Venue Option Number Eins: The Compound Restaurant

Deciding on a replacement venue has been much harder than we thought. Our Plan B, called Hyde Park Lodge (or in the parlance of one wedding planner's web site "The Swiss Chalet") was booked so fast it made our heads spin. Couples camp out overnight in front of the ranger's station to hook their claws into a desired date. And this in January. On a ski mountain in Santa Fe. Not that dedicated, we tried to book over the phone because one of the rangers told us that was another option "if you just call early enough." Upon closer examination, this makes no sense. When we called, the guy who picked up gave a hearty (ranger-style) laugh and asked us to call back in an hour and a half once he's worked his way through the thirty couples shivering in line. Of course by that time, our date was "loooooong gone."

Because New Mexico is one of the most gorgeous places we've ever been to (I lived there for three years and Nick for one), we'd very much still like to have the wedding there. The air smells so wonderfully of mesquite and sage you'd swear they secretly pump some kind of scent into it. Also, they don't call it mañana land for nothin'. It's pretty damn relaxing there...* Our worry is that a few people might not be able to make the trip to Santa Fe. But flights can be cheaper (around $250 roundtrip from NY, but I'll see about group rates with Southwest) if you leave early in the morning, around 6 am. That gets you into ABQ around noon and you can either rent a car or take a shuttle for the 50-minute drive to SF. There are rooms of all price ranges to be had. Starting at $18 for a dormitory spot in the Santa Fe hostel to $300-a-night places.

The trick was finding a wedding venue that can accommodate a group as large was we have planned (70-80), while still having enough space left over for dancin' and stuff. In addition, we wanted to find a place that is authentically beautiful and not of the--shudder at the thought--touristy kind of Santa-Fe style. You know. Howling coyotes bedraped with little pink bandanas and things of that ilk. Oh, and of course the food should be great. And they should be open late. And they should have outdoor space. And we should be able to have the ceremony and the reception there. And we shouldn't have to sell our firstborn to be able to afford it. And it shouldn't be too hard to get to. You see where this can start getting tricky.

Here's what it came down to:
The Compound Restaurant
http://www.compoundrestaurant.com/
The Compound has excellent food and a garden to have the ceremony in. Gardens that aren't xeriscaped (basically lots of rocks, buffalo grass, plants that need very little water) aren't a given in Santa Fe. Did I mention they have excellent food? Their wedding coordinator's been very nice, too. All the above applies to the Compound. And it's the cheapest of the venues we've taken into closer consideration.

TK tomorrow: Our New York option choices. Feedback welcome.


*Unless you WANT to exert yourself: There are lots of hikes (or walks) to go on, either in the woods, canyons or desert. Or you can go climbing, riding (on bikes or horses), shopping, eating, spa-ing, whatever...