The Venue: Greenbank Farm

Even though Greenbank Farm was one of the first places I thought of as a possible venue (perhaps even the first...), that didn't stop us from doing what we do best: waffling.

The first decision was so easy it practically wasn't even a decision: the state. Even though we are in Michigan, everyone that would be attending our wedding lives in Washington, or at least near it. Washington is still home for us, so it was assumed we'd be there.

Then, we thought about our passion out west: the water. We love being in it, near it, or just looking at it. Clearly this meant we'd need a location in western Washington. Baby steps, but we were slowly narrowing it down.

Washington is blessed with many islands in Puget Sound that are each beautiful and amazing in their own rite. When we were kids, both Adam and I would spend many summers on these islands as our parents rented cabins on the beach. Guemes, Whidbey, San Juan, Orcas... all of these islands had special places in our hearts. We thoroughly researched each one.
While each had venues that were breathtaking, each had their drawbacks. From ferries to distance to expense there was always something that made it less than ideal. Even our dear Greenbank had its issues: all beer and wine had to be purchased through their wine shop, and Adam and I wanted to make our own to share with our friends on our day.
However, when it came down to it, we picked Greenbank because of its practicality and ease. It is far less expensive that many other venues, it was available on the date we wanted, there are contingency plans for rain, and there is an amazing spot where you can stand and see both coasts of the island - even all the way out to Adam's parents' cabin. It's easy to get to, it's designed with weddings in mind (some of the places we looked at were chunks of beach in the middle of nowhere...), and the folks there have been more than accommodating.

Some pictures so you get the idea:
http://www.greenbankfarm.com/weddings.html

More on the way!
Love and alpacas - (I didn't mention Greenbank has alpacas? More on that later...)

Coffee