Which venue do you like better? (Lots of pictures!)

[sparkly_stars]

Date: 11/20/2008 8:49:55 PM
Author: luvthemstrawberries
SparklyStars - Haha I knew people would read about the airport and go ewww!! Haha that''s funny. I''m glad you read on though. And I do have a lot of passion for the airport - we both do. That''s what pulls us that way so much too. You definitely mentioned many good points and put it in a good perspective, so thank you!! What do you think seems to be missing from the aquarium?

Its not so much that I thought the airport was eww, haha, but I just pictured MY airport and shuddered at the idea haha- But, I can''t get over how beautiful it is...we are going for romantic/whimsical/winter BUT if I had access to that airport- I can tell you I''d re-arrange my theme to match it...I love it!
As for what is "missing", I think Marchswallow said it best- maybe the fear of it upstaging your wedding.
I actually think, it would be hard to turn it into a wedding at an aquarium..vs. an aquarium with a wedding there (if that makes any sense?)
I love the idea of the aquarium, especially with the lights IN the tanks- but, it will ultimately BE an aquarium...gah, not sure I''m making sense.
Thing is, the airport will not LOOK like one after all is set up- and I think that is a great thing.

My heart is totally set on the airport, and I''m not even the one getting married there... hehehe.

doesn''t matter really, because BOTH venues are beautiful (this is me rationalizing why I love one more then the other haha)

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Date: 11/21/2008 3:24:59 AM
Author: redfaerythinker
AQUARIUM!!!!!!!!! TURTLE LOVERS UNITE!

YEA for turtles!!

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Date: 11/21/2008 3:59:48 AM
Author: honey22
Considering the sentiment behind it, I love the airport and it looks like a great venue. I also think the aquiarium would be just as great, however I don''t think you would need to worry about guests wandering around the place, I am pretty sure in our one, the guests are confined to their reception room and can''t just wander into other exhibits/areas.

I am probably biased though, I love going to the airport. FI and I used to go to our airport (5 mins away) and watch planes land all the time, and when I was a little kid, my parents took me and my sis all the time to watch them land. I just love being there, it always makes me feel excited.

Also, having the venue close is an advantage, take it from one who is planning a wedding 3 states away. It''s easier when it comes to picking a photog, florist yada yada yada. If your heart isn''t set on the aq. I would say it''s a lot easier to have it close. That said, I love the idea of FI and I running away to get married, so I guess I am no help at all really

The intersting thing about this aquarium is that we can rent the entire thing, for a very reasonable price. They close ticket sales at 5 and allow until 5:30 for all wanderers to finish touring. Then they start setting up, and the earliest we can let people in is 6:30. However, guests can start to congregate in the foyer, which we thought was a really cool idea. Then as they get various sections set up, they gradually open them up. So we''d thought about setting up appetizers in the first/second sections, so people can munch and look at exhibits. And they''d finish setting up the actual reception area during that. Then when we get there, they''ll open up the rest, and people can take their time walking through and sitting down while we say hi to everyone, then we''d serve dinner. And during dancing, if people don''t want to, they can wander anywhere else, unless we decide to barricade off the first sections from earlier.

Haha, sounds like herding cattle.

Exciting is definitely a good word to describe us at the airport. We''re like little kids watching the planes. It''s actually very relaxing to me - reminds me how small we are. We just booked our first big trip together for this winter, and we can''t WAIT to be on one of those planes we always watch!!!

 

[pjean]

Airport!

I think a wedding at the aquarium would be awesome and fun. However, I don''t think you need to worry too much about entertaining your guests. As long as you don''t have music so loud that they can''t talk, your family and friends will keep each other amused, I suspect. You could always have something (like a coffee bar, or a dessert buffet or something) that would encourage people to get up and walk around, but all in all, I think that''s the least of your worries at either venue.

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Date: 11/21/2008 11:59:27 AM
Author: sparkly_stars

Date: 11/20/2008 8:49:55 PM
Author: luvthemstrawberries
SparklyStars - Haha I knew people would read about the airport and go ewww!! Haha that''s funny. I''m glad you read on though. And I do have a lot of passion for the airport - we both do. That''s what pulls us that way so much too. You definitely mentioned many good points and put it in a good perspective, so thank you!! What do you think seems to be missing from the aquarium?

Its not so much that I thought the airport was eww, haha, but I just pictured MY airport and shuddered at the idea haha- But, I can''t get over how beautiful it is...we are going for romantic/whimsical/winter BUT if I had access to that airport- I can tell you I''d re-arrange my theme to match it...I love it!
As for what is ''missing'', I think Marchswallow said it best- maybe the fear of it upstaging your wedding.
I actually think, it would be hard to turn it into a wedding at an aquarium..vs. an aquarium with a wedding there (if that makes any sense?)
I love the idea of the aquarium, especially with the lights IN the tanks- but, it will ultimately BE an aquarium...gah, not sure I''m making sense.
Thing is, the airport will not LOOK like one after all is set up- and I think that is a great thing.

My heart is totally set on the airport, and I''m not even the one getting married there... hehehe.

doesn''t matter really, because BOTH venues are beautiful (this is me rationalizing why I love one more then the other haha)

Haha, I hear ya. Believe me, many other parts of this airport are just as depressing and stressful. This just happens to be away from all that!

I was originally planning a winter wedding!! I had SO many ideas for that. Now it looks like it''s gonna be spring/summer - the exact opposite of our choice of seasons, but hey, it''s ok.

I think with the airport I''d have to do what was recommended before - try to soften it up some with textures and colors - linens, flowers, etc. I think that would make the space even more beautiful and inviting, because right now it is very cool and clean, while still striking. It already doesn''t even look like an airport terminal, it''s just a building, but when you look outside and listen up to the sky, you KNOW!!

It''s so cool.

I understand what you mean by the "wedding at a venue that happens to be an aquarium" vs "an aquarium holding a wedding" - something to really think about. Haha, no worries, you make perfect sense!

Hehe sparklystars I love your passion for the choice I''m having to make! Thank you for the help so far!!

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Date: 11/21/2008 12:30:54 PM
Author: pjean
Airport!

I think a wedding at the aquarium would be awesome and fun. However, I don''t think you need to worry too much about entertaining your guests. As long as you don''t have music so loud that they can''t talk, your family and friends will keep each other amused, I suspect. You could always have something (like a coffee bar, or a dessert buffet or something) that would encourage people to get up and walk around, but all in all, I think that''s the least of your worries at either venue.

Hey pjean! Thanks for the advice. I guess I''ve kind of been wondering that all along, b/c I''m not good at entertaining people and trying to keep attention. I''d rather people just entertain themselves mostly and have a good time. That was one of the cool things about the aquarium - plenty to see, and it''s different rooms, so people aren''t confined to one space. But maybe that would be bad since our party''s not hundreds of people - could end up with just a few people in the room at once!

I do think the airport would entertain people too, I''d just have to make sure they know there''s places to go see the planes. Plus there''s two levels in that space, so people could spread out some too. And I know FI has already mentioned a coffee bar just for our moms (coffee addicts)!!

 

[Octavia]

I agree with everyone who said don't worry about entertaining your guests -- unless you're planning a super-long reception. At the last wedding I went to, I didn't know about 85% of the people there, and I only danced to about 5 songs, and it was still over before I knew it. As long as most of your guests know other people there and are relatively social, I don't think they'll need extra entertainment. For my own wedding, I'm in favor of keeping people in a fairly contained space because time really does fly and I'll be sad if our guests wander off and we don't get to see them.

Even aside from that, I'm a huge fan of the airport. I love how light, airy, and open it is, and while it could just be the photos you posted, the aquarium seems very closed-in. I also can't imagine doing a distance wedding, it's hard enough with our busy schedules to coordinate with vendors who are 1/2 hour away. We've found that most vendors prefer not to meet on weekends because they were booked solid with other events (it was busy season) -- and while it wasn't always the most convenient for FI and I to race out to meet them after work/school, I'm still glad that our vendors are in high demand. If they didn't have other events booked during the busy season, I'd have wondered why. But it's definitely something to consider, because I do feel like it limits your options if you can only meet on weekends, or is an annoyance if you have to take a day off to meet with vendors because they're so far away. Not that it can't be done, because people do it all the time -- but closer is easier, IMO.

 

[mintve]

i think the terminal is very unique and it had meaning to you. you can use hte plane theme and use it as a genral flying theme, or travel. there is a lot you could do with it.

let us know what you decide

 

[sparkly_stars]

Date: 11/21/2008 12:37:40 PM
Author: luvthemstrawberries

Date: 11/21/2008 11:59:27 AM




Its not so much that I thought the airport was eww, haha, but I just pictured MY airport and shuddered at the idea haha- But, I can''t get over how beautiful it is...we are going for romantic/whimsical/winter BUT if I had access to that airport- I can tell you I''d re-arrange my theme to match it...I love it!

As for what is ''missing'', I think Marchswallow said it best- maybe the fear of it upstaging your wedding.

I actually think, it would be hard to turn it into a wedding at an aquarium..vs. an aquarium with a wedding there (if that makes any sense?)

I love the idea of the aquarium, especially with the lights IN the tanks- but, it will ultimately BE an aquarium...gah, not sure I''m making sense.

Thing is, the airport will not LOOK like one after all is set up- and I think that is a great thing.


My heart is totally set on the airport, and I''m not even the one getting married there... hehehe.

doesn''t matter really, because BOTH venues are beautiful (this is me rationalizing why I love one more then the other haha)

Haha, I hear ya. Believe me, many other parts of this airport are just as depressing and stressful. This just happens to be away from all that!

I was originally planning a winter wedding!! I had SO many ideas for that. Now it looks like it''s gonna be spring/summer - the exact opposite of our choice of seasons, but hey, it''s ok.


I think with the airport I''d have to do what was recommended before - try to soften it up some with textures and colors - linens, flowers, etc. I think that would make the space even more beautiful and inviting, because right now it is very cool and clean, while still striking. It already doesn''t even look like an airport terminal, it''s just a building, but when you look outside and listen up to the sky, you KNOW!!

It''s so cool.


I understand what you mean by the ''wedding at a venue that happens to be an aquarium'' vs ''an aquarium holding a wedding'' - something to really think about. Haha, no worries, you make perfect sense!


Hehe sparklystars I love your passion for the choice I''m having to make! Thank you for the help so far!!

Welllllllllll. I am very happy you got what I meant by ''wedding at a venue that happens to be an aquarium'' vs ''an aquarium holding a wedding'' lol.
I like how modern the airport looks - I am now determined to eyeball every airport I see to see if they have any section that would be more artistic then the norm! haha (I.E mine!)
The aquarium is a beautiful place, and I don''t want to sound like I hate it- because I don''t...I just want you to know how much I love the airport

I agree, softening up the venue might make it more wedding-y, but then again I love how modern it is! I think the crisp and clean lines would make for a very refreshing summer wedding- imagine all the light coming in? I think it would look amazing with lots of whites as a color (but then, I have like 5 million themes in my head that I''d love to use for mine...but it won''t go haha)
I debated long and hard on themes and season to do it- so I can definitely relate to you on that! haha

Dan is like PICK ONEEEEEEEEE... haha

 

[FrekeChild]

I can see your dilemma. I think that both venues are fantastic, for their own reasons.

However, I'm going to pick the aquarium for a few reasons:

1. FF and I really were interested in getting married at the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay in Vegas (sentimental value, it's BLUE, and I don't know anyone that's gotten married in an aquarium), but it's not possible because you have to get married at 9am and the maximum number of people is 10. So we can't do that (I refuse to GET UP at 9!) and we were hoping for more like 15 guests. So that's out for us.

2. I prefer the thought of getting married in a cozy venue rather than a big open one.

3. I prefer fish and turtles (which also have huge sentimental meaning to us) over airplanes.

4. I would prefer being a guest at a wedding at an aquarium rather than at the airport.

I'm a lover of big open spaces that have minimal decoration because of what you can do to make it your own, but that space will never feel cozy and intimate. I think it will take a lot more decoration to make it what you want than the aquarium would. They both have their pluses and minuses. I don't envy you for having to make this decision.

But I'm very interested to find out the price difference...

 

[Amandine]

Date: 11/20/2008 1:53:32 PM
Author: luvthemstrawberries

Date: 11/20/2008 1:43:18 PM
Author: Amandine
While I sort of lean towards the aquarium...I really think the space at the terminal is stunning, so it gets my vote.

As for distance, my wedding was 3 hours away from home, and honestly, it was kinda a pain in the a**. You had to be careful and efficient in organizing meetings, and trying to figure out vendors was more difficult. I had to use the internet a lot, and depend on recommendations and thing from places like the Knot. I was definitely tired in the end of driving up there. Don''t get me wrong, I loved my venue, but sometimes it was a royal pain. And gas was more expensive, so that factored in, too.

You have two beautiful choices, so you can''t really go wrong!

Amandine thanks for the info - that''s kind of what I''m thinking would happen to me. We got tired just from driving down there and back in day - I''m still recovering. Traveling takes a lot out of you. And I''ve often wondered about the vendors, b/c I don''t know anyone around there. I''d even have to travel to get a test run on my hair!

I had to travel to do this, too! And sadly, didn''t like my first stylist...so I had to find another, and go back a second time! I kept wondering if I should just pay my normal stylist to come up for the day.

My DH, when I would tell him I had to go up near the venue, would say, "what, again? What else do you need to do there?"

 

[Sha]

I prefer the aquarium - it has a cozier feel, IMO. Plus, wouldn''t the airport be a bit noisy?

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Date: 11/21/2008 1:33:34 PM
Author: sparkly_stars


Welllllllllll. I am very happy you got what I meant by ''wedding at a venue that happens to be an aquarium'' vs ''an aquarium holding a wedding'' lol.
I like how modern the airport looks - I am now determined to eyeball every airport I see to see if they have any section that would be more artistic then the norm! haha (I.E mine!)
The aquarium is a beautiful place, and I don''t want to sound like I hate it- because I don''t...I just want you to know how much I love the airport

I agree, softening up the venue might make it more wedding-y, but then again I love how modern it is! I think the crisp and clean lines would make for a very refreshing summer wedding- imagine all the light coming in? I think it would look amazing with lots of whites as a color (but then, I have like 5 million themes in my head that I''d love to use for mine...but it won''t go haha)
I debated long and hard on themes and season to do it- so I can definitely relate to you on that! haha

Dan is like PICK ONEEEEEEEEE... haha

I do agree - good point! I think it would be refreshing too - very open and lit, and at night you can see all the airport lights and airplanes through the windows and skylights.

Hahahaha you made me laugh so much about the themes...

I''ll mention stuff to J, and he''ll just stare at me like, "Umm... no." or "Yeah... let me think for a while about that one..."

 

[sparkly_stars]

Date: 11/21/2008 5:32:09 PM
Author: luvthemstrawberries

Date: 11/21/2008 1:33:34 PM


I do agree - good point! I think it would be refreshing too - very open and lit, and at night you can see all the airport lights and airplanes through the windows and skylights.


Hahahaha you made me laugh so much about the themes...

I''ll mention stuff to J, and he''ll just stare at me like, ''Umm... no.'' or ''Yeah... let me think for a while about that one...''

hahahah "um...no" totally what Dan says...so, I changed my mind- we were working on a FAR too small time frame for me to bother, I know what he really hates, and I know what I need to ask- so I went with it, asked the basic questions and then showed him the outcome afterward (I swear had I waited for us to agree on something before hand- with all my ideas we NEVER would have made it haha) so its more like "look honey, its all done- what do you think" haha and that allows me to change my mind back and forth as much as I want.. lol

Back to your airport- you MUST keep us posted on which you pick.. I love windows. I swear, if I could find a glass house to get married in- I love the idea of stars/ and lights, etc!
I think your wedding will be beautiful either way though!
I can''t wait to see which route you take, and see what kind of planning you go with haha (a fellow scatterbrain *for lack of a better term*) - I would plan weddings all day..haha, so many ideas lol

 

[pjean]

Date: 11/21/2008 5:32:09 PM
Author: luvthemstrawberries

Hahahaha you made me laugh so much about the themes...

I''ll mention stuff to J, and he''ll just stare at me like, ''Umm... no.'' or ''Yeah... let me think for a while about that one...''

Yeah, but watch out, ''cause that''s the type that will suddenly turn out to have a VERY FIRM opinion about something totally random that you made a decision about 2 weeks ago.

 

[sparkly_stars]

Date: 11/21/2008 6:09:22 PM
Author: pjean

Date: 11/21/2008 5:32:09 PM

Author: luvthemstrawberries


Hahahaha you made me laugh so much about the themes...

I''ll mention stuff to J, and he''ll just stare at me like, ''Umm... no.'' or ''Yeah... let me think for a while about that one...''

Yeah, but watch out, ''cause that''s the type that will suddenly turn out to have a VERY FIRM opinion about something totally random that you made a decision about 2 weeks ago.

hahahahha very true.
men, oh well- if it makes them feel part of the planning I can handle their little "stern fits" haha.


Side note Strawberries; are you guys still planning a short engagement? Initially you talked about 3 months (which is what we are doing)!! Totally "do-able"!
(figured I''d ask how THAT is coming along hehe)

 

[somehowcollide]

Date: 11/20/2008 9:10:04 PM
Author: luvthemstrawberries
Somehowcollide - Thank you so much for saying that, it really means a lot.

We are very much about having something unique and that reflects us and our interests and personalities. We didn't want just a lawn with a tent (not that that's bad, it's just not us).


I remember your post!! I LOVED the venue - the dinosaurs were so cool, and I love the super-high ceilings that bring in natural light. And I love how you have a star room, plus a huge room for the main area, plus an ourdoor area! It's all so unique, and people will remember it vividly, as will you!


I haven't really thought about how the aquarium would be a destination wedding, mainly because everyone we'd invite is in-state. Granted, it's a good 5 hour drive for a few of them. But it's hard to say what those people would do though, as far as if they'd come and stay a night (at most) or not come at all. A lot of my family doesn't like to travel much (bummers). I'd love for it to be a vacation, b/c most of them never take one, but I think that'd be a hard thing to get most of them to do. Anyway, it's also not in a grand place like a large tourist-oriented beach or a big city. It's on a small island on the EDGE of North Carolina. Once back on the mainland, it's a tiny town with nothing to do. The most I could put on an 'itinerary' (which some of my family wouldn't pay attention to anyway) is going to the beach, or meeting for a meal probably. Believe me, I'd like to do all that. I just don't think it's worth the effort. Maybe that means it's not worth the effort to have it there anyway... hmmm... haha you got me rambling and thinking!!


I do feel like the aquarium would excite people though. I haven't talked about a beach wedding yet, reason being b/c we decided a while back that we didn't want to get married on the beach. We're beach bums and are all too familiar with the sand blowing and relentless wind and sun bearing down on you here in NC... and we have elderly family who couldn't make it out there anyway. We looked into hotels that look out over the beach, but it's too monotonous. Basically now the aquarium just happens to be at the beach.


The theme thoughts are good too. I guess all along I've been wondering what my theme would be and waiting till I picked a venue to nail that down, but I guess you don't really have to have a 'theme' - I can just decorate with ideas that reflect us (did you happen to read about my love for strawberries above? Do you think that'd be out of place??) or maybe slight touches of aviation things.


I don't mind you asking at all, but I haven't gotten a price quote from the airport - still waiting to get that specific back as well. I just started looking at that, vs we've already toured the aquarium and gotten the packets and pricing and everything from them. They are suprisingly affordable - much less money than most venues such as country clubs, inns, etc. And they offer a lot of advice on good caterers and all other main vendors in their area. The aquarium even provides tables, chairs, white linens, beach-themed vases with etchings, and some candles. They are very helpful there. I'm waiting to hear back from the airport, so when I do, I will let you know.


Your ideas are awesome somehowcollide!

I love the way you take the time to post such considerate and thoughtful responses luvthemstrawberries! I have a flight leaving early tomorrow morning and I should be packing, but I just had to respond! This site is way too addicting!

I've kind read over other's posts and your responses and I really feel like your gravitating towards the aquarium... I apologize if I'm totally of base, or jumping the gun. You and FI are the only ones who have ever seen either facility and can really have a feel for the place. I know a lot of people say that when you wear your wedding dress, you just know its "THE ONE." Honestly, my facility was just like that. I walked in and was awestruck. There were times when, like you, I felt a little divided over two facilities. But I always came back to this one, and I just *knew.* Definitely, my facility is a little campy, I mean, there are two huge dinosaurs in the middle of my reception hall! But to us, it's modern and elegant - and really, we're the only ones that matter, right? So if you feel like one place just keeps pulling you towards it, I would trust my gut! At the end of the day, you have two great options, and once you put down your deposit and start planning decor, etc. you'll never look back. Speaking of following your heart and decor, I think strawberries are a great idea. Primarily because you love them. There are lots of cool ways to incorporate a strawberry theme to your wedding without making it too pronounced. I did some searching for you and will post my findings below.

Anyway, I think you've already done a lot of soul searching and are being very considerate of your guests' comfort and ease. Without sounding cheesy and cliche, follow your heart! Don't do what's practical or easy, do what makes you happy and excited! When you imagine your wedding facility on your big day you should get flutters in your stomach and really have a vision of what you want it to look like.

Also, thank for the kind compliments about my facility. I am so excited for my wedding, I just can't wait to see it all come together.

Anyway, luvthemstrawberries here is a link to a blog about a woman who is planning her wedding at an aquarium http://nearlyknotted.blogspot.com/ Here's a link to a video about a couple that married at an English airport http://videos.howstuffworks.com/reuters/3043-airport-wedding-video.htm And two cool articles about airport weddings and proposals http://intelligenttravel.typepad.com/it/2008/07/in-this-airport.html and http://www.usatoday.com/travel/columnist/baskas/2008-06-10-airport-weddings_N.htm Finally I think this woman may have married at the aquarium you are considering, just a few pictures but some suggested vendors in the comments section http://community.livejournal.com/reallifewedding/tag/aquarium

Here is a picture board of how a couple planned a strawberry themed wedding by playing with colors, and a link to the blog http://www.stylemepretty.com/2008/10/13/pink-weeks-photographers-iii/

ETA: Sorry, hyperlinking is not working for me, so you'll have to cut and paste. Issues with browser, my apologies.

 

[somehowcollide]

This link has TONS of ideas for a strawberry theme, great decor suggestions! http://www.askginka.com/themes/strawberry-theme-wedding-party.htm

 

[somehowcollide]

And I really love this strawberry centerpiece idea, here's a link on how to make it come alive http://recipecurio.com/strawberry-table-centerpiece/

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Date: 11/21/2008 1:11:34 PM
Author: Octavia
I agree with everyone who said don''t worry about entertaining your guests -- unless you''re planning a super-long reception. At the last wedding I went to, I didn''t know about 85% of the people there, and I only danced to about 5 songs, and it was still over before I knew it. As long as most of your guests know other people there and are relatively social, I don''t think they''ll need extra entertainment. For my own wedding, I''m in favor of keeping people in a fairly contained space because time really does fly and I''ll be sad if our guests wander off and we don''t get to see them.

Even aside from that, I''m a huge fan of the airport. I love how light, airy, and open it is, and while it could just be the photos you posted, the aquarium seems very closed-in. I also can''t imagine doing a distance wedding, it''s hard enough with our busy schedules to coordinate with vendors who are 1/2 hour away. We''ve found that most vendors prefer not to meet on weekends because they were booked solid with other events (it was busy season) -- and while it wasn''t always the most convenient for FI and I to race out to meet them after work/school, I''m still glad that our vendors are in high demand. If they didn''t have other events booked during the busy season, I''d have wondered why. But it''s definitely something to consider, because I do feel like it limits your options if you can only meet on weekends, or is an annoyance if you have to take a day off to meet with vendors because they''re so far away. Not that it can''t be done, because people do it all the time -- but closer is easier, IMO.

Hey Octavia, thanks for the advice about guests and entertaining them - it helps to put me at ease a bit. And for the advice about distance planning - it''s nice to hear from people who are doing it and see what their thoughts and experiences are with it.

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Date: 11/21/2008 1:49:34 PM
Author: FrekeChild
I can see your dilemma. I think that both venues are fantastic, for their own reasons.

However, I'm going to pick the aquarium for a few reasons:

1. FF and I really were interested in getting married at the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay in Vegas (sentimental value, it's BLUE, and I don't know anyone that's gotten married in an aquarium), but it's not possible because you have to get married at 9am and the maximum number of people is 10. So we can't do that (I refuse to GET UP at 9!) and we were hoping for more like 15 guests. So that's out for us.

2. I prefer the thought of getting married in a cozy venue rather than a big open one.

3. I prefer fish and turtles (which also have huge sentimental meaning to us) over airplanes.

4. I would prefer being a guest at a wedding at an aquarium rather than at the airport.

I'm a lover of big open spaces that have minimal decoration because of what you can do to make it your own, but that space will never feel cozy and intimate. I think it will take a lot more decoration to make it what you want than the aquarium would. They both have their pluses and minuses. I don't envy you for having to make this decision.

But I'm very interested to find out the price difference...

Haha, Freke, I don't envy me either!

Haha I guess it's a good position to be in, having 2 great places to choose from. Just another decision to make! It just needs to be done though b/c everything else is waiting on this right now. And you are right about the coziness of the two places - it's almost a matter of cozy and dark with candlelight vs. open, cool, and airy with starlight and clean lines. Two very different feels!!

I will let you all know about the price difference when I hear back from the airport.

PS - Haha I WISH I could get up at 9am!! I'm up at 5:30 every morning... blaaaaahhh

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Date: 11/21/2008 2:11:51 PM
Author: Amandine

Date: 11/20/2008 1:53:32 PM
Author: luvthemstrawberries


Amandine thanks for the info - that's kind of what I'm thinking would happen to me. We got tired just from driving down there and back in day - I'm still recovering. Traveling takes a lot out of you. And I've often wondered about the vendors, b/c I don't know anyone around there. I'd even have to travel to get a test run on my hair!

I had to travel to do this, too! And sadly, didn't like my first stylist...so I had to find another, and go back a second time! I kept wondering if I should just pay my normal stylist to come up for the day.

My DH, when I would tell him I had to go up near the venue, would say, 'what, again? What else do you need to do there?'

Haha Amandine I have a feeling this is what I'd be like too if we decide the distance venue. I'd have so many things I'd probably end up having to go there to do, and J would likely say... "What?? We were just there last weekend!!" Me: "I know, but I have to do this, and this, and that..."

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Date: 11/21/2008 6:09:14 PM
Author: sparkly_stars

Back to your airport- you MUST keep us posted on which you pick.. I love windows. I swear, if I could find a glass house to get married in- I love the idea of stars/ and lights, etc!
I think your wedding will be beautiful either way though!
I can''t wait to see which route you take, and see what kind of planning you go with haha (a fellow scatterbrain *for lack of a better term*) - I would plan weddings all day..haha, so many ideas lol

Sparkly - I will definitely keep you all posted!! The terminal really is beautiful with all the windows and natural light. I bet starlight and then lots of twinkly lights and candles at night would be gorgeous.... mmmm ideas!!!

Yes I think the planning of themes and all would be fun with that too. Can''t wait!

 

[zoebartlett]

Both venues look great, and I can see why it would be hard to choose. They''re completely different from each other, and each one has their own vibe.

Normally I would have chosen the aquarium but I did wonder if it would compete with a wedding. I also wondered if it would have that aquarium smell -- you know? But if your FI says he didn''t notice one, then I guess I wouldn''t worry about it.

I do love how the airport would tie in with your engagement story, and you could do a lot to incorporate that somehow (airplane shaped cookies as favors, etc.).

Hmmm, this is a really hard choice. I *think* I''m leaning toward the airport because of the significance and the sleek lines of the venue, but the aquarium could be cool too. Ugh -- I''m no help! Sorry!


As far as your concern about entertaining people, don''t worry about that. People can entertain themselves at weddings -- weddings are, after all, a big party. If you''re having a DJ or a band, make sure they can read a crowd and step up the music if needed.

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Date: 11/21/2008 6:17:32 PM
Author: sparkly_stars

Date: 11/21/2008 6:09:22 PM
Author: pjean

Yeah, but watch out, ''cause that''s the type that will suddenly turn out to have a VERY FIRM opinion about something totally random that you made a decision about 2 weeks ago.

hahahahha very true.
men, oh well- if it makes them feel part of the planning I can handle their little ''stern fits'' haha.

Side note Strawberries; are you guys still planning a short engagement? Initially you talked about 3 months (which is what we are doing)!! Totally ''do-able''!
(figured I''d ask how THAT is coming along hehe)

Hehehehe pjean and sparkly - that''s soooo funny, I giggled a good bit when I read that. Haha, if he did that, I''d just have to say, "well... sorry, lost your chance, it''s done! moving on..."

He''s pretty good at letting me know what he''s adamant about and what he''s doesn''t like or doesn''t care either way about, so that''s good. We''ll see how that all works once we get into the nitty gritty decisions though.

Sparkly, thank you for remembering about my initial short engagement ideas! He proposed back in late September, and we sat down shortly after together and discussed what we wanted and thought was feasible. Then we sat down with my parents too. We did a little more thinking, and we ended up deciding that January (our initial month we wanted, about 3 monts away then) was just too soon. We mainly decided that because just in making that decision, we realized that we liked to take our time making decisions, as we do with everything else that goes on in our life. We don''t like to rush into things, and we like to do what''s right for us. It''s not like we go back and forth forever about things, but some decisions we like to sit on a while then discuss, and some come really easily. So based on just that initial decision about a time of year to shoot for (and how we wanted to take our time to make the right decision), we decided January was too soon. We decided to enjoy being engaged since it''s only going to happen once. So we decided to shoot for May... which is also my birthday month, but we''re still very flexible since we haven''t chosen a venue yet. We just didn''t want the dead heat of our humid summer here... but that could still be fun if we do it at either of these places, since they''re both indoors with outside lighting and windows (esp. the airport)! (And summer has awesome sunsets!!) So yeah, we still knew we could do 3 months, we just ended up deciding not to. But we''re still probably going to be at 6 months max! Thank you for checking up on that!!

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Date: 11/22/2008 3:45:23 AM
Author: somehowcollide

I love the way you take the time to post such considerate and thoughtful responses luvthemstrawberries! I have a flight leaving early tomorrow morning and I should be packing, but I just had to respond! This site is way too addicting!

I''ve kind read over other''s posts and your responses and I really feel like your gravitating towards the aquarium... I apologize if I''m totally of base, or jumping the gun. You and FI are the only ones who have ever seen either facility and can really have a feel for the place. I know a lot of people say that when you wear your wedding dress, you just know its ''THE ONE.'' Honestly, my facility was just like that. I walked in and was awestruck. There were times when, like you, I felt a little divided over two facilities. But I always came back to this one, and I just *knew.* Definitely, my facility is a little campy, I mean, there are two huge dinosaurs in the middle of my reception hall! But to us, it''s modern and elegant - and really, we''re the only ones that matter, right? So if you feel like one place just keeps pulling you towards it, I would trust my gut! At the end of the day, you have two great options, and once you put down your deposit and start planning decor, etc. you''ll never look back. Speaking of following your heart and decor, I think strawberries are a great idea. Primarily because you love them. There are lots of cool ways to incorporate a strawberry theme to your wedding without making it too pronounced. I did some searching for you and will post my findings below.

Anyway, I think you''ve already done a lot of soul searching and are being very considerate of your guests'' comfort and ease. Without sounding cheesy and cliche, follow your heart! Don''t do what''s practical or easy, do what makes you happy and excited! When you imagine your wedding facility on your big day you should get flutters in your stomach and really have a vision of what you want it to look like.

Also, thank for the kind compliments about my facility. I am so excited for my wedding, I just can''t wait to see it all come together.

Anyway, luvthemstrawberries here is a link to a blog about a woman who is planning her wedding at an aquarium http://nearlyknotted.blogspot.com/ Here''s a link to a video about a couple that married at an English airport http://videos.howstuffworks.com/reuters/3043-airport-wedding-video.htm And two cool articles about airport weddings and proposals http://intelligenttravel.typepad.com/it/2008/07/in-this-airport.html and http://www.usatoday.com/travel/columnist/baskas/2008-06-10-airport-weddings_N.htm Finally I think this woman may have married at the aquarium you are considering, just a few pictures but some suggested vendors in the comments section http://community.livejournal.com/reallifewedding/tag/aquarium

Here is a picture board of how a couple planned a strawberry themed wedding by playing with colors, and a link to the blog http://www.stylemepretty.com/2008/10/13/pink-weeks-photographers-iii/

ETA: Sorry, hyperlinking is not working for me, so you''ll have to cut and paste. Issues with browser, my apologies.

Aw thank you so much somehowcollide! You are very sweet to notice, I do try to spend time with worthwhile responses most of the time. I know sometimes I tend to ramble, but I do appreciate you reading my response, and giving such helpful information!

I sure hope I will get the feeling soon of "the one" for the venue. And thanks for the encouragement about the strawberries!

And about doing what we ultimately want - sometimes I do need to hear that.

I will definitely look into all the links you sent me (don''t have time right now but I will and will post back here!!) - thank you so much for looking into all that and doing that research for me!!! I''m posting below an "inspiration board" (sort of) I''d made, but it''s only strawberries - just pictures I''ve collected that remind me of the feeling I''d like to have. My absolute favorite thing on there are the strawberry trees at the top/right of the board where there are 2 in the picture with the girls picking them off. I absolutely LOVE that, and they would go great with either venue, but especially great with the open airy feel of the airport terminal, I think. And I also have a centerpiece on there that I think looks similar to the one you posted - I love how that looks! It would be great for appetizers too.

I''ll post back when I can look at all those awesome links you sent - have a safe trip!!

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Finally...

 

[sparkly_stars]

Date: 11/22/2008 1:32:09 PM


Sparkly, thank you for remembering about my initial short engagement ideas! He proposed back in late September, and we sat down shortly after together and discussed what we wanted and thought was feasible. Then we sat down with my parents too. We did a little more thinking, and we ended up deciding that January (our initial month we wanted, about 3 monts away then) was just too soon. We mainly decided that because just in making that decision, we realized that we liked to take our time making decisions, as we do with everything else that goes on in our life. We don''t like to rush into things, and we like to do what''s right for us. It''s not like we go back and forth forever about things, but some decisions we like to sit on a while then discuss, and some come really easily. So based on just that initial decision about a time of year to shoot for (and how we wanted to take our time to make the right decision), we decided January was too soon. We decided to enjoy being engaged since it''s only going to happen once. So we decided to shoot for May... which is also my birthday month, but we''re still very flexible since we haven''t chosen a venue yet. We just didn''t want the dead heat of our humid summer here... but that could still be fun if we do it at either of these places, since they''re both indoors with outside lighting and windows (esp. the airport)! (And summer has awesome sunsets!!) So yeah, we still knew we could do 3 months, we just ended up deciding not to. But we''re still probably going to be at 6 months max! Thank you for checking up on that!!

I only asked because we were engaged for almost a year before we made any attempts at planning and then...we decided we''d get married in 3 months from then.. haha, so although the engagement was a year and some- there was no planning at all done. He said "let''s get married at Christmas when we go home" I said okie dokie! Found a dress that week, and the plans ran smoothly after that! (I knew if we picked winter, there was only one real theme I''d go for, so I knew it would be a bit easier for us!)
6 months isn''t that long in comparison to some of the ladies on this board- so its still very excited and stressful (I love this kind of stress though!)
Can not wait to hear your choice, when do you have to decide on? (I will be right here along the way for the rest of your planning)!

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Date: 11/23/2008 1:05:59 AM
Author: sparkly_stars

I only asked because we were engaged for almost a year before we made any attempts at planning and then...we decided we''d get married in 3 months from then.. haha, so although the engagement was a year and some- there was no planning at all done. He said ''let''s get married at Christmas when we go home'' I said okie dokie! Found a dress that week, and the plans ran smoothly after that! (I knew if we picked winter, there was only one real theme I''d go for, so I knew it would be a bit easier for us!)
6 months isn''t that long in comparison to some of the ladies on this board- so its still very excited and stressful (I love this kind of stress though!)
Can not wait to hear your choice, when do you have to decide on? (I will be right here along the way for the rest of your planning)!

Wow I bet a winter wedding around Christmas was beautiful! I have to start dress shopping soon, I can only hope mine goes that smoothly!

Yeah 6 months isn''t that long in comparison to most, but I think it''s plenty. We should be fine if that''s what we end up gling with.

I''m still waiting to hear back from the airport on some things, so I''m going to call them today I think. There''s no deadline as of yet, but if someone is interested in the aquarium on the date we''re penciled in on, we''ll have 48 hours to decide and put a deposit down. Hopefully I''ll know something soon and can let you all know which way we go!! I told my parents this weekend about the two choices we''ve narrowed down to, and they''re super excited too.

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

The lady at the aquarium finally emailed me some pictures of events there... here are a few.

This is the ocean area where most eating/dancing areas are set up.