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Wedding Venues: A Moment in Time

The place where he proposed. A quiet, secluded strip of beach. The church you both attended and met. The place you choose to have your wedding can be very important; it will form the foundation of your wedding memories as well as the backdrop for you wedding pictures (unless you choose to have a studio shoot). It will also form the style and tone of your ceremony. With seemingly unlimited choices for where to hold your wedding, how do you choose?

Begin by considering how many people will attend the ceremony and exactly what your wedding budget is. You may have more people attend the reception than the actual ceremony, or you may do as my husband and I chose which was hold a small, family and close friends-only ceremony with a larger reception following. This enabled us to book a small location for the ceremony, and one that meant a great deal to us emotionally as it was the place we went for all our important decisions. Churches and other facilities often charge various fees: minister fees, rental fees, and a deposit on the space itself are not unheard of. If you are married in a church or organization’s space to which you belong, these fees may be waived.

Next, consider the tone of your ceremony. If it is to be very formal you probably do not want to have it in the community park amidst Frisbee games and yelling children. If you desire a more informal, picnic atmosphere, the community park is the perfect spot.

Finally, consider where your reception will be held. It is inconvenient and often difficult for wedding guests to travel great distances to get from the wedding to the reception. Many churches have facilities available. One memorable wedding I attended was held on the stage of a historic community theater with the reception to be held upstairs in the banquet halls. As the reception was being readied, wedding guests were bussed around the historic town for fun wedding pictures and snacks as well as a quick stroll along Lake Michigan.

Your venue can say a great deal about who you are as a couple and what your marriage is about. It should be as unique as you and make you feel that your special day is truly special.