Ways To Choose A Wedding Location That Does Not Disappoint

The success of a wedding celebration weighs heavily on the location chosen for the event. It has to be the perfect spot for exchanging vows. So how does one go about it? The trick is to know exactly what you are trying to find. More specifics you know while you’re looking means better odds of choosing the best place that satisfies all your requirements.

Seeking out the ideal wedding venue is a lot like purchasing a new home so do treat it that way. After all, it’s where you’ll be receiving and entertaining family and friends on perhaps the most unforgettable day of your life.

Zeroing In On The Wedding Location

This article contains advice on finding the most suitable ceremony site for your special day. It’s a must that you locate the best venue for your wedding reception and ceremony. In a way, your personal identity dictates the type of location that is appropriate for your big day. Your chosen site should reflect your individual taste while also being comfortable.

For just this one day, everything is about you. Never mind about tradition. Who cares what your family and friends like? If all expenses were shouldered by the couple, they shouldn’t really concern themselves too much with what others have to say about the location. It’s another story if the couple’s parents sprung for part of the bill. Here, they have some say in the location picked out.

Of course, the environment has to be memorable and unique for both the guests and the bridal couple. While this seems simple enough to accomplish, it’s actually a lot harder to pull off. Success in this department calls for being extremely specific in your ideas for the venue. Do you wish to tie the knot on the beach, your ancestral house, something more intimate or maybe inside a posh hotel?

Churches are the usual wedding ceremony site, but don’t let this stop you from looking elsewhere. The options are endless when it comes to possible wedding  rites locations. For instance, it’s okay to hold the ceremony at elegant homes, botanical gardens, parks, beaches, clubhouses, hotel ballrooms or other equally awesome locations. Another option is to have both the reception and ceremony happen in one place. Aside from making things less complicated, it’s also a real money saver to do it this way.

For those who choose an extremely popular location, expect stiff competition for the spot. Chances are lots of other couples are eyeing the same venue. Scheduling your wedding the earliest possible time will solve the problem. Begin searching sooner so you’re assured of more options in case your top choice isn’t free on the date you’re tying the knot.

Below are some considerations when hunting for the perfect venue for the wedding. These apply to both weddings with the ceremony and reception held in one location and those having different venues for the two.

* Trust your gut – First instincts are best instincts. You feel something automatically the minute you arrive at a certain venue. Trust what your instincts are telling you. If a venue gives you positive vibes, great. If not, move on to the next one. Of course, you still need to exercise some logic when selecting a wedding location.

* Size counts – Go with something too small and it will be super uncomfortable and cramped for everyone. If the place is too large, you risk losing the intimacy. Venue size will ultimately depend on how many guests are invited. Have a ballpark figure of the number of guests you intend to invite before actually hunting for the perfect venue.

* Remember – the greater the precision, the better. Say you’re thinking of inviting between 300 and 700 guests. The 400-person difference can cause problems with the site size. Adequate space also has to be left for dancing activities. More guests calls for a bigger dance floor.

* Slow and steady – Selecting the perfect place for the wedding can’t be rushed. It’s an important milestone. You can’t get the location right if it’s done in a hurry. Ideally, the venue hunt should begin at least one year prior to the big day. This gives the couple ample time to make informed decisions and make changes if necessary.

* Keep within the wedding’s style and theme – Plenty of reception location options are out there besides the typical banquet hall. There’s the museum, country club, manor and more. Each one setting the mood for specific functions and occasions. Make up your mind after you’ve settled on the type of reception. It’s okay to get creative with the wedding, it’s  yours after all, not somebody else’s. It’s a once in a lifetime occasion so you should devote all time and energy to making a huge splash that none of your guests will soon forget.

* Think personal style – Weddings should be memorable. Even if you’re  a country girl who’s big on foot-stomping displays and square dances, it shouldn’t stop you from doing a more sophisticated celebration in the city. Individual taste and preferences will help determine the kind of reception location that’s right for you.

* What sort of fashion and themes are you into? The answers to these will make it clear what direction you should pursue in your wedding. Country clubs, hotel ballrooms and banquet halls aren’t the only places for holding weddings. Parks, historical sites, museums and mansions also work too.

* Geographic location – You can get married anywhere you like – your hometown, where your fiance grew up, in the Caribbean, or your current residence. Don’t let convention stifle you. The choices are endless, especially if you can afford it. Where the ceremony is held could even be dictated by the occasion theme – a country pastoral farmhouse, a swanky ballroom complete with urban cityscape scenery, tiki huts near the beach, etc.

* Parking spot – A usual complaint among wedding guests is the limited parking space available. See to it that your chosen wedding venue has plenty of places to park cars. Although this is nothing major, it can be the difference between grumpy and cheery guests.

* Venue restrictions awareness – Inquire about any restrictions of the wedding venue. There might be some concerning noise, which could mean canceling the sound system and band. Other venues impose time restrictions, but some do let parties go on the entire night. There are venues that even limit the decor. With certain venues, it’s okay if the wedding party brings in its own florists, caterers, photographers, decorators, etc., but others have preferred suppliers and contractors.

* Big or small? – So you’ve decided on the wedding location and are eager to tour the reception and ceremony site. Before heading out, keep in mind one important aspect: capacity. This can be a deal-breaker. Go with a place that only accommodates 200 seats while you’ve got a 400-member guest list and you’re looking at a tight fit. The crowd won’t be too happy about this. The venue could be unbelievable, but if the seating is quite limited, guests will be hard-pressed to enjoy the affair with you.

It’s usually easy to obtain seating info for most reception places. However, if it isn’t, just call the phone number provided to find out. Picture what type reception you want when considering the different facilities – seated dinners, cocktail receptions, buffets and so on. Facilities may also differ based on the region. There could be room for dancing or dance floors could be totally absent.

* Wedding layout – Come up with a wedding design or layout. It’s best to have this ready before moving on to wedding venue selection. You could either have a mental picture of things or have it on paper. Have a general idea where guests will be seated, the dining section and reception place. See if the wedding venue suits the layout.

Here are 10 more wedding location pointers for you to sink your teeth into:

Get the guest list in order – Decide on the number of guests. Which people can’t miss your wedding? Find out who are unlikely to make it because of travel or distance issues.

Finalize the wedding overall style – Are you thinking intimate, with just the immediate family or something grander with wild dance parties to boot?

Outdoors or indoors? – You can wed under the evening sky or inside a historic church or cathedral.

Spot check reception and wedding venues – Gauge the level of cooperation or restriction of the arrangements for the place.

Meet and greet – Meetings with actual or prospective vendors should be scheduled right away. While there, be sure to get their opinions on the locations you’ve shortlisted.

Three to four location options – Review at least three sites before you make a decision.

Go over the budget – Is having the wedding at a grand castle really that important? If yes, then it might be necessary to cut corners and shorten the guest list to stay within budget.

It’s a date! – Consider the chosen day for the wedding. A beach wedding doesn’t make sense if it’s wintertime.

Guests’ needs besides entertainment – Make the necessary arrangements. For example, a small church might not be able to house a large orchestra. What about parking facilities for the nearly 400 guests attending your wedding? All these have to be considered and prepared for.

Booked and done – Reserve the site and ensure all business transactions and arrangements come in written form. You and the vendors should each have a copy of the said documents.

As you can see, several factors must be considered before a couple can decide on a specific wedding location. The initial decision will be dictated by the number of guests. While all attention should be on you on this big day, guests still have to be considered. From the changing and toilet facilities to the parking to the available decorations – it’s a pretty long list. However, any decent wedding venue will offer up full disclosure and deliver everything you require to make that dream wedding a reality.

Until Next Time,
DUANE HUTSON
Levan’s Catering and Special Events

Ways To Choose A Wedding Location That Does Not Disappoint by DUANE HUTSON is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License.