The event location.

REWIND
In my last entry I mentioned that I had found the dress and event location. We have done that, but I want to blog about it anyway. So pretend we're hanging with Marty McFly and bouncing around time. It'll be fine, just trust me.

THE EVEN LOCATION
Ryan, the amazing man that he is, spent two days looking online to find the location that I found in a photo, but without mention of where it was taken. He found it magically (I'm convinced he somehow missed his owl letter), and unfortunately it was incredibly expensive. The next day he sent me a text message telling me to look at his open tabs on his computer when I got home from work. The first one was The Codman Estate. 
Their package includes the following:

• Exclusive use of Carriage House function room measuring 31’ x 31’ plus two 10’ x 15’ alcoves

• Use of the grounds, including Italian Garden and Dorothy Codman Garden

• Fully equipped catering kitchen

• Use of sixty-five folding brown chairs and 125 white garden chairs

• Thirteen 60" tables (seats 8-10 guests)

• Five 36" round cocktail tables (seats 4-5 guests)

• Three 48" round tables (seats 6-8 guests)

• Six 8' serving tables

• Four high-top cocktail tables

• On-site baby grand piano

• Expert planning guidance by Codman event staff

• One hour on-site planning meeting with your caterer

• Event Supervisor for the day

• Assistance with on-site ceremonies

• Coordination of deliveries

• One year Associate Membership to Historic New England

All of this for... $1,000!! That is INSANELY cheap. We made an appointment and went to see it. It's beautiful, even with the dead grass and sad winter trees. We knew at once that this was the place. 

BUT there are always downsides, however small they may be. 

• You MUST choose from their approved caterers
• AND tent providers, which there are only two of and both are over $2,600
• Lincoln Town ordinance requires a police presence after sundown, for $75 per hour

These are work-aroundable for the most part. I'll get into the tent issue in another post. Reading the fine print on the contract for the location was very helpful to us. If we had just signed, we would have missed a lot of pertinent information. It's still THE place, and a great deal, but we will have to make some budget adjustments to make it work. 

June 7th, 2013, at the Codman Estate in Lincoln, MA. Done!