Decisions, Decisions...

Why am I so horrible at making decisions?!?

Seriously...

So we've been on the venue hunt again.  We lost our first venue (read all about it here and here), and didn't want to use our second choice as it was with the same company/guy.  I was nervous we'd get screwed over again.

So we've looked at 6 places the past week and a half, and have it narrowed down to two TOTALLY different places:

Option 1:  Black on Burlington

This is an old cable factory that has been renovated.  It's got that "urban loft" feel to it: brick walls, exposed ceiling (all painted black), square tables, cement bar... It definitely has the downtown/modern setting we were wanting.

But it's in North Kansas City... a totally industrial area.  The nearest hotel is a couple miles away.  Not exactly the location we were hoping for.  Part the the appeal behind a downtown wedding is that people could walk from there hotel to the venue, and then to Power & Light afterward.  No chance of that here.  Although North Kansas City is safe, it's so far removed from the actual "downtown" that it loses some of it's appeal.

They have a do-able option for the ceremony there (we don't want to have guests sit at their tables during the ceremony), and the owner-lady was AWESOME!  She was totally open to new ideas/thinking outside of the box.  She wanted to work with us to customize the space for our needs.

But I just got the feeling that we would totally be on a time crunch there.  5 hours for a wedding, cocktail hour, dinner and reception?  I just don't think that's enough.

Option 2: Stony Point Hall

A co-worker recommended this site to me.  I couldn't find it after googling it, but this place was actually at the emergency booking bridal fair for the unlucky Stowe brides.

This place is in the middle of nowhere... somewhere between Lawrence and Baldwin.  It's owned by a husband and wife (whose house is on the same property).  There is also a barn on the property that was the original site of the Wakarusa Music Festival (for the first two years anyway).

I'm going to be honest... inside, this place is just one big plain room.  It's a blank slate.  It's not the modern look we were wanting, but I don't think that would fit with a place in the middle of nowhere.  I would consider it more "classic."  I think we could make it a little more our style with the decor.

And the best part: for just $150 more, I get my outdoor ceremony option (...content sigh...).  I had written off that possibility a couple months ago when I just couldn't find a place that had an indoor back-up that I liked.  This ceremony site is just what I was wanting: simplistic beauty.

And the other best part: we get the place from 8am-1am... we don't have to squeeze everything into a set time frame.  If we want to have a 4 pm wedding, followed by an indoor/outdoor cocktail hour, we can.  We could even have some yard games set out for our guests to enjoy during this time.  Then have dinner at 6, and dancing, etc. after.

This seems like the "laid back" style that Jason and I truly enjoy!  And the owners were so nice.  It really seems like they are doing this because they enjoy it.  And... There's no "extra fees" what so ever.  You pay sales tax on any rentals, but that's it.  None of those stupid "gratuity/service/added fees" that add up to 15-30%.

Right now, my gut says to go "laid back."  I've slept on it one night (but overslept this morning... ack!), and I think we're going to give it another couple days.  (And by "we" I mean me... Jason's says it's not really that important to him).

I know, it's more about the marriage and less about the wedding, but I just want to make it the best it can be!  If anyone has been to a wedding at either place, lemme know what you thought of it... or if you just have an opinion, I'd love to hear it!