Location, Location, Location

Picking the Perfect Wedding Location

The difference between a good piece of real estate and a great piece of real estate is location. The same could be said for your wedding location. So how do you pick the perfect place while looking for wedding ceremony locations and/or wedding reception locations?

To start narrowing your choices, think about you and your fiance. Are you from the same town or opposite sides of the country? Where did you meet? Are there any places that hold significant meaning to your relationship? Are there any special religious traditions to incorporate?

Photo credit: Claire Corbin Photography

Important Factors to Remember When Choosing your Wedding Location

Then decide the basic formula of your wedding. Will it be an indoor or outdoor wedding? What are the weather trends for that time of year? Weather.com has a wedding planner that provides the average temperature and sunset for your wedding date and city. You can also compare two cities if you havenít made that decision yet. (I found the site to be fairly informative. The sunset was right on, which helped me with planning. But the forecast is given in generalizations, which wasnít as helpful. The site also sends updated daily forecast e-mails the week before the wedding. It predicted it would rain on my day (thankfully, it proved wrong, though we were prepared for the worst!)

The other important factor to consider is the size. Is it an intimate affair or the party of the year? Choose a space that accommodates the number of guests but that won’t overwhelm. An intimate affair might call for a smaller space with appropriate acoustics. A large guest list will call for open spaces. But if you are going for effect, there are exceptions to every rule.

Photo credit: The Don Cesar

Fortunately, there are tons of location ideas for every wedding combination. Examples include churches, homes, hotels, bed and breakfasts, resorts, marinas, restaurants, meeting halls, concert halls, theaters, libraries, botanical gardens, country clubs, mountaintops, beaches, vineyards, farms, lakes, parks, historical locations, museums, skyscrapers, bars, nightclubs and cruise ships. The sky is really the limit.

Photo credit: The MacCallum House Inn

Often the location will help set your theme and may even provide help with the decor – translation: money-saver! Go tropical and flips flops at the beach, or garden party with sundresses in the park. If you are getting married on a boat -hello, nautical theme!

Photo credit: Alex MacAulay Photography

Questions to Ask Your Potential Wedding Vendors

No matter what you choose, there are some important questions to ask before signing any agreements.

• Are there any regulations on vendors? Are there any exceptions?

• Are there any noise constraints? Are there any city noise ordinances?

• Any time constraints? What are the overtime fees?

• Is there enough space for all the activities? Will more than one set-up be needed?

• Is there a fee for insurance, or do you have to obtain your own insurance policy?

• Do you plan to serve alcohol? If so, does the location have a liquor license? Do you have to use the location’s alcohol and servers or provide your own?

• What does the venue provide, and what equipment rentals will be required? Think tent, lighting, tables, chairs, dance floor, stage, coolers, serving dishes and flatware, etc.

Make sure sign to a contract and be prepared to pay a deposit to ensure the space is yours for your date. Once your date and location are solidified, you can begin to think about colors, decorations, invitations and more! Let the fun begin!