Frick or Frack...

The next big decision we had to make was probably the hardest decision of them all...where to have the reception.

My parents came down for the weekend to scout out receptions sites. Going into the whole selection process I was very leery of costs. I knew how much everything costs but I don't think my parents quite knew the blow to their pocketbooks it would be. I kept my thoughts to myself and decided to go with what they liked the most. Who knew it would be so hard!

The first place we looked at was a banquet hall made a living on throwing lavish parties. Problem with this place was it wasn't lavish at all. Though on the low spectrum of the dollar signs, my parents quickly gutted this idea from their cognitive heads and moved on. The next place was a home estate. Beautiful Victorian estate that had acres of gardens and trees. Downfall was there were no bathrooms. YES YOU READ THAT RIGHT! NO BATHROOMS. I ask this, how can a family who rents out their estate for weddings have no bathrooms? Well, it's called a Portapotty. I guess they rent "fancy" ones that flush. Once we heard this, we politely took the information and ran.

Feeling a little down in the dumps, I knew I had to find something and only had two more places to go. Both I thought would be completely out of the question for price. We drove up in the hill to the Country Club and parked in the wrap around drive way. Memories of childhood flooded my brain. I hadn't been back in ages and here I am, in front of the club I used to spend my summers goofing off by the pool. We walked in and were greeted by an older gentleman who gave us the tour. Looking over the golf course, our guests could mingle on our own private terrace and move into the dining room for dinner and dancing later on. The price was quite reasonable and it all seemed to be working out. My feelings quickly turned around and already picturing myself and my FI taking portraits by the lake while our guests gape at us from a distance.
The last and final place was at vineyard that I secretly loved. It was relatively new to the wedding reception circuit and still in the parameters of what my father deemed appropriate for our guests to drive. When we drove up, we were greeted by Kimberly, one of the owners of the establishment. Her and her husband live in the restored Victorian home and was extremely helpful and polite. As we walked through her gardens, envisioning a wedding here was easy. The immaculate lawns, the elaborate outdoor fireplace crackling, the vines draping the hills in the distance would make any person feel at peace. You feel a world away from the hustle and bustle of the city. While Kimberly chatted away, I looked hard for something to not love. I felt disappointed at myself for falling in love with a place that I thought was too much, until we saw the price tag... as I watched my parents go over the numbers I held my breathe and uttered reassurance that the country club would be okay and that's when they sprung it on us, it was our choice.

Price wise, both were very reasonable. But the main issue was what type of wedding celebration would we have. Were we going to have the typical indoor banquet reception or would we dance under the stars while drinking fine wine. We spent the day debating it, indoor or outdoor, this or that... frick or frack. And then my dad said something I never forgot, he said that I unique and couldn't picture me dancing in a ordinary country club when we could be loving life and celebrating my wedding day under the Full Moon. And at that moment, the decision was made.