Wedding Venues

There will be many wedding venues from which to choose. Your wedding date, venue, and reception are all interdependent. The earlier you select among various wedding venues, the more flexibility you will have in selecting your wedding date.

After you announce your engagement the first question everyone will ask you is: so, when is the big day?

This is a natural question asked out of excitement. Keep in mind there is no obligation to define the date until you are ready to do so, and you will not be able to declare a specific date until you determine your choice among various wedding venues.

A vague answer is appropriate, something like, we are thinking of a fall wedding, or, we are taking some time to consider that and we will be sure to let you know.

Which comes first? Choosing the wedding venue or the date of your wedding

Choosing among wedding venues, where the reception will take place, the officiant, and the wedding date may require you to determine which is most important, the date, the officiant, or the venues.

Sometimes the date takes precedence because of things that cannot be changed such as work schedules, the availability of key participants, or personal commitments that are too complex or too impractical to change.

I remember needing to adjust our wedding date because the best man’s wife was due to deliver their first child at about the same time as our wedding. We chose to alter the date by a few weeks.

While there is never any guarantee that the date you pick will be free of complications, it is best to consider avoiding probable eventualities and then make adjustments if the unforeseen happens.

If you have your heart set on a specific location, or if you are limited to a narrow selection of wedding venues, you may need to be more flexible regarding your date.

Considering ceremony and reception venues well in advance can give you more flexibility and options when it comes to selecting your preferred date.

Seasonal and Holiday Weddings

Considerations will also include whether or not to avoid your wedding taking place on a holiday such as Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day, or on days of religious, social, and federal significance. Wedding venues will book well in advance depending on the significance of the day i.e. Valentine's Day.

Planning your wedding on such days can be an advantage. Time off work may be easier to obtain, and such days can in themselves be a reason to bring family and friends together.

Weddings at Christmas, Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day hold special meaning and are perfect for romantic photographs and theme-filled settings.

Having your wedding on these dates can also involve disadvantages such as heavy traffic and high airfares for those who travel. Your guests might have to decide to forego a traditional seasonal family gathering. Weather considerations, and having the day overshadowed by the season itself are other considerations.

Who, born on Christmas day, has not felt their birthday eclipsed by Christmas?

Keep in mind whether you think your guests will travel, and if they are willing to do so, are you willing to arrange for a block of rooms at a resort or hotel to get discounted rates?

Will travel eliminate those who you really want to be in attendance?

If you plan to have your wedding celebration at a resort, the resort will have resources to assist you in making many of the arrangements.

Money again! The Budget

The budget is mentioned in more detail in other sections but obviously, some wedding venues are more expensive than others.

Simple venues that do not involve a large price tag can be lovely.

I remember in earlier days planning an event. I wanted it to be a big splash as it was an occasion of significance. I invited over 1000 guests.

Then I realized, the ceremony takes place at 4 p.m. All of these people will need to eat and a light reception will not be acceptable.

While having all one thousand people attend would have been lovely, I was grateful that only about 200 were able to come.

Keep in mind that while more may be merrier, more is also expensive.

5 Things to consider before locking in your venue, date, and reception

1. Location: Practical and Exotic Considerations

Will the location of the wedding be local or at a more distant, exotic location where travel is required?

Exotic weddings are lovely. If this is your dream, you will need to consider several factors that are not relevant to a wedding that takes place in your home town.

I remember visiting a beautiful tropical location. Upon seeing a stunning roof-top dining establishment my wife and I decided to have dinner there later in the week.

While it was beautiful, the sun was still up in the early evening, there were no shade umbrellas, and the heat and glare of the sun detracted from the ambiance and romance of our evening.

If you choose an exotic or distant location much of the planning and arrangements will need to be made by the resort or through the resources of the venue. This will make some of the planning easier because there will be a more limited selection when it comes to music, flowers, food, décor, etc.

If you choose a more local venue, you will be able to personally see, touch, and have many more options available to you.

2. The Wedding Date is when it all Comes Together

Picking a date for the wedding is the endpoint that brings together all that has been planned in the prior months.

Everything that needs to be done is accomplished before the date of the wedding so allowing for plenty of time is essential.

Start shopping for a wedding venue early. This will give you plenty of choices and it will keep your options open.

Six months ahead is tight. A year and a half is good but it may feel like a long way off. A year in advance is a good goal.

3. Reviews and Customer Service Considerations

Unless your wedding will be in a church, synagogue or place of religious significance, you may want to consider searching out customer opinions and reviews for wedding venues.

While the location may look perfect, it will be the staff, details, and customer service that will make the event memorable in a positive way.

Some wedding venues may have restrictions such as the use of confetti and rice, prohibit your favorite pet from being in the wedding ceremony, restrict the use of sparklers and/or fireworks, or have a definite exit time when everyone needs to be off the premises.

Be sure to read the contract carefully because after you sign, you are locked into the agreement and it will be difficult and costly to change or break the contract.

4. Value the Opinions of Others

Invite input from others when selecting wedding venues. Certainly, this should include your partner, but it is also good to have a trusted family member or friend involved.

While you are the decision maker, others will see things through a different lens. More eyes and ears are helpful.

You may be looking through the lens of romance. Others might point out some practicalities or elements that are important to consider.

If someone else is paying for the wedding, or even cost sharing, they should be involved in the decision.

5. Will the Wedding Ceremony and Reception be in the same place?

It is most convenient for everyone if the wedding ceremony and wedding reception are in the same place. This avoids the need to have everyone navigate to a different location.

When the ceremony and reception are in the same place no one gets lost. It is also easier to gather the crowd, and the time sequence flows easily.

Having everything at one location is not always possible especially if religious facilities do not have dedicated space for such social gatherings.

It may be that there is the possibility of having the ceremony and reception at the same location but there may be limitations on the number of guests that can be accommodated.

A decision tool for your wedding venue, theme, and color scheme

The wedding venue decision tool will help you determine your priorities concerning wedding venues and their availability, the theme of your wedding, and your color scheme.

Select your first priority from the Priority 1 column. You have three choices that include Venue, Theme of Wedding, and Color Scheme
Select your second priority from the Priority 2 column. You will have two choices.
After you have determined Priority 2, your third priority is already selected. Simply look to the right in the Priority 3 column to reveal your third priority. There you have it, your three selections in priority order.

Priority 1	Priority 2	Priority 3
Venue	Theme of Wedding	Color Scheme
Venue	Color Scheme	Theme of Wedding
Theme of Wedding	Venue	Color Scheme
Theme of Wedding	Color Scheme	Venue
Color Scheme	Theme of Wedding	Venue
Color Scheme	Venue	Theme of Wedding

I'm Getting Married: Now what do I do?

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