A Castle For A Castle

As some of you may know, this whole blog was spawned because of the timeless beauty and charm of Boldt Castle in Alexandria Bay, NY.

Such a romantic place made it easy to daydream about a wedding with my sweetheart, but when the time comes to put down deposits, how does it level up to reality?!?

I've mentioned three favorable venue ideas a while back, but since I've posted those, Pine Tree Point Resort's website is nothing more than a real estate listing, so it may be out of business, prices have gotten RIDICULOUS for Edgewood Resort, ($125 per person?!? o.0), and prices have gone up the Clayton Opera House, however those prices are still very reasonable for a building rental.

After looking over the local venues again with a fine tooth comb (since I decided I didn't want to go too far from the castle,) the ONLY other venue worth considering was the newly-renovated Thousand Islands Club.

I found a couple more pictures on their facebook page, their reception room is alright, however the bar looks smashing and overall it's a lot better than most in the area.  But of course, their wedding packages have not been posted yet  :P  I messaged them on facebook weeks ago and have not received a response.

*sighs*

So I started thinking, "Do I really want to deal with the frustration of dealing with a destination wedding venue that won't return my messages?!"

And I realized...that I don't.

I realized that it might be too difficult to get out-of-town guests over to a town that's 2hrs away from any major airport.

I realized that it might be difficult to afford venues in the area when there aren't many existing to begin with!

But what helped ease the loss of such a pretty ceremony spot?

Why, another castle of course! :D

I present to you:

<3 Belhurst Castle! <3

This lovely venue my friends, is located in Geneva, NY in the fabulous Finger Lakes area!

Let me tell you, I LOVE THE FINGER LAKES!

There's a reason why Mrs. Locket and Miss Fairy from Weddingbee choose that area for their weddings!  Everywhere you go you are going through gorgeous countryside, with so many lake views, you won't know what to do with yourself! :D

And this gem is on Seneca Lake, right on the shore :)

You want to know what else is everywhere in the Finger Lakes?  Wineries.  Top-notch, quality, wineries.  Dozens of them!  It's awesome sauce XD

And guess what?  This castle is a winery too!  Ack I die!

And you want to know what else?!  It's a hotel too!

AND it has a spa!

Tell 'em what else they've won Johnny!

A NEW CAR! 
(just kidding, I was on a roll XD)

So as you can see, this is what Boldt Castle would be like if it was easier to pull off! XD

It's a stunning one-stop-shop, the girls and I can get ready in the spa, (or my hotel room,) the ceremony would be outside facing the lake, the reception indoors, their tasty wine would be poured for the reception, guests can stay there for the night, and then the morning after brunch could be in their restaurant the next morning! :D

(Best photo I could find of the Meritage Ballroom that's not the virtual tour :P)

Doesn't it sound just perfect?!

I'm definitely starting to think so :)

So, what's the catch?

1) It's two hours away from Buffalo
2) It's a bit pricier than my other options

Both are fixable, however:

1) Geneva, NY is close to the thruway so it makes things mildly easier for driving commuters.  For out-of-town guests, Geneva is equidistant from both the Rochester and Syracuse airports, one hour away.  Not ideal, but I can get them a reduced group rate for car rentals at one airport to lessen the blow :P  I found that Rochester, NY was consistently more affordable than Syracuse for flights, so the special rate would most likely be there.

2) Belhurst Castle does have an absolutely horrible policy of having a minimum of $9000 for Saturday receptions May through October o.0  I don't even KNOW how you would spend that much money, (trust me, I've tried pricing it out!).  Solution?  Pick a date in the off-season, where there are no minimums, which is totally doable.

So, is two hours an ideal commute?
--No, but it's better than four hours XD

I can't WAIT til we come for a visit!!! :D

The One, The Only...Boldt Castle

So I figured I might as well give you the lowdown of the castle I have mentioned, the lovely Boldt Castle!


A gorgeous castle surrounded by pretty gardens on a heart-shaped island in the Thousand Islands area!

Lovely, isn't it?!

It wasn't always that way. The castle was built by George C. Boldt for his wife Louise as a labor of love, but unfortunately mid-construction she passed away. Heartbroken, Boldt abandoned the project and the castle.

Years later in 1977, renovations began to take place and now a good part of the castle is back to, or greater than, its former glory and open to the public. There are still many parts of the castle left to work on, and as time passes more and more areas of the castle are completed.


Weddings here are a bit structured to say the least. You can only have the wedding outside at the gazebo, (if raining on the veranda) but since the rental fee is basically just admission fees to the castle, (and a new $150 "reservation fee" XP) all attending can view the castle if they like.


What to expect for a wedding at Boldt Castle:

First and foremost, it is on an island, so the biggest thing is getting your guests, your bridal party, your decorations, your officiant, your musicians, etc. across the water to your ceremony! Fortunately Uncle Sam Boat Tours does group sales for its shuttle, so you can decide to either pay for your guest tickets or just reserve a block of tickets for them.

You have a limit of 150 people in attendance, including the officiant, musicians, photographer, etc. and you have an hour and a half for setup, the ceremony, and cleanup of the site. Not much time to work with, but I assume you can have photos taken onsite before or after the ceremony without much fuss, since it is a public attraction after all!

They say the staircase in the castle is not available for photos, but I would definitely try to make a special request...


Every ceremony comes with a changing/waiting room for the bride and bridesmaids, all ceremony chairs, a portable address system, and a free wedding rehearsal for the wedding party.


Costs for a ceremony is $7 per adult, $4.50 per young child for all attending, (again, officiant, musicians, photographer, etc. included), and a $150 reservation fee.

You cannot have a reception on the island, unfortunately, but if you're really set on having your reception at a castle, Singer Castle might be more up your alley!


I will probably do a review for Singer Castle sometime, but personally I like the grounds of Boldt Castle more. However if it can hold a decent number of people for a seated dinner then I may consider it Thousand Island reception option #5! XD

So yes, while the castle is pretty, it's no bargain in my opinion. If I have 100 guests, that's $850 just for the ceremony site... XP At least viewing the rest of the castle will give my guests something to do before the reception??? *shrugs*

But it is a castle...such a pretty, pretty castle XD

Where, Oh Where, Should the Reception Be? Part 4

Thank goodness for the internet. More and more establishments are going digital on the World Wide Web, and Thousand Island wedding venues are no exception! So here's a Thousand Islands venue update:

Another venue has come into the running, Riley's by the River!

Despite not having many photos of the establishment online, it is a new restaurant, which means decor-wise it is leaps and bounds ahead of all other Thousand Island venues that I have found online.

I finally had the guts to start emailing some of these more mysterious venues, and quickly after I inquired about having a large event at the restaurant, I got a very helpful response!

The whole restaurant can hold up to 130 people, and has a lounge area as well. (Need to check out this lounge area one day, sounds promising!)

You cannot reserve the whole place in the busy season, Memorial Day through Labor Day, but I would plan on having the wedding in early to mid May to hopefully have nice weather without dying of heat stroke, so that shouldn't be a problem. XD

This place is part of the Captain Thomas's Resort, and they have another floating restaurant called Capt's Landing. However, getting photos of the interior of this place is even harder than Riley's, and from the outside I feel it may be a little to "rustic" for my tastes.

Their email response even had a buffet menu and beverage price sheet attached! Even though I'm set on a served dinner, I'm sure something can be worked out.

Based off of the information I received, here is a review of Riley's as a venue possibility:

Riley's By The River -


Cost for a buffet dinner with rolls, salad, 3 entrees, 2 side dishes, dessert, and coffee = $21.95 per person
Total for 100 guests = $2195
7.75% sales tax = $170
18% gratuity = $395
Food subtotal = $2,760

3 hours full open bar = $23.50 per person
Total for 100 guests = $2350
7.75% sales tax = $182
18% gratuity = $423
Bar subtotal = $2,955

Grand total for 100 guests = $5,715

Since this is a buffet menu, the choices are very basic, good standbys but nothing too fancy. I'm sure once we tweak the menu a bit the price per person will increase, but at least it's a decent starting point.

Pros:
-most updated restaurant in the Thousand Islands!
-therefore the decor is much more pleasing
-therefore it has character!
-it comes with tables, chairs, linens, etc.
-waterfront views of the pier and harbor!
-has a lounge area
-can rent the entire restaurant in the slow season
-for the moment it's cheaper than the other choices
-I can transport all guests to and from the castle for $850

Cons:
-little information or photos online
-no views of the castle
-only a three hour limit on the open bar
-even though it is part of a resort, the rooms are pretty lacking

Realistically? This is probably one of my top choices now! :D

And it's always good to have more choices!

Where, Oh Where, Should the Reception Be? Part 3

A continuation of the venue search from the last couple posts...

Edgewood Resort -


There are very few meal choices, a grand total of 5 -.- Not impressed...

Average cost for dinner with rolls, salad, entree, and coffee = $33.50 per person
Total for 100 guests = $3350
7.75% sales tax = $260
20% gratuity = $670
Food subtotal = $4,280

4 hours open bar = $31 per person
Total for 100 guests = $3100
7.75% sales tax = $240
20% gratuity = $620
Bar subtotal = $3,960

Grand total for 100 guests = $8,240

Pros:
- it is a hotel, although the rooms are kinda eh...
- I *might* be able to reserve rooms for my guests in advance
- it comes with tables, chairs, linens, etc.
- cake cutting is included
- champagne toast for the head table is included
- waterfront views!
- it has some character!
- it looks more unique than your usual reception room!
- they mention they can tailor the menu (i.e. more menu choices)
- I can transport all guests to and from the castle for $850

Cons:
- very few appetizer and entree choices shown, others may be more expensive
- the open bar price was for only well liquors and one beer choice XP
- pricing only includes 4 hours onsite

So for the moment, those are the kinda top 3 contenders with the information I have right now, but the following, although lacking online information, should not be completely called out of the running...

Hart House Inn

Thousand Islands Country Club

The Clipper Inn

The Boathouse

Riley’s

Where, Oh Where, Should the Reception Be? Part 2

A continuation of the venue search from the last post...

Pine Tree Point Resort -



You pay by the plate so there are no set number of entree choices.

Average cost for dinner with an appetizer, salad, entree, and coffee = $33 per person
Total for 100 guests = $3300
7.75% sales tax = $256
18% gratuity = $594
Food subtotal = $4,150

Edit: Found open bar prices
4 hours open bar = $32 per person
Total for 100 guests = $3200
7.75% sales tax = $248
18% gratuity = $576
Bar subtotal = $4,024

Grand total for 100 guests = $8,174

Menu choices are pretty good and have a some sophistication to them. I would pick the Soup du Jour, Pine Tree Point Signature Spinach Salad, Roast Prime Rib Au Jus, Chicken St. Lawrence, and Swordfish with Lemon Herb Sauce! :D

3 choices for rooms:
Skiff Room:



Voyager:


Captin's Cabin:

Pros:
- it is a hotel, although the rooms are nothing special
- I can reserve rooms for my guests in advance
- it comes with tables, chairs, linens, etc.
- it has a spa onsite
- cocktail hour and a free room might be included
- some rooms have nice chairs
- waterfront views!
- the terrace is pretty!
- *might* be able to transport all guests to and from the castle for $850

Cons:
- the "character" is not quite what I expected...
- may need more decor to look presentable
- all food must go through the resort (i.e. can't save money on alcohol)

Quite the change from the first venue, huh? One more to come soon!

Where, Oh Where, Should the Reception Be? Part 1

Sorry for the delay of posting, a mix of being busy and researching for my next series of posts! Venues!!!

As I was, once again, desperately trying to lower the total cost on my budget spreadsheet, I figured the best way was to find a low-cost (but lovely) venue.

As I'm sure many brides-to-be realize, this is easier said than done. XP

Even though the Thousand Island environment is gorgeous, a lot of the indoor spaces leave something to be desired, and online information can be scarce. Also add in the fact that I can't call anyone yet because I would just be wasting the venue's time... This leads to a LOT of frustration on my end.

XP

What I'm looking for ideally would be something close to Boldt Castle, on the US side, and looks presentable. Remember one of the tips I collected from a recent wedding: "Pick a venue that is already has tons of character!"

So being very determined, :) I managed to find a few decent ones:

Clayton Opera House -



- 8 hours in the Performance Hall = $375
- Standard lighting, mic, and CD player setup are included
- Nothing else is there, need lots of rentals
- Banquet tables = $5 each
- Round 5ft tables = $5 each
- Grey metal chairs = $0.50 each
- Grand piano = $50




Rental fee = $375
(12) Round tables = $60
(5) Banquet tables = $25
(2 for head table, cake table, gift table, placecard table)
(100) Chairs = $50
Piano = $50
Total furniture rental fees = $560

Not including catering, dishes, linens, etc.

Pros:
- it is a beautiful space!
- it is unique and kinda really me! (I love musicals and theatre! :D)
- it has character!
- the rental fee is cheap
- we could save money on alcohol by buying our own

Cons:
- lots of restrictions on events (no real flower petals, no open flame on site, etc.)
- a lot is expected of the renter, setup, cleanup, coordination of caterer, etc.
- everything needs to be brought into the space, tables, chairs, linens, food, some decor, etc.
- would have to pay extra to have all the guests transported to the reception
- there are no waterfront views in a theater :P

More lovelies to come soon!

The Origin of My Champagne Tastes

I wasn't always that into weddings.

I mean, they seemed like fun, big fancy parties where you can wear the most gorgeous dress of your life! (Yeah I kinda have a dress obsession) But I live in Western NY so nothing too flashy was ever in my mind for a wedding.

Well my bf's parent's live in the Thousand Islands area, (Upstate NY) which is absolutely beautiful by the way, and one day we out on a little boating trip...

We passed by many cute little islands and many huge houses on the waterfront, and then we started to pass a castle, in the middle of the river on a heart-shaped island. If you haven't heard of it before, it is called Boldt Castle. And it is stunning.


His mom had to say "This would be a great place for a wedding..."

DING! went off the little lightbulb in my head. "Yes," I said, "It would be a great place for a wedding..."

I have been obsessed with this wedding locale ever since.