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Becky
Just Said Yes July 2021

Belknap Mill

Becky, on January 4, 2020 at 2:29 PM Posted in New Hampshire Planning 0 4
Has anyone gotten married at the Belknap Mill in Laconia? Our wedding is 6/6/20. Just looking for advice/suggestions at this venue. Thanks!!

4 Comments

Latest activity by Judith, on January 7, 2020 at 12:10 PM
  • J
    Master 0000
    Judith ·
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    For all the available windows, it is cavernous, and the place seems terribly dim with usual lighting, battery candelabra that is elaborate. I have been to only 3 events there. The one that used uplighting on the walls to ceiling looked major c, and the one that used it on 2 walls, that part behind people lit the whole area. The rest looked gloomy in spite of festive colors. And with no uplighting, gloomy like a rainy day, in bright spring sunshine, worse when it got cloudy before sunset. The outlet situation might not be the best. I noticed that the up lights were the florescent tube and halogen equivalent of a Coleman Camping lantern, with thin plastic colored filters to tint the light softly pink, lavender, blue, green, the shades like Aurora borealis colors. And two large battery, probably rented, upwards spotlights without cords. With lightweight white sparkly fabric to bounce off of against 2 walls, hung by probably fishing line, or some clear transparent thick nylon thread. From the do-no-damage Command hooks that peel off with no trace. You probably cannot tack, nail, or staple anything. And the 10-15" in diameter cheap glass mirrors like for crafts were under the bases of small flower vases, so they caught the light all around it. Reflected, seemed to greatly increase the light. Later someone pointed out to me that near the corners, what looked like mirrors high up, large ones, were Aluminum foil over old storm windows in frames. And that because it is so old, and they are so strict about using fire retardant stuff, they had used a combination of fire retardant emergency mylar looking blankets, used, and 2 foot wide rolls of aluminum foil sold for commercial kitchens. Since it was above head height, or in corners propped like a cheval glass ( tipped back a little at top to reflect up) you never saw it close up, just a reflective surface. I think the stuff hung must have done something to the sound, because the music combo and from taped stuff, sounded mellow and not echoing. It had been only weeks since I went to a community group exhibit there, and some areas were all echoes, others dead. They seemed to get an acoustic baffling that worked. The floor is not noticeable when well lit. I did not check your date. Summer weekends, there are farmer's market days, and some spring, summer, and fall special events, where the whole parking lot by City Hall and the Mill, all the way down to the Post Office, is full til noon, 2 or all day into evening. Chamber of Commerce or City Hall should have advance notice calendars, so you can tell guests. The church next to the library actively uses their whole lot, filling and emptying. To outsides it look like a continuation of public library parking , buy it is not. But the library closes early, and for evening receptions, is a block walk on level sidewalks. The space was excellent for the lack of clutter, ease of socializing. No matter how decorated.
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  • Becky
    Just Said Yes July 2021
    Becky ·
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    Thank you so much Judith! Our wedding is June 6 mid afternoon into the evening so we will need lighting now for sure! So glad I know this ahead of time. Thank you for your very detailed response. Smiley smile
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  • Clíodhna
    WeddingWire Administrator January 2030
    Clíodhna ·
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    Welcome to the WeddingWire community, Becky! This is a fab venue! If you haven't done so already, you should check out the previous couple reviews on their profile for more insights - Belknap Mill.

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  • J
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    Judith ·
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    Cliodhna's post is a great help to see the lighting issues. Pics 1, 6, 7, 12, 25 especially. Old building, so windows are in deep, thick brick. So all light flows in straight, not at angles ( cut off by outer Brock surrounding.) One corner near entry has few windows. And the empty room shows track lighting that is dismal on a full day and toward evening. Covering and decorating support poles with wider at bottom than top gives more reflective surface than just wrapping the poles tightly. There for something else before someone's wedding, I saw high up flower displays, maybe intended to give a focal point. But even the florist who was putting them up talked about it being a mistake. They cast dense shadow on the side away from windows, and over again he table next to it. Awful. Low floral displays, or flowering plants, on cheap mirror tiles made a better choice. Near each corner and 1 midwall, there is an expanse of brick. One had reflective cloths on Command hooks. The other had tall mirrors a couple of feet out from the sides, against the brick . And a decorated plant stand like a ladder ( may have been one, under cloth) and flowering hanging plants, minus hangers, on each step. One a Cascade of Petunias. The other corner , mirrors with Lott's of yellow and deep pink blossom begonia plants. The mirrors either side made the flower displays look huge, though only about 2 foot wide. And the openness of the room made any display visible everywhere, nothing breaking the line of sight.
    Last, I mentioned, don't worry about the floor. That plac has weekday tourists, and meetings, and is always scratched up. But they give it a fresh wax and buff it before weddings I was at, and many I have seen pictures of. Would not hurt to ask. But I have never not seen it at a high gloss shine for a party there, either. Relatively local, I see it and pictures of other's events, regularly. You don't want/ need any matting or runner, unless it rains out and ceremony is indoors, and you are in all dark dresses. Lots of people do one wall section as a photo backdrop for groups, away from window. If the photographer puts up a lighter background, ask about something mid blues so there is some light by feet in pictures. It really is beautiful with the aged brick, with lots of white and glass and some displays of bright color. I notice people rating it mention restrictions/ not flexible. True. If you show you are using command or other temporary, no damage hangers, or things that clamp on ( muffler or vent type clamp) to hold flowy fabric on poles, they approve. And fishline that will take a fair weight, tied high between poles. Don't even think of duct tape, Staples or tacks when you plan. And anything that hangs or drapes, keep the label to show it is fire retardant. Which means cheap filmy material, synthetics made of petroleum as polyesters and such are, are NOT ALLOWED. Latex balloons yes, no mylar. There are fire retardant sheets of a mylar type, but not the usual run of the mill mylar table cloths or balloons. And because event people are on site at all events, and no office back up, they get back to you by phone or email. But until the last week or two before your event, it may take 3-5 days . Small part time staff. But they do not ghost people, or forget. Just, no backup on their weekdays or weekends off. Lots of folks that was 1 criticism on every place, not just WW, that lists them. Always a good score on responsiveness, but always a comment, not always there.
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