Venue Visit: George Washington Masonic Memorial

In this series, I'll be detailing the venues we've visited, our impressions, and, if I have them, pictures. Of course, these are all our opinions with what we want for our wedding in mind. All of these venues are beautiful and if you can make them work for you, you will not lose out! What you've missed: Top of the Town, Josephine Butler Parks Center, City Club of Franklin Square, McLean Gardens Ballroom, St. Francis Hall, and Capitol Hill Club.

And now, The George Washington Masonic Memorial. Prepare yourself for lots and lots of rainbows, butterflies, and praises to the high heavens! I love this venue.

I can't even tell you how I heard about this place. We went to visit and I was impressed with its clean lines and pillars. The rental fee is very reasonable and they seem very flexible about what we can do in the space. It's an open museum so our first visit was just us walking around. I returned to speak to the events person to get some questions answered and walked away loving it even more.

It is just outside of DC in Old Town, Alexandria - a quaint little place with shops, restaurants and hotels. There are several hotels within walking distance AND a metro stop so our out of towners can get to the District to sight-see. Even if they don't leave, there is plenty to do in Old Town. There is an observation deck tour that can be included for your guests to get amazing views of DC. There is ample parking. It is pretty close to perfection for us.

What? Cons? Oh yes, there are some. Firstly, it's not in DC but it's proximity can't be beat and the view from the observation deck can make up for that. Next, the building is imposing. Maybe too imposing for our style. It can be seen for miles and as you ride up to it, it's almost overpowering. Maybe a little TOO grand. Also, we don't like the ceremony space decor. The layout is lovely but it's got a lot of red going on. Red is my absolute hands down LEAST favorite color in the world. So, if we go with this venue we will more than likely be using the same room for ceremony and reception which has its own issues. Last but not least for Mr Bronx, the chairs are hideous.

All of these concerns can be mitigated BUT the ceremony location and chair issues will carry an extra expense for us. Still, this venue is the number one contender for me. Mr. Bronx is not completely sold on it.

And now the pics that made me fall in love!

Ceremony Space - I wasn't kidding about the red.

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Imposing much.

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The view from the stairs. WOW!

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View from the observatory.

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Grand Masonic Hall -Ceremony/Reception space

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Perfection!

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We've got a contender!

Venue Visit: Capitol Hill Club

In this series, I'll be detailing the venues we've visited, our impressions, and, if I have them, pictures. Of course, these are all our opinions with what we want for our wedding in mind. All of these venues are beautiful and if you can make them work for you, you will not lose out! What you've missed: Top of the Town, Josephine Butler Parks Center, City Club of Franklin Square, McLean Gardens Ballroom, and St. Francis Hall.

Next up, another possibility - The Capitol Hill Club.

I had heard of this venue a while ago from a bride that raved at what she got for the price in DC. It has 4 levels on which you can have all of your wedding events - ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception. You can use any extra rooms however you like to get ready, for children, etc. But the website pics weren't very impressive and Mr. Bronx didn't appreciate the pics of - and I quote - "old men on the walls." Still, I wanted to know more so when I reached out for information and was told that they had gone through a renovation I thought it may be worth the visit to see what they had done.

I went on the visit alone because I was pretty sure that I wouldn't like it and would probably rule it out but at least made the visit to be sure.

I was wrong. I was impressed with the space. The location is phenomenal. It's in Capitol Hill literally steps from the Capitol building and National Mall. It doesn't get more DC than that! Also, the Metro stop is right across the street, perfect for out of towners. Other pluses - their event coordinator, Israel, was a pleasure and seemed eager to please. There are no hidden fees like corkage or cake cutting. And, the menu is flexible. There is NO RENTAL FEE (!) and the minimums begin at $6K on Fridays and $10K on Saturdays. Not bad, eh?

BUT, there is NO PARKING. Only street parking is available and that is a major problem. Also, the decor was better than the pictures but I still don't LOVE it. Lastly, the catering is on premise so we would not be able to bring our own liquor which is a great money saver.

We are scheduled to visit next Saturday so that Mr. Bronx can get a peek. So, if you are keeping count, we've got 2 possibilities for venues so far. Exciting times!

Well, here's the good stuff you stick around for - pictures!

This greets you as you enter

Entrance Doors (Mr B loves elephants so that's a plus)

Another shot of the entry area

1st floor lounge for the cocktail hour

Another shot of the first floor lounge

On the second floor is the reception room. I think I was so overwhelmed with actually liking the space I forgot to take pictures! It looks very similar to the 1st floor lounge but the carpet is the one in the pic above. You know you love my all-star documentary reporting.

And just for Mr. Bronx who is a stickler for nice chairs! The chairs they provide are actually NICE!

I can't wait to visit this space again with Mr. B. Either way it shakes out, we will be a step closer to a venue decision.

Venue Visit: St Francis Hall

In this series, I'll be detailing the venues we've visited, our impressions, and, if I have them, pictures. Of course, these are all our opinions with what we want for our wedding in mind. All of these venues are beautiful and if you can make them work for you, you will not lose out! What you've missed: Top of the Town, Josephine Butler Parks Center, City Club of Franklin Square, McLean Gardens Ballroom.

Enough talk about places that didn't fit the bill. Let's chat about our first possibility, St. Francis Hall. On first glance, this venue excited me. Their website has so many wonderful pictures of all different types of weddings. The pictures at the Franciscan Monastery were gorgeous and it was buried in one of my favorite neighborhoods in DC- Brookland. We made our appointment to visit and I had stars in my eyes!

Once we arrived, I didn't love the facade. I particularly dislike the awning. Picky much? Anywhoodle, once inside, it is a space that blows you away because it is completely unexpected. It's a blank slate that can go any way you like it, decor-wise. It has a full caterer's kitchen. And those arches! It is spacious. It also has a bride room that can also be used for children. Plenty of parking comes with the package as well.

On the con side - it's does not have a "city" feel which is something that we wanted. It's not near any hotels. Additionally, the outdoor ceremony space left much to be desired. We could use the room and flip it between ceremony and reception but there is no place to "hide" the reception tables, so creative draping would have to come into play. Or, we could have people sit at the tables during the ceremony. Not an option. There is a terrace/balcony that can be used for cocktail hour, however, it looked a little small for our guest list and if the weather doesn't cooperate, where will our guests be while the room is flipped?

Still, these are not deal breakers just things that need to be considered and mitigated. OK enough talk, here are some pics.

Front view (I don't like)
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We've got our eye on you, St Francis Hall. Stay tuned...

The Unthinkable

I interrupt my venue visit series to tell you about the crisis I alluded to in my previous post. During our visit to McLean Gardens Ballroom, the caterer was excitedly telling us about their packages, how the room is normally set up, and how the appetizers are served when I reached for my glass of wine and noticed - my engagement ring was gone.

Gone.

My reaction was noticeable because Mr. Bronx said, "Woah" and the caterer asked, "What happened?" In the moment, I figured it's not a big deal, I probably left it on my desk at work and we'll just return there so I can get it after the tasting. I was sure of this as I NEVER remove my ring during work but I did recall it being really loose since my office was cold. So loose in fact, I moved it from my ring finger to my middle finger. The tasting continued but I had that nagging worrying feeling throughout. Still, I was sure that I would return to my office and all would be back to normal.

After the tasting, we drove back to the office. I greeted the security guard, took the elevator up, walked into my office, turned on the overhead light, and looked on my desk. There was nothing there. My eyes widened. I immediately looked all around my desk, through papers and under the keyboard, nothing. I called Mr. Bronx in the car and asked him to look in my gym bag thinking maybe it was so loose that it came off when I put my clothes in there. Nothing. I dropped down on all fours in my office and looked on the floor in case it slid off my desk. Nothing.

I went back to the lobby and asked the guard if anyone had turned in a ring. No. I asked the gentleman mopping the lobby. No. Asked him to ask the woman who removes the trash from our offices. No.

At this point, I was panicked. I return to the car where Mr. Bronx was waiting, got in, closed the door, and sobbed uncontrollably all the way home. When I arrived home, I dumped my bag, went through all pockets, and everything I was wearing. Not there.

All I could do was cry. And cry.

Mr. Bronx proved his amazingness (it's a word) throughout this ordeal. He just comforted me and said, "We'll get another one." The best thing he said to me was, "Why are you crying? We're still engaged. It can be replaced." To which I replied some babbling, bratty mess about wanting my ring. I was out of my body and I must have looked like it because I could hear Mr. Bronx calling me by my full name repeatedly like he was trying to get me back into this world.

I.was.miserable. I think I cried myself into exhaustion. I woke at 4AM. My mind was racing about where the ring could be, all these possibilities, how could I be so irresponsible. Race. Race. Race.

I got dressed and went to work. I went through every nook and cranny of my office. I sent a company wide email offering a reward and left notes for the cleaning staff. At this point, I've done everything I could do. It's been a week and I am losing hope of ever finding my ring.

I feel terribly guilty. I never lose anything. How could I lose something with such importance? The worst part is that I have no clue what happened. It's like it disappeared into thin air.

Thankfully, it's insured and can be replaced but that's not the point. The replacement ring will be just that - a replacement. It's not the ring he chose, it's not the ring he proposed with. It's not the ring he worked hard for and thought about and hid from me. It's none of that. Still, it could be worse. It could be a total loss.

Sometimes as I am drinking my morning tea, I am reminded of the ring that would bump the mug and I remember it's not there. It sucks. Or I'll wash my hands or do the dishes at home and feel like I forgot to put it back on. Sigh, I miss it. My mind is always looking, always thinking, "Maybe if I check here." I have had to tell myself to let it go. I said my prayers to find it and if that is to be it will just appear much like it just disappeared.

Venue Visit: McLean Gardens Ballroom

In this series, I'll be detailing the venues we've visited, our impressions, and, if I have them, pictures. Of course, these are all our opinions with what we want for our wedding in mind. All of these venues are beautiful and if you can make them work for you, you will not lose out! What you've missed: Top of the Town, Josephine Butler Parks Center, City Club of Franklin Square.

Next, McLean Gardens Ballroom.

Please excuse Mr. Bronx. He has a knack for walking right into my pictures. You'll see.

I am not sure how I heard about this venue. Try as I might, I cannot recall. There are virtually no pictures of it online and I could find no one that had heard of it. At any rate, I contacted them for rates and was invited to a tasting by their exclusive caterer, Washington Parties. Tastings are always fun, so off we went.

The ballroom is nestled in a residential area in DC near the National Cathedral. Residential communities can be nice but in DC that usually means no parking. Strike one. Besides that, it has an inviting exterior and was surprisingly impressive when we stepped inside. A nice foyer greets you and the ballroom can hold our guest list comfortably. The tasting was actually pretty good. Mr. Bronx loved the crab cake balls, mac and cheese, and fruit with goat cheese and pistachios. For me, the tres leches and mango mousse cake were to murder for. We chatted with the caterer about how the room is normally set up and found that we didn't love the way the buffet would flow. Strike two. Next, we toured the upstairs where they have a bride's room that can also be used for babysitting. It was nice and useful. The foyer is usually used for cocktail hour which is nice but seemed too small for our 145 guests. Strike three. In the end, this wasn't the best venue for us but still a lovely venue with 2 fireplaces and a large easily decorated room. The caterers seem eager to please and were a pleasure to meet. We'll keep them in mind but not this venue. I still consider McLean Gardens Ballroom a great find.

Check it out:

The foyer that would greet guests and serve as a cocktail hour space. Sadly, it's too small for us.

Inside the ballroom. Nice columns and two fireplaces.

I do feel the need to add a disclaimer to this post as we were dealing with a crisis and our minds were a little distracted during the visit. I'll tell you all about that in my next post.

Venue Visit: City Club of Franklin Square

In this series, I'll be detailing the venues we've visited, our impressions, and, if I have them, pictures. Of course, these are all our opinions with what we want for our wedding in mind. All of these venues are beautiful and if you can make them work for you, you will not lose out! What you've missed: Top of the Town, Josephine Butler Parks Center.

Next up, City Club of Franklin Square.

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This place is grand. The location is right in the city across from a park that is great for pictures but also near to other great sites for pictures. It is within walking distance to many hotels and very easily accessible by metro for our out of towners. The food and beverage minimum is a low $6K. It was looking great on paper. One evening, the Mr. and I decided to stop on by and take a look. The space was expansive. We loved the columns and the marble floors. The security guard actually let us in to take a better look. Yes, we were peering in like peeping toms!

Once there, Mr. Bronx noted that, for a ceremony, those beautiful columns would be a problem. Also, disappointing for us would be that the dancing is in a totally separate area that doesn't really fit our tastes. After taking a better look at the fine print, (there were fees I hadn't noted for parking (both upfront and per car), it wasn't looking good for this venue.

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This would be the pic where Mr. Bronx pointed out the people leaning in to see the bride and groom. He doesn't like that very much.

Still, I contacted them for a more formal visit before I completely ruled them out. Twice. Never heard back. In my book that means I need to turn the page on to the next venue.

EDIT 4/28/2011: I actually returned for a formal visit to the City Club. Turns out, they were undergoing a contract renegotiation and couldn't conduct visits or reserve dates for a bit. Something in my gut told me to return.

It is a great venue. The ceremony and reception with dancing can be held in the lobby. The club itself can also be used for the reception and cocktail hour. There are 2 levels, 2 bars, and rooms for the bride and groom to get ready. All this for a fairly reasonable (for DC) price of $2500 rental and packages at about $85pp all inclusive.

In the end, we decided against this because of Mr Bronx's concerns about the ceremony set-up and I didn't really love the decor in the club itself. But it's still a nice venue and it's worth a visit if you are a couple looking for a city feel to your wedding.

Venue Visit: Josephine Butler Parks Center

In this series, I'll be detailing the venues we've visited, our impressions, and, if I have them, pictures. Of course, these are all our opinions with what we want for our wedding in mind. All of these venues are beautiful and if you can make them work for you, you will not lose out! What you've missed: Top of the Town.

Next up, Josephine Butler Parks Center.

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I love the look of this venue. It's historical, in the city, and a little different than what I think our guests are expecting. There were fireplaces throughout and a lovely staircase. There were juliet balconies and a terrace on the second floor. We liked the hardwood floors and accessibility to the Malcolm X/Meridien Hill Park for a ceremony. And the rental includes chiviari chairs! Which, believe it or not, is a sticking point for Mr Bronx! He wants nice chairs.

Once we visited, we sadly realized this is not the venue for us. I didn't like the park for the ceremony. It has a lovely water feature but it is a public community park and there was no clear area where our ceremony could happen. The facility though lovely, just wasn't very conducive to having a ceremony and reception for our 145 guests. Our event would have to take place in several separate rooms for bar, dancing, etc. We just didn't like how separated everything would have to be. There was only enough parking for 20 cars (40 if you valet) and parking is very necessary for our majority out of town crowd in a parking deprived DC.

This was a stab in the heart for me. I thought the space was so lovely and kept trying to think of ways to make it work for us. But the writing was on the wall. We had to move on. I leave you with the pics Roza of JBPC provided me. Lovely, just lovely. I hope one of you can make it work.I really do.

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