Groom as Venue-Caller

Earlier this week, I decided that I would take some stress off of Katelyn's shoulders and personally contact a number of venue locations that we'd been interested but hadn't been able to find more specific information about in terms of pricing, catering, and how many people they could accomodate.  The initial plan had been to narrow down a list of venues to visit in-person this weekend when we would head down to southern Maine to visit my parents, but Katelyn had to put in Saturday hours at her architectural firm and that trip has been postponed until next weekend.  Regardless, I thought I would share some of the names of places we've been contacting and my experience as a groom calling these places for information.


Perhaps I've been just as indoctrinated by popular myths in our culture about wedding roles, but I expected to be given an odd reception as the groom-to-be calling up these venues to find out more information.  It might just be me, but I have an image in my head of venue owners waiting for the brides to contact them so that they can work on manipulating the bride into believing that their venue is the only possible venue for the wedding to be held at.  I expected venue owners and wedding planners to balk at the prospect of talking to me as the "more reasonable" or "more practical" groom.

Clearly, I was wrong.  The people I was able to get in touch with were very warm and forthcoming with information to me, and there was no sense of surprise at hearing a man's voice calling to inquire about wedding venues.  That's probably a good thing, as Katelyn is every bit as reasonable and practical as I am--if not more so--and wouldn't easily give in to any kind of salesman bullshit if a venue owner tried to take that approach with her.

In the interest of enlisting the help of my readers and friends and family members, I'm listing the venues I contacted in the past week along with some website links and other information to get feedback from you all.  Katelyn and I will need to narrow down a list of places to visit in person next weekend, so your words might help set us on the road to the venue you watch us get married at come October 2010.

Venue Call #1: Dockside Guest Quarters in York, ME
Website: http://www.docksidegq.com/index.htm
Did we get information?: Yes.
Why We're Interested: Located in the same area as Greystone Manor, on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.
Located about fifty minutes from Portland, an hour and twenty minutes from Lewiston, and two hours and fifty minutes from Bangor.

Venue Call #2: Fisherman's Wharf Inn in Boothbay Harbor, ME
Website: http://www.fishermanswharfinn.com/
Did we get information?: No; a message was left that has not been returned.
Why We're Interested: Boothbay Harbor is a beautiful coastal location that is a favorite destination of my family.
Located about an hour and fifteen minutes from Portland, an hour and twenty minutes from Lewiston, and two hours and twenty minutes from Bangor.

Venue Call #3: The 1812 Farm of Seacoast Maine in Bristol, ME
Website: http://www.the1812farm.com/ordereze/default.aspx
Did we get information?: Yes.
Why We're Interested: Very pretty and historical building in a unique setting.
Located about an hour and fifteen minutes from Portland, an hour and twenty minutes from Lewiston, and two hours and ten minutes from Bangor.

Venue Call #4: Black Point Inn in Scarborough, ME
Website: http://www.blackpointinn.com/inn/
Did we get information?: No; despite contact with the wedding planner, I have not received the informational email packet promised to me.
Why We're Interested: Another very pretty oceanfront location.
Located about twenty minutes from Portland, an hour from Lewiston, and two hours and twenty-five minutes from Bangor.

Venue Call #5: Portland Schooner Company in Portland, ME
Website: http://www.portlandschooner.com/
Did we get information?: Yes.
Why We're Interested: Who wouldn't want to get married on a boat?  Of course, our current wedding invite list would have too many people for the schooners to carry.
Located forty-five minutes from Lewiston and two hours and ten minutes from Bangor.

Venue Call #6: Clay Hill Farm in Ogunquit, ME
Website: http://www.clayhillfarm.com/
Did we get information?: Yes.
Why We're Interested: Nice, award-winning location with some flexibility in our needs.
Located about fifty minutes from Portland, an hour and twenty minutes from Lewiston, and two hours and fifty minutes from Bangor.

Of course, since I called these places we've added more potential venues to this list; places I'll need to put calls into over the coming week.  Let us know what you think after checking out some of these places and I'll provide even more options as we decide who else is getting a call and a chance to host the Cooper-Parker wedding (haha).