of trying to decorate and transport people to the out of town venue -OR- should I make-do with the crappy venue and easier set-up/transport?

We have both locations reserved, but we will need to put down a deposit soon and I'm completely torn!!

Re: Crappy Reception Venue Options...

  • If the venue has to be handicapped-accessible, then the barn loft isn't an option.  It sounds like it's pretty inconvenient for you otherwise.

    So, I'd go for the gym, despite its crappiness, and find out what you can do to uncrap it, so to speak.  Find out how it can be deodorized and decorated accordingly.  Maybe the basketball hoops can be taken down for the day, or worked into a decorating scheme that works for you?
  • Also, find your local board to see if anyone has any other ideas of places to look. Here is a link: clicky 

    I agree that you can take steps to fix up the gym so that its nice.  Or would you be willing to travel about an hour, if they have more options for places?  Your guests driving themselves home after your wedding shouldn't be a concern for you.  They are adults and can plan accordingly.

  • You could do the out-of-town option and maybe give guests a central meeting point in-town with some sort of a shuttle service to the venue (maybe even a hayride - ok, not perfect, but at least it'll get you thinking!).
  • It sounds like you're not into the gym type place at all. So I honestly I wouldn't book there. FI and I are on a tight budget for our wedding so there aren't many options close by for us as well and I would like a place convenient for guests ( close to a hotel so we can do shuttle service). We're going for the same theme/feel as you. I keep saying to myself that it's just one day, do I just go with a place that's super cheap but not what I want? I'm going with no, go with the place you like better. 
     




  • MrsP675 said:

    Hi Everyone,

    This is my first post, so if this should go in a different category, please let me know!

    Here's my dilema:  I live in a smaller town and we are planning our wedding here; that means that there are limited venue options.  There is one location that we LIKE (it's a barn loft), but it is NOT handicap accessable, AND we would have to rent tables and chairs WITH the venue,plus it's a little bit of a drive out-of-town, and knowing our extended families, driving out there won't be a problem, but we worry about their ability to drive safely home.  There is another available location IN town (where a taxi service or shuttle would be more reasonable) but the venue is kind of crappy. It's basically a gym that you can rent out - and it LOOKS (and kind of smells) like a gym- complete with basketball hoops!

    We are aiming for a vintage-country feel to our wedding and I am at a loss as to how to proceed! Do I take the venue that goes with our theme and the added hasstle of trying to decorate and transport people to the out of town venue -OR- should I make-do with the crappy venue and easier set-up/transport?

    We have both locations reserved, but we will need to put down a deposit soon and I'm completely torn!!

    Does it have to be handicap accessible?  Because the other things you mentioned don't seem like a huge issue.

    If you need handicap accessible, I'd get posting this on your local board to find other options brides in your area have done.  I'd rework the budget or the guest list if needed too.  Or expand the search region.  An hour drive to a wedding is no big deal to me.
  • If you need the venue to be handicap accessible, then yeah, the barn's not gonna work. But otherwise, renting tables and chairs is surprisingly easy and fairly cheap. Just google party rentals in your area. You can rent linens too or get them for cheap at a place like SmartyHadaParty.com. And it's not your responsibility to provide transportation for your guests. They're adults and they can take care of themselves. If you think about it, most people go out to dinner and to parties all the time and manage to get themselves safely home.
  • gm5gm5 member
    5 Love Its First Comment Name Dropper First Anniversary

    What about having a big tent in a big back yard or does someone you know have a patch of land you could put a tent on?  It would mean you would still have to rent tables, chairs, caterers, port-a-potty's, dance floor (possibly) - well everything, but maybe there is a one-stop-shop that carry's all this stuff where you live that could take care of all that.  Or a golf course in town?  Sometimes they allow tents and even have most of the services that go with that.  It might not be quite the country feel you're going for, but it does allow you control over the feel of the space.  Think outside the box :-) 

  • Is the handicap accessibility a necessity for your guests?  Otherwise, the issues aren't difficult to overcome.  Renting supplies isn't difficult, and you could book a shuttle to get people back and forth from town.  

    What about non-traditional venues?  Is there a museum or park that you could use?  How about setting up a large tent somewhere outside?  You'd still have to rent everything, but you could find something in town that you prefer to the gym.  
  • I would LOVE to rent a tent for the reception, when I checked with the rental place, it was CRAZY expensive (because they would have to drive so far to delivery and set-up).  I would PREFER handicap accessible for elderly relatives, both the golf course (great idea, BTW) and the barn are not accessible. Maybe can think of a fun way to decorate the gym.

    I really like the idea of using a museum, but the only one that we have around here would not let us have a bar for the reception. We aren't a bunch of huge alcoholics, but it's pretty much the expectation in this area that alcohol be served at a wedding dance! :-)

  • Find a place that fits your budget AND your wants/needs. It doesn't seem like either of these places are that. Take a look at some outside of the box ideas like the tent other more nontraditional spaces in your area. When we took this approach and just kept looking - we found a place we LOVE and that's in our budget. We almost settled on a place and we almost ended up picking a place that was too expensive because we really needed to book a venue - but I'm so happy we didn't settle or break the bank!
  • <<Sigh>> I have been wracking my brain for weeks on this... I'm still undecided. But trying to stay within budget AND find my dream venue just doesn't seem to be working out. I've posted on facebook asking friends for ideas, checked online (there's no local boards in my area - WAY northern MN; everything on here is for the Minneapolis area), I flip-flop back and forth - the fiance thinks we should ask our friends if we can borrow any of their tables and chairs instead of renting, and all I can think of to that is, "HOW TACKY!!" Even if it weren't completely tacky, nothing would match and think of all the work picking up and dropping off differen't people's tables and chairs!! Seriously - the options in my hometown are awful.  There's a hockey arena that has a "ball-room" that is over-priced, in a BASEMENT and you have to walk through an empty ice-hockey arena to get to, a "ballroom" that is literally in a STRIP-MALL behind a Mexican food place, the previously mentioned "GYMNASIUM-style" location and various banquet rooms attached to local bars. None of the city parks will let you do anything there because there are noise ordinances and issues with having the bar set-up in a park.  I'm just ready to go give up and beg the fiance to elope!!!
  • There really is no such thing as a "perfect" or "dream" location. Quit putting that pressure on yourself. We love our spot - but it's not on a date we love and there's a possibility of having another wedding in the room next to ours - which we hate, but guess what? Everything else about the place made it for us. So take a deep breath - and relax!

    Have you been to any weddings locally at places? Where was your high school prom? You'll figure it out - I promise.
  • Thansk Abby- I know that nothing is ever 'PERFECT', it's never going to look like those pretty bridal magazines or anything, but all of my options are SOOO far removed from perfect that I'm just frustrated and feeling whiney about the whole thing- ha! I keep telling myself that it doesn't matter that much and the day will be special no matter where we have the reception. :-)
  • Are there any restaurants that you could buy out for the night?  You'd probably have a minimum spend on food/drink, but all the tables/chairs would already be there, plus a bar, etc.  Is there any way to rent ramps etc to make the barn more handicapped accessible?
  • OOhh- I never thought to ask about renting ramps!! I'll check into that!! Great idea! Thank you! :-)
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards