One of the primary considerations that E and I mulled over was where to have the wedding and reception. We knew we wanted a venue that could accommodate both, and we knew we wanted it to be in Northern California. Other than that though, I was at a loss – wine country? City? Both had their appeals, and I thought that maybe wine country would be cheaper in the long haul, since we’d need fewer flowers and could get away with a more “rustic” theme.
I was so wrong! Napa/Sonoma as expensive!! Damn!! I don’t know why I expected less. Every venue and winery I looked at was around $8000 for the rental alone, if not more. Looking in the city wasn’t much easier. E and I are inviting about100 guests, and venues we looked at seemed to cater to either 65 or 250. We didn’t want the party to be overwhelmed by the space! For the longest time, we had our heart set on the observatory tower of the de Young Museum, with its fabulous views. The rental fee was steep, $5000, but that seemed to be the going rate for most venues in SF, so we were willing to suck it up. And, it’s only a half block from our apartment! They had some pretty strict restrictions on caterers though, which included buying out their liquor license if not going with the company that oversees the museum cafe. Over $1,000 just to buy out this license? Basically spending a grand for nothing? No thanks!!
We looked at two more spaces – 111 Minna and Limn Gallery. 111 Minna is a hip, popular art space that also hosts happy hour events during the week. On our visit though, our contact person was running late so we were left to look around on our own and talk to some other people working there. The main turn-off was that the place smelled like a bar. Which is fine for a general, fun event, but I want classy for my wedding. I realized after I left that I’d forgotten to look at the bathroom.
I knew Limn was the spot as soon as I walked in. Located in a more industrial part of the city, it was serene, sophisticated, and elegant – perfect! There is even an outside courtyard with a wood-burning stove! It accommodates more people than we’re inviting, but the space was intimate enough that I think we could make it work. The event coordinator answered all our questions and has been great to interact with so far. We left that day without putting down a deposit in an effort to play it cool, but I emailed her the next day to tell her that we’d found our wedding spot, and paid the deposit two days later. There’s no turning back now!
