How To Choose A Location For Your Wedding

It goes without saying that finding the location for your wedding is both one of the most important and most difficult aspects of planning your wedding.

Rule Number One – Begin searching immediately! There is absolutely no time to waste! Wedding locations begin to book up over a year in advance, and if you are looking at particularly popular venues, two years in advance is not unheard of.

Decide what kind of wedding you want. Will it be formal with a long, flowing gown, white flowers, and a big cake? If so, maybe a wedding on a beach isn’t your style. So, if you are going formal, you need to decide whether you have the wedding in a church, or other religious house of worship, or a wedding hall. You may also choose from large hotels or resorts, or in the case of many people these days, a small chapel in Vegas!

Not only must you decide on the type of wedding you envision, but you must think about the people you will be inviting. Are they coming from all over the country? If so, where will they stay? If everyone will be travelling from one distant state, maybe you might consider having your wedding there instead. Either way, keep in mind that there are many more people involved in this than just you and your groom.

Price may be the decision maker for you. A wedding in a church may be cheaper (although you will have to make a “donation”), but availability may be limited. A wedding in a hotel or resort can cost thousands of dollars – just for the ceremony itself. A wedding in Las Vegas can run as little as $49 or well into the thousands as well. Decide your price point well before you start looking at venues so you don’t get off track.

Last, but certainly not least, think about the weather. If you are having an outdoor wedding, you need to have a “Plan B” in case Mother Nature doesn’t fall into line. Outside weddings may be beautiful, but I don’t know anyone who can predict the weather on a particular afternoon a year ahead of time. Be careful and be adaptable if you choose this type of wedding.

The wedding venue you choose needs to be a reflection of you, as a couple. If you can do that within your budget, all the better!