I got engaged on January 5, 2012 and immediately we started looking for a ceremony/reception venue…read more We knew not to wait because the sooner you find a place, the sooner you can book it, and the less likely you are to be disappointed that it was taken and you "should have" done it sooner. Even that far ahead we ran into places already booked.
We had a budget to stick to, but more importantly than that we wanted to find a place that spoke to us spiritually, a place that felt like "us", where our friends and family who weren't christian would be comfortable along side those who were. We wanted somewhere that was beautiful in itself, that we didn't need to decorate it one bit. We didn't want runners, or ribbons, or ferns or flowers. We wanted us, our guests, and the space to be full of love, not decorations. We also wanted somewhere that had a space for a reception, that had a kitchen to use, AND you can serve alcohol. Gainesville is lacking in places that have those options and are affordable. Through a friend of ours, we found the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville. We called and spoke to Cam Pierce who is the office administrator and he confirmed that their church fit all our needs.
According to their website: "We welcome people, be they Agnostic, Atheist, Buddhist, Christian, Deist, Free-thinker, Hindu, Humanist, Jew, Muslim, Pagan, Theist, Wiccan, or those who seek their own spiritual path. We welcome people without regard to economic status, ethnicity, physical ability, race, or sexual orientation. We welcome the very old, the very young, and all ages in between"
Their sanctuary is HUGE and gorgeous, the acoustics are amazing we didnt need microphones at all. They have rooms to change in, a cry room for the babies, and they also have a Social Hall for a reception space if needed. We chose in the end not to use their social hall for our reception because we couldnt decorate it the night before or get into it the day of the wedding because they had previous meetings scheduled there. But they do allow alcohol, and there is a nice size fully stocked kitchen.
Cam showed us how to get in and out of the space, and the checklist as to how to leave it when we were done. They leave you alone, no watchful eyes on you at your own ceremony, which is so less stressful and needed. The grounds are amazing, with a memory garden in the back and a Labyrinth.
UUFG was the perfect space for us, and they are just so laid back and easy to work with!