Venues, locations, etc

After coming to terms with the fact that I wasn't getting married at the happiest place on earth (the St. Regis on the corner of 5th & 55th) I had narrowed it down to Bretton Woods and Boston, both approximately half way between my parents and Corey's. The Omni Mt. Washington did not have the dates I wanted and I heard a not so stellar food review so Boston it was! I then narrowed it down to the Ritz and the Boston Harbor Hotel. Obviously the Ritz is a spectacular hotel and right on the common but the Harbor Hotel is on the water with beautiful city views on one side and georgous harbor views on the other. Visited both, too much walking and opportunity for boozed up wedding guests to disturb non-boozed up hotel guests at the Harbor Hotel, great space with no guest floor interaction and a spectaular sales/events team at the Ritz - the Ritz it is!

Venue down, I figured great now I'm all set.... not so fast Colleen. Who knew it was so hard to find a church! Fast forward two months and I am on my 5th (and hopefully final) church. The first church, close to the hotel, historic beautiful - the MBTA does work and cracks the foundation of the church in the process, floor to ceiling crack behind the altar. Second church, beautiful stained glass, inimately fits 175 - each time we visit the church the maximum capacity decreases (it really holds 150) and our guest list grows (pushing 200), wedding outgrows the church (hense Big Fat Boston Wedding). Third church, beautiful, Episcopal, near the hotel - sure the date is available, sure we can book the church; small thing - we have to become members and attend the church regularly for 6 months prior to the wedding or give a $7,500 "suggested donation" - considering that would mean Corey would have to give up all summer weekends in Maine or we (and by we I mean my parents) would be shelling out almost 12K for the ceremony alone, not happening. 4th church, beautiful, just over in Cambridge, church administrator sends pictures and its beautiful with tons of natural light - it takes the better part of an hour to navigate the 500 one way streets between Boston and Cambridge but we finally get there, walk into the sanctuary and find out there are two, yes TWO skinny aisles - this creates three seating sections and would allow me to walk myself down the aisle - again, not happening. 5th (and knock on wood, final) church, quintessential New England, plain but pretty with tons of windows, we saw the church, listened to a 40 minute oral history on the church and I was in love (did I mention they validate parking for $.50 and are a 6 minute drive from the hotel)! Old West Church here we come!