Searching for the Reception Location

View of patio, Piedmont Park, and midtown skyline from Park Tavern

Alright so, last I was actually talking about wedding planning, I had made appointments to tour two reception location options.  On my first available day off work I visited the Piedmont Room at Park Tavern.

Piedmont Room decorated for a wedding

Park Tavern is a restaurant and bar right on Piedmont Park in midtown Atlanta.  There is an upstairs (The Piedmont Room) and a downstairs bar area, which opens out into their garden tent and patio.  Both the Piedmont Room and the garden tent are advertised as wedding ceremony or reception locations.

Garden Tent decorated for a wedding reception

I have eaten at Park Tavern multiple times and so have enjoyed both the downstairs bar area and the garden tent.  I love the location, watching the sun set and the midtown skyline light up.  However planning a wedding in January, I figured the garden tent was out of the question.  So I was eager to see what the Piedmont Room (upstairs) looked like.  I arrived and was taken on a short tour.  While the Piedmont Room is beautiful and the windows overlooking Piedmont Park and the midtown skyline were breathtaking, the room was a little too white and wedding-y for my taste.  (Did I mention in my massive list of picky-ness that I was hoping for a darker, more tavern-like feel?)  I asked if the downstairs bar was an option, and I was assured that it was, but that it could only hold 70 for a seated dinner or 100 for hors d'oeuvres.

Downstairs bar area- this is exactly how I want the reception to feel

I was fairly convinced already in the planning process that a seated dinner was the very preferred option (taking into account the parents as well as Ryan and I here) and even 100 was under our guest list projections.  I was somewhat disheartened as the dark wood, low lantern lighting, and brick fireplace was definitely the look I was going for.  However I was a little put off by the knowledge that up to six weddings can take place over a weekend at Park Tavern, and that I was treated somewhat like a number even during my tour.  (The woman showing me around was very nice and accommodating, I just felt somewhat rushed.)  So perhaps the guest list not fitting downstairs was for the best after all.

My tour of Magnolia Hall next!

[All images found here.]