Location, Location, Locations part 1

Now onto my search for a location.

Mr True and I decided immediately that we were going to get married in NYC, I am born and raised here and we live here so it seemed like a no brainer. Plus we had recently been to a few too many destination weddings and refused to make anyone else have to pay to come to our hotel. The City was the easy part. I have to say that the only part I have freaked out at during the planning process is choosing the location it was more stressful than I ever thought it would be. We (meaning me and sometimes Mr. True) started looking in May of last year with a year until our wedding. Note to brides unless your groom is dying to go, look at venues without him and only take him to your top choices. Most grooms find this process boring and why put them through it when you're having a good time.

I looked at like 30 places online but a lot were not big enough to fit my 200 guests or just didn't feel like me. There were a bunch of places that I thought might be me online but then they just weren't right. The problem was I wasn't completely sure what me was, as far as location goes, and Mr. True just wanted me to be happy which actually made me more stressed than made it better. I knew I didn't want a hotel ballroom where you could be anywhere in the world. What's the point of getting married in the Big Apple if you can't tell you're there? I also didn't want a big ballroom like Capitale where the room swallow your event. I immediately decided I wanted either outside space or big windows or both that screamed "we're in the center of NYC!!". I put lofts on my list because what feels more like NY than a loft and some hotels and one or two restaurants.

The first official place I visited was Tribeca Rooftop which I loved It had a rooftop (check) and big windows (check) and is basically a loft totally New York. But really I couldn't choose the first place I looked at, I needed to see more plus there was a bit of this cost thing what?? My mom was a little sticker shocked. At this point I still wasn't fully aware of wedding costs and my mom and dad refused to tell me a budget though supposedly they have one...by the way it is really hard to make a decision when you don't know how much you can spend.

I then went to Chelsea Piers Light House which is really nice but Mr True didn't like that you had to enter through a covered garage or that it was a part of Chelsea Piers...I kind of agree with him but it was on the water and it did have large windows that you knew you were in NYC (check and check). The price was the same as Tribeca Rooftop so it was still in the running. The W hotel was our next stop but that was too hotelly and not enough windows and no outdoor cross it off the list.

I next felt like I needed to find more reasonable options. First stop on more economical list the Parker Meridian (I mean still not economical but less expensive). But what a let down don't even get me started, how can this hotel not update their space or at least the chairs it's the Parker Meridian. They have a terrace that looks a bit dangerous and was covered in cigarette butts. My mom kept making faces like get me out of here. Needless to say this hotel was quickly removed. The Manhattan Penthouse was next, I immediately wanted to turn around when I saw the elevator and building but I refuse to be rude that didn't stop us from making this a very quick stop and finding any excuse possible to leave. though they have really big windows nothing in between was quite right. Then I made an appointment to see Bryant Park Restaurant. When I told my dad he nixed it before we went...not up to his standard. Studio 450 though lovely inside, I was afraid the elevator might break down before we got upstairs and the rooftop was too dangerous for the older people coming, plus you only rent the space and have to take care of everything else, I just wasn't up to that and my mom didn't want a planner.

After the economical attempt my mom called me to say that my dad wants me to have the greatest wedding possible and I should look at all options. This put some hotels on the list that I initially refused to consider and one or two museums...

stay tuned for what happened and the freak out...