where to wed?

Yes, for you loyal blog readers, i did already post about my location choices

here
http://pamela-anne.blogspot.com/2008/05/planning-step-1.html
and here:
http://pamela-anne.blogspot.com/2008/07/hello-from-ny.html
and here are some pictures
http://pamela-anne.blogspot.com/2008/07/pictures_02.html
http://pamela-anne.blogspot.com/2008/07/and-some-more.html
http://pamela-anne.blogspot.com/2008/07/and-more-pictures.html
http://pamela-anne.blogspot.com/2008/07/pictures.html

But what i didnt tell ya'll was how this was the tip of the decision making iceburg for me and how this iceburg would so quickly melt into a big fat puddle of wedding choices that i am not mentally capeable of making. (wow can i exaggerate!)

No really it was fun and now that its over i miss it terribly... "missing it terribly" is my nemisis... the root of my indecisions and my dread for this year to proceed any quicker than it already is... soon the wedding day too will be over :(

I digress...
choosing a place wasnt actually that difficult. I spent days upon days staring at the computer screen searching and searching and narrowing it down from the thousands of choices infront of me

my criteria:
*On Long Island (somewhere)
*Not too far east for sake of OOT guests and travel
*on or very very close to the ocean or bay
*modern but traditional decor
*Inside as fabulous as the outside due to bad weather
*accomodating to DIYs
*friendly and helpful staff
*option for outdoor ceremony
*1 wedding at a time

yes, my list kept growing and growing with the more places i visited.

the ultimate choice was no easy one... for me at least. I was between 2 choices and those venue choices i knew would ultimatly shape the feel of the entire wedding... 2 very different feels.

1. saturday night wedding with grand enterance hall, beautiful outside (possibility of 2 weddings overlapping). fabulous staff and very accodating, very wedding-y and beautiful. palm trees a plus

2. unique mansion house with gardens outside. on the bay with marina outfront. BUT sunday daytime wedding a must. old fashioned interior, sand and gazebo. 1 wedding only. full run of place. Indoor and outdoor CH, so many extras.

For many and as my dad put it.. this is a "no brainer" but for me i wasnt completly ready to give up on my saturday night romantic candlelit wedding...

but i did. and it will still be georgous, minus the sunset and candlelight.. oh well.