Pros and Cons of Using an Empty Space

Well picking vendors is one thing. Do you also have to order in tables, chairs, cutlery, glasses...?

I picked a location that requires me to get everything on my own (tables, chairs, lighting...). I love the place we are getting married but it has added a lot of stress. Also make sure you budget for the additional things needed. I have gone over my budget because each thing adds up and tends to cost more getting seperate

The Pros is that you can absolutely make it your own. The biggest con is that you have to make every single thing your own. I couldn't do it for sure. I couldn't care less about what the plates look like. My venue is all-inclusive and it's perfect for me, for sure.

Planning from across the country will be difficult, but if you love it, don't let my negativity stop you. I know it will be absolutely beautiful! And you do have time to do it.

Well I'm biased because my venue is all inclusive and it has made wedding planning 10x easier on me. I couldn't imagine having to worry about every little detail or even the bigger details such as tables, chairs, chair covers, centerpieces, food, etc. If you have the patience and time for it then go for it b/c like some of the other ladies mentioned the pro is that you're able to make it your own but it can get REALLY stressful.

I think all inclusive venues are the route to go!

Melissa, I am in the middle of planning a wedding where I have to bring everything in to an event house. I am also planning from a distance, although mine is not as big as yours. I live in Pennslyvania and the wedding is in North Carolina. I have to admit, it is a lot of work. We need to bring in tables, chairs, linens, dishes, flatware, etc., etc. probably the best thing that we did was hire a wedding planner who was familiar with our venue. She knew what kind of tables were the best fit, how many forks are necessary for the size of our guest list, and all the other details that go in to this kind of planning. I do like the idea of putting my own stamp on a fairly blank canvas, but I am glad we have some help. The wedding planner is an expense that we had not originally planned to have, but it has given me peace of mind. If you love the venue, I would say to go for it. You will have some extra issues, but it will be worth it in the long run.

Okay so I looked a little further into it and actually they do provide tables and chairs (the better chairs are $3 a piece), however the rest is on me. So the caterer would have to add rental of the plates, silverware, etc. I guess I should contact them and check the price on that.

The fee for the venue is $4,500 but it's a ten hour rental so it's plenty of time to set up and all that jazz.

As for the decor, the inside of the mansion doesn't allow for much. It's really beautiful as is but I have always loved twinkle lights and lanterns but this is more of an old romance look. So that means all I really need for decor is flowers and centerpieces.

I had an outdoor venue that supplied tables and chairs. the venue itself already had white latterns strung above the reception area, twinkle lights around the trees and paths, and chandeliers from trees. it was gorgeous, all I had to decorate was my tables. I just brought in the centerpieces, linen, plates, and silverware. since my girls were already at the tables putting together centerpieces it really wasnt much to throw down some plates and silverwear. I unfortunately did not get to pick up my linen until the day before and spent the night before my wedding folding napkins! at least I had my MOH and cousin to help me though..

$4,500 for bare bones venue seems high to me. Is that normal for your area? Mine is bare bones - it comes with an ice machine, tables and chairs, a kitchen/prep area, a dance floor, speakers for the band. For that, it's $1100 ($300 is a cleaning deposit).

Finding table cloths and such isn't that hard, but it can get pricey if you don't bargain hunt (on a sale, I got my table cloths for $5.50 a piece and table runners for $2.50 a piece).

Hi Melissa,

I'm planning a wedding at the Branford House for April 2014. They venue cost depends on the day you book, but I'm booking their wedding from top to bottom (excluding only her dress and his tuxedo) for $14,000. I have a great network of vendors that work really well in that venue since it's kind of tricky. It's totally feasible though to plan a wedding efficiently and budget conscious at the Branford House. Her wedding list is at about 200 guests as well, so it's not an intimate gathering either. Let me know if I can help you. We're currently offering a special 20% off promotion for our Full Service packages and 10% off our Day of Services until January 31st. We work with budgets of all types and are a full accessibility planning company. No limits on emails, phone calls, visits, talks with your mom, mother in law or bridesmaids. We're here for you from start to finish and then some. Give me a call or email me if I can help!

Thanks,

Rachael B

Hi! I'm getting married at the Branford house in may and here are my thoughts on the space:

The interior is so gorgeous that minimal decoration is needed.

The size of your guest list is going to make a HUGE difference in the cost, as the rentals, catering, bar, centerpiece, outside lawn chairs, etc will drive up the cost.

Pick a caterer who had worked at the bh before because they will be able to refer other vendors to you and give you layout ideas.

Organization is so key. Create a document in a google docs that you can share with your FH and update with vendors contacts and contracts.

There is a Lot of customization that you should be prepared for. Sometimes I wish that I went the all inclusive route because doing it the bh way is a lot of work but at the end of the day, fiance and I picked vendors that we really liked and could afford. If you have any questions or want some recommendations, I would be happy to provide some.

Hi Melissa!

Congrats on the engagement! You must be excited.

Long distance weddings can sometimes be tricky but, with the right team, they will be able to help you to make it as fun and stress free as possible.

As it is with ANY venue you pick, it's entirely up to you how involved you want your celebration to be. The benefits of using a blank slate is that you can transform the space into what you always dreamed it would be. It IS a lot of work. My advice to you would be to acquire the assistance of a wedding planner or if that is out of reach, contact the venue to get suggestions. They know their venue better than anyone and can point you in the right direction towards making your celebration everything you want it to be.

One feature that we use for our out of state brides is a SKYPE session. This way, you can sit in the comfort of your home in San Diego and meet with your DJ face to face. It makes the planning and vendor acquisition more convenient for our clients. Best wishes!