My (Our) Very Own Chateau

Finding your very own chateau in this urban jungle is like finding the perfect pair of shoes - on sale and in your size.  Luckily for me, I'm a size 6/6.5 depending on the shoe, which more often than not means that at least the sample size will be available and I can have my cake and eat it too.  But, this isn't always the case when you're looking for a wedding venue.  Your wedding's success rests heavily on the location. 

After looking at several places, all of them very much in line what we were looking for, I realized that I could go down this path endlessly if I let it.  After touring The Foundry and Smack Mellon Gallery, each time on the way home I harassed Fred about how we would never be able to find anything else like it - each time he proved me wrong.  Fred, being the cautious, tactical person that he is was not as easily impressed, so I knew that the right place would be one that he didnt feel so apprehensive about (besides me, he will never love anything more than he loves Gwar so I had to take his nod and run with it). 

The day we went to check out Metro (as I've heard it called) was no ordinary day.  It was my birthday and I was on the way home to the Bronx to spend the day with my parents.  We figured we could make a quick run and look-see on the way over despite the subway re-routing we had to deal with, and the torrential downpour that descended upon us that day. 

The Metropolitan Building is not much to look at on the outside.  Just another warehouse/factory brick monolith living happily among other similar-type buildings.  The first thing that came to mind even before going in was: "how will guests know this is a wedding venue?"  Fortunately, once inside the coin flipped.  We entered to find a smaller version of what the proud owner would compare to a French chateau, or in my eyes a Victorian home:  a little worn, a little shabby-chic, infused with vintage charm and character.  To me, it felt like that 6/6.5 shoe; it was pretty, and just my size.  While not on sale by any means, it was a good find and I was really hopeful that Fred would approve.

Several weeks later, after much research and convincing on my behalf, he signed.  And that's how our first big step into making-our-wedding-happen came to be.  With the place and date reserved, we could finally say that we had a wedding in the oven!


 "Everybody should live in a French chateau or the local equivalent thereof", Eleanor Ambos as quoted in The New York Times, April 16, 2006.