After an afternoon of surprise, an evening of joy, a week of bliss, a week of “not talking about it,” and a week of fretting, Aimee and I went to Newport this past weekend to look at possible wedding locales for next summer. Along with the place comes the date, so we figured once we got this settled, we could take our time with other things.
Along with her mom and dad, we spent Saturday morning and afternoon looking at four places along the water in and around Newport. We started at the Newport Regatta Club, where we were scheduled to meet the representative from Ocean Cliff. We weren’t really interested in the Regatta Club, with their “gazebo” (which was more along the size of a junior high gymnasium), but it’s always good to look at all your options. We drove from Goat Island out to Ocean Cliff, where we took in their gorgeous view and wondered about their strangely lackluster fountain. I was a fan of the “Safari Room,” with thatched roof and big game mounted on the wall, but not in a way that I’d actually want to have my wedding there. The deal was really sealed, however, when our representative, who was already a little strange, informed us as an aside that we should keep in mind that the entire operation was presently engaged in a lawsuit, and that they probably would be for the next ten years. Next!
Our early favorite from pre-visit investigation was Castle Hill, and after a break for lunch at the Casino Restaurant overlooking the Int’l. Tennis Hall of Fame, we headed there with high hopes. The building itself, built in 1874 as a summer house for Alexander Agassiz, is beautiful, as are the grounds. We were all pleased by the size of the semi-permanent tent where the reception would be, and the amazing view from the lawn where the ceremony could take place, overlooking the bay. The guest room upstairs for us the night of the wedding is a nice perk, too. We walked and talked and mulled things over, and paid homage to childhood dreams (and curiosity) by making one last visit, to the world-renowned Rosecliff. While it would be amazing to be able to get changed in the room where Cole Porter wrote Night and Day, and to have a catered dinner in a room that screams “Versailles!,” it wasn’t for us.
The next day, after a brief look (but no tour) at Blithewold, we decided Castle Hill was our top choice, and Aimee’s mom put the deposit in for July 9, 2005. Even fourteen months in advance, most of the Saturdays during the summer were already reserved, so we’re happy to have it taken care of, and ready to do things little by little over the next year, including celebrating our -1st anniversary in two months.
