How to Choose a Wedding Location

Guide to Picking a Ceremony and Reception Venue

© April Bowles

Apr 12, 2009
Wedding Location, tracitodd
Many couples have a difficult time deciding on their ceremony and reception venue. Make it easier by following this guide.

Choosing a wedding location is a big decision for many engaged couples. There are so many questions that pop up when couples start examining their wedding venue choices. Utilize this guide to begin the hunt for the perfect ceremony and reception venues.

Amount of Wedding Guests

It’s very important that the couple know an estimate of how many guests they are expecting to attend the event. If they haven’t put together a rough draft guest list, then this should be the first step. Once the couple knows how many guests they expect, it will be easier to choose the perfect wedding venue. The couple should figure out where most of their guests are located such as the city or state. If most of the wedding guests live in Florida, is the couple going to ask them to travel to Canada for the wedding? This may mean that a majority of the guests won’t attend the event.

Destination weddings are usually most successful if the couple is only inviting close friends and family, because many guests will not be able to travel far and stay for longer than a weekend. Brides and grooms have to think about their wedding party when considering a destination wedding. Is the couple willing to pay for the wedding party’s travel expenses? If not, the couple should be prepared if members of the wedding party decline the request due to financial limitations.

Religious Ceremony

The ceremony venues get narrowed down quickly if the couple wants to have a traditional, religious ceremony. If the bride and groom have different religious beliefs, they may want to consider having the ceremony in a neutral location and incorporating aspects of both beliefs. If either partner in the couple comes from a religious background and chooses not to have a religious ceremony, he/she should discuss this with his/her parents beforehand.

Examine Each Venue’s Policies

When a couple goes to each venue to look around, they should ask for a list of the venue’s policies which include do’s and don’ts. Some establishments have restrictions on decorations and wedding attire. Some religious venues will not allow a bride to wear a revealing wedding dress. If the bride has already purchased her dress, she’ll want to make sure she can wear it in the chosen venue.

Also, the couple should inquire about the amount of time they will have to set things up. Some venues will only be able to give the couple an hour or two to set up due to prior events before the wedding. This could be a serious hindrance if the couple has a lot of decor.

Outside Wedding Locations

If a couple books an outdoor wedding venue, they should have a back up plan which requires more work. There will be enough stress on the wedding day. The couple doesn’t want to add to it by booking an outdoor location without a rain plan.

When making the important decision about the wedding location, the couple should consider the amount of the wedding guests, if they want a religious ceremony, each venue’s policies, and outdoor versus indoor options.


The copyright of the article How to Choose a Wedding Location in Wedding Planning is owned by April Bowles. Permission to republish How to Choose a Wedding Location in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.


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