I recently went through a chain of 28 emails with a potential tenant. It was for their daughters wedding. The reception was to be held at the Daniel Fisher house but they have a policy of having the event close down at 9pm. The prospective tenant was very interested in my property and even visited the island to view the home. Shortly after their visit they approached me with their plans for an after hours party at the Captain Morse House.
The potential guest wanted to invite around 50 family and friends back to the Captain Morse House for a gathering after the reception.
I replied with a query on exactly what they had in mind and a link to the rules governing parties at the house.
They got back with the desire to have an indoor party with food caterer and a bar and bartender. They said no live music. The wedding reception is to be at the Dr Daniel Fisher House which closes at 9pm. They wanted to use the Captain Morse House for the overflow after party from 9pm – 12am. The ages of the guests would range anywhere from 20 – 82.
I was pretty sure that with underage drinkers (20) and probably no 82 year people in attendance that what they were asking for was a after hours party. Normally I recommend the Wharf Pub or the Port Hunter on Main Street for the type of party they wanted. I pointed this out and I offered to discuss this on the phone but they never called. They made different plans and so that is probably for the best.
The entire issue of weddings on the island is potentially explosive. I take seriously the homes heritage and close proximity to our neighbors and could easily see an event such as this getting out of control. The mentality of a guest is best exemplified by thinking that the house is owned by their grand parent. The worst attitude is to think of the house as a hotel room or a event venue. I certainly do not want to have anyone stay in the house that does not get the history and tradition of the house. I lose revenue but in the long run the home is preserved and the next guests come into a space that is in great condition.
A guide to our event and wedding guidelines is available here. For people wanting to hold an event this information should be a guide and hopefully the house and the event will synchronize perfectly. Nothing is worse than to mismatch a guests plans with what the house and neighborhood can handle gracefully.
