Venue Hunting

I have been reading blogs ever since we were planning Karla's wedding and after reading so many of them and reading how they started to venue hunt ever since they were pre-engaged makes me feel NORMAL. Staying within a budget is what the issue is when venue hunting, it takes about a year to plan the wedding details and it looks like it takes even longer if u have to search for the bigger aspects of the wedding like the venue.

There are so many features to keep in mind when venue hunting: indoor or outdoor, garden, yacht, loft, hotel, country club, museum, restaurant, parking available, ceremony site, morning, after noon, evening, all day, outside catering, sit down meals or buffet, alcoholic beverages allowed, round tables, squared tables, rectangular tables, loud music allowed, dance floor, and cost.

Right now, I'm looking at the cost to be my most important factor. I've contacted several more venues and it looks like I'll be doing more research.

-The Long Beach Museum of Art replied back and it turns out my minimum cost would be $20907.83 BUT my budget is $10,300. NO THANK YOU.

-The Oviatt Penthouse also replied and that venue would cost me a set up fee of $5500 which should include all the amenities listed on the website plus $52 pp for food. For a max of 125 I would pay $12,000 plus tax and service charges would put me at about $15,000- which is still outside of my $10,300 budget

- Coco Palm Restaurant

(I found today) has a lot of the features I'm looking for. They also have a very informative website (which is a plus!!!) I haven't even contacted them and I have already been able to make several breakdowns:

Havana Menu (Salad, Main Entrée, Dessert) Dinner $57.95 pp

Buffet – 3 items from each section $46.95 pp

Buffet – 4 items from each section $49.95 pp

Ceremony $8 pp

Cash Bar $150 per bartender

Corking Fee $10 per bottle

Child Entrée $18.95

Cake cutting & plating fee (waived with packages) $1.75 pp

Chiavari Chairs $7 pp

Extra Hours $399 per hour

My costs: for 125 people

Havana Menu, Ceremony, Cash Bar, 5 bottles, Cake, Chairs, Tax, Service Charge: $12,560.89

Buffet 3 items, Ceremony, Cash Bar, 5 bottles, Cake, Chairs, Tax, Service Charge: $10,750.01

Buffet 4 items, Ceremony, Cash Bar, 5 bottles, Cake, Chairs, Tax, Service Charge: $11,243.89

I think we may have a leader: It has outdoor venues, parking, we can have the ceremony there, alcoholic beverages are allowed, loud music is allowed, they have a dance floor, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY it is very close to my budget!