Auspicious giglet

I just played a wedding gig - a very, very, VERY short ceremony at our venue, the Fontainebleau! Yep, I got to spy a little bit.

Since the ceremony was in Lawrence Chapel (on the grounds but a short walk away from the Inn) and we weren't hired to do the cocktail hour, I was sad I wouldn't have a chance to see the Inn "in action." But we got there a little early, and I walked around near the chapel to take a few pictures.

Post-ceremony: guests walking from Lawrence Chapel to the Inn.

As it happens, we're not using the chapel for our ceremony - there's no iconography or anything in there, but it's still a little too church-like for us (and probably our rabbi, too!). Our ceremony will be held on the tented patio at the Inn itself. The chapel is beautiful and simple, though, and these pictures give you a little sense of what the grounds feel like. 

The back of the Inn, facing Cayuta Lake. source

Our ceremony will be in the area on the right, but in an enclosed tent.

Here's the front of the chapel and a glimpse of the inside (I felt a little weird taking non-pro pics in there); the couple set out a basket of programs and cute wooden fans... it was SO hot!

There's a beautiful cemetery that belonged to the original owners of the home, the Lawrence family - it dates back about 200 years. At the entrance, I found several patches of wild strawberries!

After the ceremony, we drove past the main building, where I saw Kate from Word of Mouth (our caterers too!) grilling outside. I hopped out of the car to say hi, and she took me in for a quick glance at what the inside looked like "all done up." She also gave me a few tips on centerpieces, since she thought the centerpieces at this wedding were a little too big. Looks like I made a good choice going with the narrower boxes (even though I was just being cheap).  :-D

Tina and Katie: small on web presence, big on talent. source

I can't wait to see the Fontainebleau in the fall, since I've now visited in the three other seasons! I think the trees will be absolutely stunning. As a matter of fact...

The lake view from the Fontainebleau, 53 weeks prior to our wedding!

Have you had a chance to see your venue "in action," or will your wedding day be the first time?