<human>: Can you succinctly summarize the text in 1-3 sentences?

My FH and I have the luxury of a long engagement, as it's not until next October. (I say luxury, but it's really we're just two broke dudes who need time to save up for this). With that long engagement I don't want to get too comfortable putting everything off because we still have almost two years. 

Our first choice venue, which will also happen to most likely be the cheapest plan all around, is a city owned lake house in a public park. There is an organization that puts on free plays every summer and it's been a tradition for my FH ever since we met, so naturally the thought of being married there was one of our first thoughts. 

Contacted the city yesterday and just heard back today that they are currently not accepting applications for weddings and similar events there just yet, but said the city is in the process or doing such. If that was it, I would have simply counted it as a wash and took that idea out of play, but they also recommended contacting them again in a month or so to get an update on where they are in the process. 

So that gives me hope that they are actually a good deal into the process and it could be plausible. My concern now comes from waiting and waiting and hearing month after month to keep contacting them for updates. Considering it's a government process it could take anywhere from a day to a decade to get it accomplished. 

In the meantime we're going to be touring other venues, and getting quotes of course, but when do we eventually have to just give up and book something?
<bot>: Ideal venue is pending government action, with no actual time table other then check with us next month. How long do we hold out hope, before settling on a different venue, wedding in 21 months.