All right folks. Hold on to your hats, seats and anything else dear to you. I think we have a winner. NEPA Groom and I went to visit A Touch Of Class Catering at The Golden Palace last week, and I was THRILLED. We were supposed to take our parents back yesterday for a visit, but that’s been postponed a week since NEPA Groom put his leg through some plate glass and is currently hobbling like a old man/Dr. House. Of course, he was the one who suggested we visit the Golden Palace, so he’s forgiven for delaying the process a bit. :-*

Anywhoo, when we went to visit, the banquet coordinator sat with us and showed us all their wedding packages, and some other event packages that some people who have been looking for more economical solutions have been using as well. She also showed us their preferred baker (who actually works out of her home) along with some of her work. It looks like their baker can do a diverse amount of cakes, so I don’t doubt she can do what I want. Next, we saw a sample of the centerpieces that are included with some packages. This is when NEPA Groom’s head started to swell – not only did I love the space (his suggestion) but their florist is Maureen’s Floral & Gifts in Ashley, who his family has gone to for years and years. Every bouquet I’ve ever gotten from him has come from there, and they are always wonderful. He’s still having trouble getting through some doorways due to the ego boost this gave him.

Here are some shots of the lower ballroom, which is what we’d use since we’re trying to have a smaller reception:

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Our next stop was at Alden Manor in Nanticoke. This is definitely a more budget option for NEPA brides who are watching costs. The staff there is very helpful and was open to any of our suggestions or questions. They were also really confident about the quality of their food, which is a good thing. They suggested we come out some night for dinner and just see how we liked the food. I have no doubt we would enjoy it.

The only real negative I have about the site is that it is a little dated. It’s a common thing to see in Northeast PA. This is what I’d probably call ‘vintage NEPA’. I snapped a few pics while we were there:

The bar area, which was pretty nice.

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FH and I started visiting potential NEPA wedding venues last week, so I’ve got a lot to dish about. Our first trip was to the Apple Tree Terrace, at the Newberry Estates in Dallas. Apple Tree doesn’t have it’s own website, but they are run by the same company as the Highlands at the Newberry Estate.

I’d say they are at the higher end of our price range, but not completely out of reach. As I expected, the room and the surrounding areas are very lovely:

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So I have a general time frame I want to be married in (October 2010) and I probably have a church (deep breaths, it’s only been a day since they came back from vacation). The next logical step is to book a reception venue. And that’s where I totally flip shit.

When I first started thinking about my Northeast PA wedding, I didn’t see a lot of reception venue options out there. There were the standard hotels everyone goes to, and a handful of country clubs. Most of them weren’t for me, though if I can get a good deal at one or two country clubs I would be happy to entertain the idea… But the point is, I was wrong! There are more wedding venues in NEPA than you can swing a dead cat at (I am nothing if not classy).

We’ve narrowed down our list of places to visit based on a few major factors:

• Price. The boy and I are on a budget. Our parents will help us as much as they can, but we’ve gotta be economical. We’re looking at more affordable options, as well as those that throw in things like the wedding cake and some basic centerpieces.
• Location – again, since we’re looking to keep our spending under control, I’m not expecting to be hiring a limo or any sort of driver the day of. This means that our families will be driving themselves around the day of. I don’t want to make them drive to Berwick or anything crazy like that.
• Party minimums – since our wedding is going to probably be around 100 people (please God, no more than that), we need to make sure our location can 1. fit that many, and 2. doesn’t require a minimum higher than that.

We have 2 visits scheduled for next week. I’ll report on them after we’re done, so wish me luck! If anyone has advice on good questions we should be asking while we’re there, I would be much appreciative. I can pay you in cookies and smooches.