I had a few locations in my mind from the get go, all of which did not workout for this reason or another (mainly either size or price). My mother and I visited so many reception venue possibilities in a one month time span, that we were quickly losing our enthusiasm for the wedding planning.
Because we went to so many, I’m going to just give you a brief description of how we (mainly I) felt about each. I've also included links to their sites and pictures (if they were easily found on their sites) so those of you who are in Dallas and still searching can gather some more info!
Marie Gabrielle – (Picture above from their website) Beautiful but our guests would be in separate areas (outside, inside, separate room).
Arlington Hall at Lee Park – (Picture above from their website) I loved this one, but it leaned on the more traditional side and was very pricey. Again, our guests would have to have been separated in various areas.
The Empire Room – (Not pictured) Great concept and great view but in need of some renovations. Very cost effective.
The Arboretum – (Picture above from their website) Absolutely gorgeous, but communication with their office was lacking and prices were high, so I was hesitant to work with them.
Hotel Palomar – (Picture above from their website) Pricey. I had heard only great things about the newly renovated hotel, however, I didn’t bother to check them out any further.
The Crescent – (Picture above from their website) Beautiful, popular and pricey.
The Adolphus – (Not pictured) Great communication with this hotel, but it is also pricey and I had heard rumors of ongoing construction. I didn’t bother to check this one out further either. 
Hotel ZaZa – (Picture above from their website) Pricey and too small for our wedding. One of the trendier hotels in Dallas, I just thought it'd be fun to see what they offered.
The Old Red Courthouse – (Picture above from their website) We received info from this venue, but the list of rules scared me a bit and I had also heard mixed feelings about the recent renovations.
Belo Mansion – (Picture above from their website) We looked here several times. My mom and I fell in love with it, but Mr. Hydrangea didn’t like how our wedding guests would be separated. When we visited for a wedding, we realized that although the smaller room (there is also a huge ballroom) was for our sized wedding, we thought it would be too cramped. One of their salespeople informed us that the ballroom would have been too large, so we moved on.
Tower Club – (Picture above from their website) Good pricing, great view, not the feel that I wanted. It was too much like a country club in a high-rise and the feeling didn’t suit me. Mom Hydrangea LOVED it.
Sky Lobby – (Not pictured) This one we almost booked. We loved the feel and the view. It was a huge room separated by elevators with an indoor garden and fountains on one side (perfect for cocktails) and a large open area on the other for the remainder of the event. In the end, I would have wanted to add too many details and rentals would have been outrageous. That added to the food and beverage amounts would have made it hard. I also started to feel like it’d be a good location for a prom. So on we went with the search.
Petroleum Club – (Not pictured) This venue is a popular place for successful businessmen to lunch and do whatever else they do in Dallas. The venue also happens to run the Sky Lobby. It felt a bit stuffy and uppity for me, so we kept looking.
The Magnolia – (Picture above from their website) This hotel was nice, but the facilities weren’t what we were looking for. The actual room we would use was located across the street and, while visiting, the fire alarm went off and construction was going on. While not the salesperson’s fault, it was a turnoff and we kept on searching.
The DMA – (Picture above from their website) I just added this one because it’s so beautiful, but I didn’t research it any further. I knew it was pricey, with the requirement to get a membership and whatnot, but it’s a place that brides in the Dallas area should check out.
These are only my personal opinions, so please don't take any offense. Each venue could host a beautiful wedding, but none of these fit for my wedding. I have to also mention that we are having our wedding on the same weekend as a huge teacher conference so, if the hotel couldn't provide us with a block of rooms, I knocked them off the list.
I envy those of you who only visited a handful of places before finding your reception sites. Am I the only one who had to see a ton of venues before making a final decision?
Up Next…How I FINALLY chose our reception venue!
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