Lol – glad you know that going in!
@CountingDown , I would love it if they had the kind of wedding your son had! That is my kind of thing, fun and low-key, but with dancing any klutz can manage.
FTR, their church is in Camden–yes, I know it’s pricey–we’ve lived in the area for a year now!
Once more…where in mid coast Maine are you hoping to have this wedding? Is flying into Portland ME a good option? Would a venue IN Portland be an option…less travel for those flying in?
Is the hometown church in a small town?
I’d be happy to give you some suggestions…we are familiar with the area… but midcoast maine isn’t a small area!
@thumper1 it’s in Camden, unfortunately. The closest airport is Portland. There is one in Rockland and Augusta, but not really reasonable for people coming from CA, WA, etc, to fly into. If we do have a lot of people coming, we may suggest flying to Boston and making a vacation of it, then driving up the coast to Maine for a night or two. We’ve looked at Norumbega Inn (only 50 guests for indoor reception and D thinks it’s too dark). Samoset is a possibility, but only with tents outdoors, as ballrooms are a bit grand and not very pretty. But again, it’s not my call. I’m just the banker.
There were seven children at my daughter’s wedding, ranging in age from one who was born just before the invitations went out to about 7 years old. Four were close relatives of the groom (and are now my daughter’s nieces, nephew, and cousin).
We arranged for children’s meals and either high chairs or booster seats for all kids young enough to need them, and each child found a goody bag with age-appropriate toys in it at his/her seat at the reception. The three oldest children (all girls, ages 3 1/2 to 7) had more fun than anyone else at the wedding. They danced alone and with each other, flirted with the DJ, turned somersaults on the dance floor, and got their parents and grandparents to dance with them. They were also in awe of the bride’s dress, which they examined in great detail (long after the pictures were taken, so the bride had no concerns about sticky hands). The smaller kids played with the toys at least long enough for the parents to scarf down some food. And the parents took their kids and left before the kids got exhausted enough to have meltdowns.
I was a little concerned about having children at the wedding. I shouldn’t have been. But it probably helped that it was a daytime wedding and that there was no bridal party – meaning that none of the parents had obligations that would compete with their responsibility to control their children.
@Marian I love the idea of goody bags for the children. I will pass that on to my D. I love kids at weddings, as long as their parents know to take them out if they shriek during the vows.
Tents outdoors in the right location on the Samoset grounds would be stunning actually.
https://www.visitportland.com/weddings/venues
Start looking here. Some nice choices.
There really isn’t anything that can accommodate 120 people in Camden…is there? What about Rockport?
The tents on the grounds of Samoset would be lovely.
But where are all of these guests going to stay??
https://www.visitportland.com/weddings/whitehall-inn-w5-bra1-c0515.aspx?cr=1535736
This one sounds nice…
To put up a tent and rent everything (lights, AC, tables, chairs, linens, utensils) may be expensive.
Our two little two year olds will be getting goodie bags with kid things in them at the hotel…things like diplomacy blocks. Big crayons and paper. Some books. Bubbles. Some things that they can use while they are here…and take home.
Personally, I think it’s spiritually critical to have kids at a wedding. Someone there has to believe all of the b.s.!
I have found with my own children and their friends, that the bride and groom usually have no idea about what goes into planning a wedding! This means their wishes and dreams can’t really be pulled off in the time they have set aside, or for the amount of money they have to spend. My daughter is a type A planner; she did 95% of her wedding planning herself, yet she had no clue when she wanted to have a band that they cost so much. That went out the window quickly as well as the full bar, which became beer and wine. My son picked a venue for their meet and greet that had tons of stairs and no elevator, creating an issue for his elderly grandparents.
Of course a wedding can be planned in a matter of weeks or months; one just needs to be flexible and not fall in love with a venue, dress, photographer, etc… If the bride and groom don’t have their hearts set on a “dream” wedding, it can be done. I do think a wedding planner would be very helpful in this situation as they will have connections and know what venues might be available, or can be creative in pulling off a wedding at an location that might not have crossed your mind. If the couple’s church is available on Saturday, or even a weekday, that would be your best bet.
Our wedding planner is helping us save a lot of money.
D1 wants a lot of greenery, flowers, arches for her ceremony venue, which would have cost 50% of the florist budget. The planner suggested to rent large plants from a local greenhouse, and since she was local she knew where to get them.
@Marian What lovely ideas for kids.
DH was our wedding planner. No one is more organized or detailed in planning. I found an up and coming caterer eager to have a good start and got an amazing deal and we were happy with the food. A Boston costume company made the custom grooms wear (exactly like Much Ado About Nothing - it was Shakespearean themed) for free with an option to purchase. I have no idea how DH found them. He even went to NH to purchase the liquor for the open bar. We paid for a professional bartender. We were able to share the tent cost with the couple getting married the next day. The reception was outside in Newport at a famousish house and the most important factor ended up being the weather. Our day was perfect and the people the next day had a horrible storm. I felt bad for them.
We walked out and back to the Rockland Breakwater lighthouse this fall and there was a lovely wedding taking place on the grounds of Samoset. Doubt it was cheap though.
There are plenty of B&Bs, inns, resorts, and rental in the area. I wouldn’t be too concerned about accommodations for guests but I wouldn’t wait until the last minute to book either. The second half of August is much quieter on the Maine Coast than July and the beginning of August. It really quiets down after the first or second weekend in August.
If she could figure out a way to make it less expensive for friends and perhaps enable them to turn it into a mini-vacation, that would be nice.
I don’t think it is realistic to send someone an invitation and expect them to understand that they are expected to not only decline but not send a gift.
Regarding the timing, if you look at the room booking thingy on the Samoset website, the place is all booked up already for two weekends in August. Looks like a pair of weddings. 
@Consolation , I was joking about the expectation to decline! We want anyone who is invited to attend, of course!