Event Planning 101: Going to venues

I take you back to the poor overwhelmed couple two weeks ago with our first post on venues, we are ready to take the next step.  We have done our research and now my fiance and I are starting to call venues.  To make life easier we taking baby steps, we chose our top three locations.  Time to see who is a available.  

We just checked out Lakes Park in Fort Myers.  My fiance and I live close by the park, we are an outdoors couple, in fact if it does rain on our wedding day we've already agreed to still get married outside.  I personally think it's romantic!!!!!!  Lady In Pink Photography once photographed an engagement in the rain, and it made me cry so hard!

Lakes Park is one of Lady In Pink Photography's favorite local parks to photograph in.  It's perfect for any family session, engagement, wedding, or updating professional portraits.  I thought I new this park in and out, but they keep adding things so every time I'm there I find something new!   

 I could take up more space with plenty more sessions from Lakes Park, but instead let's get down to business.

When it comes down to Lakes Park, here are a few reason's my fiance and I love the location for us:

It's BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!
Local
We can put together an event on a budget
There are places to cook and store our own food
Our family is big and has TONS of kids, it would be easy for us to entertain everyone.
We are an outdoor couple.  We find we will walk for hours together, especially at Lakes Park.
There are restrooms close by and available
Plenty of parking
Two pavilions for shelter with tables!!!!!
COUNTLESS locations to choose to host our ceremony
TRAIN RIDES!!!!!  Train rides!!!!  Did I mention... TRAIN RIDES with a TINY LITTLE VILLAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Play ground(s) (this bride will be swinging and sliding too!!!!!)
and two water features on the far side of the park...
and more... more more more

We have a very solid theme for hosting our event at Lakes Park and know our guests would enjoy their day there too.

This morning I took the first step... Called to book!  With my fingers crossed I was told, to my disappointment, that I have to wait 6 months before the date of event to book any spaces.  The "Go Get It Done Girl" in me almost teared up on the phone knowing I had to wait... Wait up to September to book our location...  Sigh.  BUT this means that they are available!  The plan is to keep looking at different venues and make our final choice in September.

Here is a little video from our visit to Lakes Park, warning there is a very cute guy in this video.

Now that we have dates, possible venues, and themes, time to start designing save the dates and sending them to out of town guests.