Venue Option #2: Aldea at Tlaquepaque

Remember the feeling I said I was hoping to have when we visited the Secret Garden? I now have that feeling!

After sending out all the information requests to other venues, both of us went to sleep knowing there were other great options out there and we would find it.

One of the places I wanted to look at was a place called Aldea in northwest Phoenix. It originally caught my eye when I was doing research for the event/wedding venue I worked for. The pictures were gorgeous, and I remembered the pricing being pretty reasonable.

We saw that they give open tours Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 to 5. I work in that area, and I told Patrick I'd stop by during lunch to check it out.

VENUE OPTION #2: Aldea at Tlaquepaque - www.aldeaweddings.com

As soon as I finished the tour, I texted him, "I REALLY like this place...!" He responded immediately asking if he could meet me there after work. When he found out it closed at 5, he talked to his boss and was able to leave work a little before 4. I can't stress how much it means to me that he has tried so hard to make us a priority - this is just another example.

His take on Aldea was just like mine - he loved it! We had put together a list of things that were important to us, and it fit every single one. We felt completely comfortable walking through the "village" and could absolutely imagine our wedding there. The ceremony would be held in a gorgeous, outdoor courtyard, the cocktail hour would also be outside and the reception would be in a cozy, yet spacious room inside. Their description from a wedding website:

Aldea at Tlaquepaque is a stunning 7,600 square foot indoor/outdoor venue located in the northwest Valley.  A destination full of old world romance, Aldea is home to gated courtyards, brick walkways, and magnificent arched entryways. Our location offers the opportunity to create a unique event for you and your guests, by providing both picturesque exteriors and beautiful interior dining hall.

We didn't want to leave and sat down at one of the courtyard tables to call our parents and go over the available dates. I asked my mom to go over all the information with my dad, and we sent both sets of parents the link to their website.

 As we were leaving, a group showed up for a wedding rehearsal. Patrick suggested to talk to the bride-to-be, so we asked her about her thoughts on the whole process and if she was happy with her choice. She was incredibly enthusiastic and said she couldn't say enough good things & wouldn't change a thing. She also said the entire process was easy and they've been there to help her with whatever she has needed.

Even though we're really excited about the potential of Aldea, we want to go over some of the emailed wedding packages from other venues I've received today, and we also want to look at Aldea's reviews online.

I'm DEFINITELY crossing my fingers.
-Lisa