We Got Plenty of Time....right?

A few days after our realization that we are now on the downward spiral of the 365 day marker , I got a phone call from my mom asking if I'd scheduled any appoinments to look at venues.  I relied that I had not yet gotten ahold of the one we'd been hoping to look at last weekend and no I haven't found any other spots to look at as of yet.  To that I proceeded to hear how I really need to get that worked out as most places get booked a year out and I was starting to dwindle on time.... I could feel my jaw tightening and my patience slowly shortening.  I'm very aware time is ticking, but really?  I know people who plan their wedding with in a few months, even weeks.  We don't have any huge requirments and we're certainly not trying to reserve the Four Seasons.  Gosh, get off my back already!  Really, though, I love my mom and I know she's just trying to keep me on schedule, but my schedule allows for us to have the spot booked by the end of October, at latest, November.  Best case scenario would have the deal done in the next month so we don't have to worry about it and can get on with other things.  So after I got off the line with my well intentioned mother, and I had calmed myself from the minor anxiety attack she had helped me spiral into, I decided we needed to take a serious look at some other venues.  So I commited to finding a spot and driving to said location this weekend.  

The search came to an abrupt halt when, the next time I checked my email my, again, well intentioned mother, had forwarded me a website of a spot a friend of hers thought we might be interested in.  I was a little skeptical at first since I'm not 100% sure my mom sees eye to eye with our somewhat vague vision, but after taking a quick look at the site, I knew it was absolutely worth driving an hour and a half (one way) to see this place in 'person'.  

Front entrance into a lovely foyer.

So today, we finally made it out the door, (and out of the driveway, which was a long process in itself, though not worth wasting precious typing time explaining), and after a quick stop at the Stowe Farmers Market for some local smoked goat cheese and some breakfast we made our trek to the other side of the mountain and out to the lake.  We met my mom at her house and then drove the remaining 30 minutes to the Tabor House Inn on the west side of Swanton.  The drive is quite nice as most of the surrounding acreage is part of a wildlife refuge and is swampy and uninhabited by humans. 

Part of right yard. Porch comes off lg room w/ fireplace.

 We pulled in and found the very large building parrelling the shoreline of northern Lake Champlain.  Though we missed the Manager, we did get a lovely tour from her teenage son (who, my mom came to realize, she knew the family as longtime friends of a cousin of mine).  We viewed the three guest bedrooms and the master "honeymoon" suite, which is ginormous I might add.  We only got a glimpse of it since there were guests staying there and didn't want to intrude, but the space between the door and the huge bed was at least ten of my paces.  It also has a lakeside balconey and it's own bathroom.  It's also on the opposite side of the house than everything else with it's own staircase.  After seeing this and the rest of the house, including a terrific full kitchen and small guest kitchen and the large screened-in back porch looking out over the lake, we took a wander around the property.  

Large yard spaces surround either side of the Inn both with lots of lake front views, and trees, beautiful willow trees at that.  There is a deck overhanging the shore that is very reminiscent of my grandparents house that I grew up at, and a dock with a great built-in bench. 

Left Yard.  A part of the screened porch visible at left.

There are also several crab apple trees with beautiful bright red fruit and a couple apple trees, one with a generous amount of fruit that we snacked on as we discussed the space and contemplated whether, once we get the quotes on rental pricing, we could afford it or not.  What we concluded is that we very much hope it's in the price range that it can stay in the pile (the very very small pile) that isn't out of the question.  It's a beautiful spot with lots of trees that more than satisfy my preferences and water, that satisfies Hubs To Be's preferences that he doesn't voice but I know he very much has a connection to water and would be pleased to be so close to it.  We'll cross our fingers and try not to hold our breath until we are able to discuss pricing with the manager.  Until then, this will be the image in my head that will keep me focused on finding a place that makes me feel as happy and safe as this little swing draped with the arms of a gorgeous wise old willow.  

 

*Update*

While we very much loved this place, once the quote came in, it was automatically out of the keep pile.  We would have loved to try to make it work, but it would have been half our budget and then we still would have had to rent portopotties, a tent (or two), chairs, tables, etc, etc.  And that's if we just used it for the day!  If we wanted to stay the night or have it for the weekend, that was completely out of the question.  Bringing us to, well, just too darn high, especially for the distance we'd have to travel.  No worries, we'll find our space.

All photos with the exclusion of the ticking alarm clock (which is courtesy francescogavello) are property of moi, Luna Images Photography.  Please only use if you plan to cite it's origin.  Thank you. 

Umm, So, I Guess That's All

We officially checked out our first venue this evening.  It was exciting but I was equally nervous.  We don't know what we're doing here?  I've got a cookie cutter wedding planning binder that's giving us the generic questions to stick to the "wedding planner" of such venues.  Which I have to say was little help in our first experience at this whole site search.  We visited Applecheek Farm this evening which is a working farm in the hills of Vermont with gorgeous views of the surrounding mountains and a bundle of various animals wandering around the newly plowed property.  The on and off weather and strange cloud formations we've been having today only adding to the beauty of the views themselves and making the 15-20 minute drive up and back a really enjoyable trip.  

{I have to mention the distaste for my camera at the moment.  I took some, what I thought, were going to be really awesome shots while we were up there and on our way back, and when we got home and I went to load them onto my trusty mac, the photos were nowhere to be found.  All the previous pics still there, but no award winning masterpieces.  Blast. So Applecheek themselves have to be thanked for the use of their photo creations.}

So back to our evening outing.  I realize now that we have to look at this excursion as a learning experiance for two reasons.  1.  The venue in itself as to be considered for our event.  2.  How to go about the interview process of any venue being considered for our event.  The second being the most crucial to the bigger picture, which is what we gotta see at this point.  We're too far away to be worrying our little heads anything other than the grande picture thus far anyway.  But to address both aspects of the adventure we'll start with the first.

        Our thoughts on the venue itself are a little muddled.  The pros? In our price range, talented caterer right on site, the beauty of Vermont gorgeously exemplified, and close to home (our home anyway).  Cons?  Indoor venue not large enough to accommodate our present guest list, working farm which provides guests with a first hand (or nose) look at the sights and smells of a farm, which doesn't bother us any but we need to take our guests into consideration.  And the pro of being close to our home, is a con to the rest of my family who would be driving there and back the same day.  Not the amount of grassy area we had hoped for. In the end we both agreed that, while appealing to our price range, we will continue to look around, but if this was the option we had to go with, we'd make it work.  Hell, I'm more than willing to wear my muck boots down the aisle, I just don't know if all our guests own a pair...

        Our overall first experience?  Well, and this could be looked at as good or bad, the representative of the farm was also the in house chef and though a tremendously pleasant person, not a very good salesman.  We went through our list of questions and that was the extent of our conversation.  If there is something they offer that we didn't think to ask about, then we'll have to base our decision on what we DO know.  I just kinda felt kind of bad, like we were forcing ourselves on him.  As if they don't really do weddings, but WE were trying to convince him to host it.  Nate and I do have a basic idea of how we picture the logistics of the ceremony and reception to look like, but to have someone on staff at the venue throwing out ideas that we may not have thought of would be a plus.  But I guess that's a price we're going to have to pay for doing things so far from customary.  So what we've learned?

• Do all our research on a place and have specific questions ready to go based on our visions.
• Do they have any input as to how their site would fit our vision?
• Are there are any 'benefits' so to speak to choosing them as our venue?
• What is included in the price of the venue?
• Ask for a tour.

This is what we've come up with so far for things to think about next time along with our long list of our event specific questions like can we bring our own booze.  

        With this first, awkward experience, we've started to define our delusions of a utopian escapade (on a bargain budget) and now know better how to go about the next interview.  We still have a lot to learn and I look forward to the next happen chance that we get to find our wedding day host!  Until next time, Baker Betty Bride, signing off.

Again, A thank you to Applecheek Farm for sharing their photos with us.  Please check them out as well as their in house Chef, Jason of Just Delicious Catering.  They are an organic certified meat producing farm and have a great CSA program.  Even if they may not be a perfect fit for our wedding, I have no reservations about supporting them as local farmers and great people.