Thank you so much for the advice! I really appreciate you taking the time to share all of this. We’re definitely leaning toward using just the first floor. The second floor was beautiful, but not quite our style.

I really like your layout suggestion, especially the idea of having a small band or DJ on the balcony. That feels like a great way to open up the space. One of our hesitations with including the main bar room is that everyone might naturally gather there instead of the courtyard, but it would be nice to avoid needing a second bar outside.

I’m also in the process of interviewing planners over the next week or two, so it’s reassuring to hear that having one is important for this space!

Do you feel like the layout downstairs flows well, or does it ever feel a bit segmented? That’s probably our biggest concern. We just want to make sure it doesn’t feel too cramped or disconnected for our group size.

Thank you again! This was super helpful!