One of the easiest decisions Matt and I have made thus far is where to have the reception after our church ceremony.
Because we didn't have much of a choice for the time of year (re:August), we knew right off that we wanted to be outside. After toying with just a few other ideas, Bradbury Mountain clicked for both of us. It's where Matt proposed to me, and after realizing that the field at the entrance to the park was plenty big enough for a tent, we did a happy dance and emailed the park rangers for more info.
We were a little worried at first that being a state park they wouldn't allow the reception we wanted, but not only did the head park ranger agree, he is super excited to host! Apparently there hasn't been a wedding reception at the park for quite some time, possibly decades. It's cool thinking that our venue is unique, even though everyone within a 30 mile radius of the mountain knows it quite well.
The best part of this whole thing is that it's FREE. Well, not entirely free. They're not charging us anything to use the space, but of course we DO have to pay for the tent rental, as well as the tables and chairs etc. Besides that, everyone that uses the park has to pay a small fee ($3.00) and so we will pay for everyone beforehand. It ends up being MUCH cheaper than anything else in the area, which is AWESOME. Considering we are paying for the wedding ourselves, having a free (gorgeous) space to use was crucial in the budget planning.
If I have any advice for brides, it's to check out state parks! Or any kind of public park for that matter. If you don't care too much about other people using the space, it can be worth it, especially if you're on a tight budget but don't have a big enough backyard. The ONLY problem (which I don't consider a real problem) is that there is no alcohol allowed in most parks. This might be a huge issue for some people, but Matt and I were actually relieved. I'll talk more later about the partying aspect of the reception.
On to the photos. The great thing about having a 19 month engagement is that we got to celebrate a "preversary" on our wedding date this past August. My mom, being the rock star that she is, went to the mountain and took a bunch of photos for us:
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| the path leading to the field |
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| The field. In the far background you can make out a net which we'll use for badminton |
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| This is most likely where the tent will go |
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| Entering the field |
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| The park is bordered by old stone walls |
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| part of the trail |
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