Wedding planning is serious business!

So I've been away for a while but with great reason...I found and booked a venue for my reception!! After 3 months of viewing over 20 places we picked one. The picture to the left is how I've stayed sane lol.

We literally got up at 6:30 after getting home at 3am (a girls gotta have a little fun) and didnt make it home until 7pm. Only real friends can stand eachother for so many hours straight. So after seeing 10 venues in 1 day, fighting in the grass and catching a cold in the process I finally found the place we're celebrating our marriage...YAY!

Now mind you this is just a review of what we liked, what we didnt
like is way too long to link so I'll just list those

So, to review we saw:

ChomberHall: cheapest package is $90 per person with a minimum of 75 people, and they DO NOT deal with wedding planners. We loved, loved, loved the venue but the owner, not so much. We decided against it solely based on the fact that she was just too strict for the price. They're also all inclusive and the prices range from $90-$148 per person.

Coco Plum:I fell in love with this place at first sight. It's awesome! Again, all inclusive...$100 per person 100 people minimum. They allow outside vendors (except for catering) and that only brings it down to $93 per person. And the Manager, Rosievenue. About $86 per person., is awesome! Such a beautiful space but Mr. D didnt love it as much as I did, so on to the next.

Deauville Beach Resort: It's across the street from a Walgreens...otherwise beautiful! They just did $11 million dollars worth of renovations and it shows. Only problem is that it's huge and my wedding would look so empty in their venue.

And the yuck pile:

Doubletree Hotel Biscayne Bay (area is ugly and their ball room in on the 2nd floor w/ no windows)

Marriott Biscayne Bay (reminds me of the subways in NYC...nope, tacky as hell!)

Miami Rowing Club (the area looks like a junkyard, the venue itself like a beachhouse not worth the drive)

Rusty Pelican (very "old" looking...too much wood and stones for my taste, and they have multiple events at once)

Kovens Center (on the FIU Miami Beach campus, large...that's about it...oh and they only allow their caterer and event designer)

The Loft & The Club of Knights both owned by Fetes & Events (I'm a sucker for details...the owner was thrown across a couch, never introduced herself and her venues look better in pictures. Club of Knights is heinous on the outside, alright on the inside..reminds me of a family owned restaurant, and The Loft....again details... all their draping is unfinished and it's just really not impressive.)

So mind you these are MY OPINIONS...you are still encouraged to find out for yourself... I just know driving to a million places that arent worth my time isnt fun, so I hope if you're going through the same thing this'll save you some time and gas :)

So what did I finally pick?? I picked Shane Center thank you for asking. So totally different from what I've been looking at. Reason I picked it is the potential. I can afford the top 2, meaning Coco and Chomber, problem is the buget would be tight and leave no room for transportation, tuxes, shoes, grooming, hotels, bridal party gifts, etc. Shane allows room for a lot more, is of the intercoastal and is TAX DEDUCTIBLE! lol so hey, i'm down for that!