Venue Search... Complete?

Jacob and I spent a tiring 8 hours on Friday driving up and down the central Oregon coast looking at potential ceremony and reception site possibilities. Our goal was to find a reception site and be able to book it ASAP. As we are getting married on the beach, we have pretty unlimited options in that area, so, even though we had a beach in mind, we decided to find the reception venue first and then match a nearby beach to it.

We looked at 8 different sites, in 4 different coastal towns. And, I think, we've made our decision! =)

It came down to two different options that we both really liked. The first was the Yachats Commons in Yachats, Oregon. This community center use to be the local elementary school, and they rent out their gym for large events. They also have "classroom" sized rooms available and a large covered picnic area. Not to mention a HUGE kitchen space. Here's a few pictures I snapped after the jazzercise class let out ;)






We loved the covered outdoor area. Plus, I felt like the sunflowers painted in the kitchen was a sign! =) Plus, the place was SUPER cheap and the guy in charge of the place that showed us around was REALLY nice.

The second place that really grabbed our attention was the Waldport Beach Resort. It's a hotel (as the name kind of suggests) and they were offering up their second story banquet room for the reception, as well as having a bar onsite and someone who could serve at our party for a minimum hourly fee and a discount on rooms for our guests. Here's some pictures of the room and view over the bay.





The beach resort was a bit more expensive, and did not have an adjacent outdoor area of any sort, but talking to the assistant manager (who is also an event coordinator) we started to like the idea of having our reception here a little bit better. Apparently the higher cost covers a lot of other stuff, included linens, furniture, and wait staff, as well as, kind of, our own event coordinator to rent outside equipment for us (projectors, microphones, etc.). Also, we are allowed to bring in our own food if we'd like, but it sounds like their caterer may be able to make something from our meager budget as well! =) Additionally, they are started a complete renovation/remodel of the hotel at the end of the month. Apparently the big wigs that recently bought the place are putting $1 million into revamping the resort. Part of this, we were told, was too add a patio onto the banquet room (which addresses our issue of wanting an outdoor area). All of this work is suppose to be starting at the end of the month and be finished by next summer.

This makes me nervous a little bit. I know how construction goes. When a job is going to take 6 weeks it ends up taking 6 months. What if the place isn't done by the summer like it's suppose to be?? Also, the staff at the hotel has yet to see any blue prints, so they do not know FOR SURE what the banquet room is going to look like and if it will or will not ACTUALLY have a patio area. This is just what they've been told.

Jacob and I put our names down on the calendar for the Yachats Commons as a "right of first refusal". If someone else wants it on that date we'll be given the opportunity first to put down a deposit and call it ours.

However, I think we are 95% sure we're going to go with the Waldport Beach Resort. I have contacted the assistant manager and plan on going in next weekend to put down the deposit. However, here's my conundrum. Should I play it safe and reserve BOTH places? They both have refund policies, so, should I be safe and reserve the Commons JUST IN CASE? I hate to cause someone else not to be able to use it and then cancel "at the last minute", but I worry a LOT about the construction. Am I just being paranoid?