Unusual Venues

I love anything unusual.  Looking for a venue for a small-ish wedding, or how about a rehearsal dinner?
May I suggest boats and movie theaters?

Yep, boats. Specifically ferries, old style replica ships or sailing boats.  Like these from
Classic Cruises of Newport.   They do private charters.  Then bring a picnic lunch on board for everyone-call a local deli or gourmet supermarket.  Whole Foods anyone?

Or from Sail Key West

And I have a thing for old movie theaters.  Arthouse theaters, restored movie palaces and playhouses make great venues. 

This is especially great if you have your rehearsal dinner at a local restaurant close enough to the theater so the whole party can walk there together. 

What about hiring a music student from a local college to play the trumpet or the bagpipe or the saxophone to lead the way to the theater?  If it's holiday time, play carols and print out lyrics to hand to everyone to sing as they walk (maybe serve hot chocolate in to-go cups if it's cold).  Remember you had plenty of champagne at dinner so singing at the top of your lungs as you walk down the street in public sounds perfectly logical and doable. 

Being that it's Mardi Gras today, repurpose the grand old New Orleans tradition of second lines for your wedding! 

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This is also a great way to incorporate your heritage.  Are you Scottish?  Hire a bagpiper!  Mexican?  Hire a Mariachi musician.  Hell, even if you're not Mexican, are you having your rehearsal dinner at your favorite tacos and tequila joint?  Hire a Mariachi musician.  Speaking of mariachi, if you are in the Southwest hire La Pasion.  They are incredible.  Made me tear up at a Sunday brunch performance over eggs and Bloody Marys.

If you don't feel like walking, most cities have trolleys for hire.  Have a look downtown, I bet you see one on a Saturday.  Or look up "trolley for rent" on google and tons of options come up.  You could do the singing on the trolley with the lyrics too!  Portable karaoke machine anyone?  If you're really not a singing crowd, what about mad libs describing stories of how the soon to be newlyweds met/fell in love/proposed? 

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And what exactly are we doing at a theater you ask?  Well, first of all gorging yourselves on unlimited concessions and candies of all sorts!  Then watch a movie made from photos of the two of you growing up and your time together dating before you became engaged.  If the theater has one, have everyone sit together up in the balcony section!  Guaranteed fun and camaraderie.

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Best website to find gorgeous old theaters that will most likely let you rent them for a couple of hours:

Cinema Treasures

Great website to check out for an old playhouse or barn converted into a theater (this one really ups the historical charm and originality factor)

Summer Theater

Hooray for anything wedding not in a beige ballroom with gaudy carpet!  You know who you are.

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No amount of soft pink or amber lighting is going to help that sh*t!