Last week’s destination was the quintessential exotic wedding venue—a magnificent palace in Istanbul along the Bosphorus Strait. This week, we’re heading to Idaho to a place designed for a down-home affair, with an ambience as comfortable as a two-year-old bra. If casual and laid back describe your dream wedding, welcome to Bogus Creek Ranch in Idaho’s Treasure Valley, not far from Boise!

Like stepping into the Old West, you’ll find yourself in the Badlands, a desert steeped in leftover relics of days gone by, and Prairie Marsh, a wetland with cattails, willows and migratory birds nesting in the quiet waters. The ranch has two locations for weddings and receptions—the wedding garden of “Serenity Cove” and the western town of “Coolwater.”

The beautiful garden setting at “Serenity Cove” is a “private garden and trellis park-like setting with vibrant foliage and a wisteria-covered arbor as the centerpiece.” Serenity Cove has a capacity of 100 -125 people.

“Coolwater,” with the life-size chapel or scenic Mirror Lake as your backdrop, has seating for more than 300—and it lives up to it’s name! Very cool “Coolwater” is a replica of an old western town complete with Wild Bill’s Saloon, Sheriff’s Office, Coolwater Hotel, bank, livery stables, various other buildings and, you guessed it, Sophie’s Pleasure Palace. There’s a quaint town square and Mirror Lake is close by. Lots of couples make the most of the venue. They wear western garb, dress their bridesmaids like dancehall girls and their groomsmen like cowboys!

Bogus Ranch offers a variety of packages from event site, music and catering, to complete wedding packages. Sounds like the perfect place to kick up your heels and get hitched!

Susan

Yes, I’m in the mood for someplace lavish and exotic. There it sits, in alluring Istanbul, Turkey along the Bosphorus Strait that connects the Black sea with the Sea of Marmara (that’s a new sea on me, too!) The Marmara Esma Sultan is one of the most exciting wedding venues I’ve come across in quite a while. Both the inside of this magnificent, restored palace and its surroundings reflect the Golden Age of Istanbul. Though Istanbul is on my list of must-see cities, family and friends who have been there say it’s one of their favorite places on the planet.

Specially designed to be a spectacular venue for weddings, meetings and special events, the Marmara Esma Sultan is named after its original owner, Esma Sultan, the daughter of Sultan Aldulaziz I. Esma Sultan was born in 1873 and married to Admiral Huseyin Pasha at the age of 16. She became a prominent and admired woman known for her lively and colorful character. In addition to her palatial residence in Istanbul, she also had several seaside mansions. One of her mansions by the sea, after withstanding neglect and suffering a fire and an earthquake, first became a tobacco warehouse and then a coal depot. The Marmara Hotels group took over the ruins in the 1990’s, and in 2001, the mansion became this extraordinary event venue.

If you have more than 3000 family members and friends to invite, this place can’t accommodate you. Sorry. But almost any number under that can be comfortably handled here. It offers 1000 guests for dinner and reception space for up to 3000 guests in the garden, 336 guests for dinner and reception for 600 guests in the indoor first floor, and 180 guests for dinner and reception for 300 guests at the entrance floor throughout the year. And just look at the setting your guests will have to admire while they wait for their entree!

This is truly the stuff that dreams are made of. See you on the Strait!

Susan

Rehearsal dinners can be tricky and seem exclusive to some guests, so it’s important to plan the guest list as thoroughly as the wedding day invitations. If you are trying to keep things simple, it is perfectly fine to keep the list at just the bride and groom, immediate family, the wedding party and officiate.

However, many weddings bring to town visiting guests, who have arrived earlier and likely spent a considerable sum to be able to attend. Including them is a nice gesture and makes them feel welcome during their time away from home. If you don’t feel comfortable including out-of-towners you may consider having a friend plan a location to meet for dinner or host a small cocktail party, so they can begin celebrating the big event too.

The rehearsal dinner should be a time to unwind and spend time with close friends and family before the wedding, so meticulous planning can avoid stress during a time when nerves are tense. Including your visiting guests in your planning shows them you care, and can reduce tension amongst attendees.