>Introducing the Roundhouse Railroad Museum
>So while I always thought (or at least hoped) that we’d find something that we could all be satisfied with and turn into a beautiful and happy backdrop for our special day, I didn’t think we were going to find something that was exactly what I’d envisioned. The fact that my own vision has remained quite vague and oddly contradictory could have played a role in this. Whatever the problem, as soon as we walked through the Roundhouse Rail Road museum, I knew we’d found the solution.
We visited kind of on a whim, or I should say on a recommendation by Alysse who didn’t like the idea that I felt I would have to settle. Out of options and having just heard back from the Pink House, where we had hoped to move the reception, that October 22nd just happened to be the only Saturday they didn’t have available, I was discouraged and burnt out from looking, but we made a split second decision to drop by instead of going to Bonaventure Cemetery.
The first thing Winifred noticed when we walked in was a train from Norfolk and Western railway, where Courtney’s grandfather (pop pop) worked most of his career. Instantly the place had a special meaning.
It’s a mostly outdoor museum, with most of the rail cars set up in front. If you go through a big brick arch, you see exposed brick walls that surround a number of grassy court yard areas, one of which was set up for an evening ceremony. It has the rustic, funky feel of Savannah Station (which I still maintain a fondness for) but because it’s a little closer to town and you avoid the unsightly back road, we wouldn’t have to time our guests arrival for after dark. There are also a number of outdoor areas that can be beautifully lit where folks can hang out without looking at a parking lot and a dilapidated playground.
The ‘Blacksmith Shop’, a long hall with high wood ceiling and a perfect space for a band to play, just happened to be set up for a beautiful reception, which just happened to feature the few parts of a ‘vision’ that I have been able to vocalize: sunflowers, a rich blue, and a rustic style of decorating. Even if it lacks formality that Courtney leans toward (read: expansive use of marble), I think that this will be the perfect example of historic Savannah with a uniqueness that makes it memorable and lots of opportunity to add personal touches that make the night feel very ‘Courtney and Jo’.
