Venue Visit: Carlton Oaks

Carlton Oaks is a golf course in Santee, CA. I wasn't really hanging my heart on this place, but it's incredible price made me take a second look. It's the only place I found so far that includes sales tax and tip in all of their prices. Their packages are very inclusive and if you're not looking to spend a ton of money, then this is your place. We were quoted about $7300 for 125 guests, and let me tell you, yes, this is inexpensive.

It's not much to look at from the front.

The overnight accommodations are not much to look at either, but the fact that there are overnight accommodations is a plus.

The ceremony site is very pretty and overlooks the golf course...

The cocktail hour can be held on the patio, but this firepit is technically not reserved for your private event. Apparently, the bar next door to the reception area gets pretty hopping on Friday and Saturday nights and this area is popular for smokers.

The reception area has it's own bar and the bartender is included in the package!

The reception area is pretty versatile as far as table placement. This is the configuration for a center dance floor and the buffet table is in the very back of the room. Some choose to keep all the tables towards the front of the room and put the dance floor in the very back.

In case of inclement weather, the ceremony can also be held indoors, in the same space as the reception. This is the view which is typically behind the sweetheart table and would also be the view in case the ceremony has to be indoors.

Jeff and I were not completely in love with the venue, but I must admit, I'm kind of in love with Yvette, the event coordinator. She walked us through every single detail of a typical wedding and gave us all the different options that were available. I trust that, in her hands, all of her weddings go off without a hitch! Then again, every wedding probably feels exactly the same here. I can't help but feel that, if Jeff and I choose to get married here, we'd get the typical pre-packaged wedding. Yes, goal accomplished, we get married. Will the guests have fun? Most likely. Will it feel like us? Probably not. I'm not sure if this place is a contender, but the price is right :)

Venue Visit: Levyland Estates

Wow. This place is gorgeous. And it might be exactly what I am looking for. Levyland Estates is located in Carlsbad, CA, about 45 minutes north of San Diego. My pictures absolutely do not do it justice, but Jeff and I are going back next week, so I'll remember to bring my real camera with me!

This is the view of Levyland as you're coming down the driveway from the street. The property is very close to downtown Carlsbad, with very cute shops and tons of restaurants, but it's tucked away and surrounded by a nature preserve, giving it a very private feel.

The main driveway can be transformed into this. With the tables set up on the driveway, there's room for up to 200 guests. You can also set the tables up on the back lawn, but I think there's less space there, 80 maybe?

Here's a better view of the actual buildings on the property, although not a very good one. Excuse the mess as I tour you through the house. The bride and groom of the previous weekend were just packing up as I was walking through. They had very positive reviews of the venue and had the post wedding glow to the max :)

As you can see, there are two buildings, the main house sleeps 6 and the 'treehouse' sleeps 4. Both are very open, loft style, so not a lot of privacy... but excellent party homes!

The garage (where the cleaner is currently mopping) can be done up too. I was told a lot of people choose to hold their dance floor here, or inside the main living room. The garage opens up on both sides, but the doors are made of glass so in case of inclement weather, you still have yourself a nice view. There is also a wet bar in the garage, meeting Jeff's one requirement of having alcohol at the reception.

The beach is a short, short walk away, making it the perfect space for the ceremony. I love the idea of a beach wedding but I'd hate for my guests to have to find two different locations. With the beach and the venue literally a stone's throw away, there's not much of a chance of getting lost.

Another thing that I absolutely love about this place, is that it rents for the week. The whole week! No mandatory event ending by 10, no uncles trying to pay $500 for just one more hour of dancing, just one place for your family to find and hang. One place for the rehearsal dinner, the wedding, the reception, the farewell brunch. I can imagine my entire family hanging out together, decorating the place the day before, enjoying our time together and really taking in the whole experience.

With a full kitchen and lots of outdoor living space, it really feels like hanging out at grandma's house.

Except that Grandma's really rich, lives incredibly close to the beach, surrounded by lagoons and a nature preserve. Yeah. That's more like it.

Want to see how the pros do it? Other weddings at Levyland: here, here, here, here, and here.

Venue Visit: 57 degrees

Planning a wedding is a big deal. Jeff proposed on Feb 4, 2011 and I've pretty much spent the last month thinking. To be fair, February was a short month. I have a few ideas on my mind, but they are mostly details that can be added to any sort of affair. Budget is our main concern. We could spend our entire savings on a grand wedding, but we have priorities. On average, couples in San Diego spend between $19,809 and $33, 015 total on their wedding. That's according to http://www.costofwedding.com/. Boo! I really don't want to spend that, but I do want a big party! So I had this idea - having a cocktail reception on New Years Eve. Can we pull it off? Maybe?

Earlier today, Jeff and I visited a local wine bar called 57 degrees.

This is the view from the street. There is ample parking in the back, and obviously, lots of room here in the front of the building to hang out.

You can see downtown from the parking lot and apparently, fireworks if the occasion calls for it. (Like it would for NYE)

I love this center bar area...

The patio area is small, but could be a nice space for relaxing and cooling off after some serious dancing.

A large portion of the venue is actually retail space, but just think of all the wine we'll get to choose from if we decide to host our reception here!

This space would be ideal for a New Years Eve celebration because it has more of a casual party atmosphere and less of a formal, seated dinner/black tie affair. Our guests could feast on appetizers, beer, wine, and champagne, but also have access to a full bar, because who doesn't get a little tipsy on New Years Eve? It has it's pros and cons, but it's really the first venue we've visited, so the possibilities are endless. Which, for this indecisive gal, is kind of stressful. But I'm not complaining. I've been anxious for this stress for a hot second and I couldn't be happier :)