Whether you are choosing a venue for the whole wedding or just the ceremony, it is helpful to have some important details discussed ahead of time.
How many guests will you be inviting? Do you want your ceremony inside or outside? Is there a theme or style you were planning on for your wedding?
Knowing some of these answers will make choosing the best wedding ceremony venue much easier.
Questions to Ask Potential Venues
Sometimes it can be overwhelming to get all of the information you need. But if you are prepared with the right questions to ask when planning your wedding, it will help in the long run.
Cortney Clevenger of As You Wish Wedding & Events suggests, “Couples should determine what the rental fee of the venue they are considering will be to ensure they stay within budget. They must also ask how many people the venue can accommodate, so they can determine if it fits their needs.”
What a lot of brides and grooms don’t know is many venues make you choose from a shortlist of catering vendors if you choose to book at their venue. So make sure to ask that question ahead of time. That may definitely come into play when weighing out your options.
Some of the “behind-the-scenes” things you may need to know about are if you need any licenses or permits. Make sure you find out what items you may have to rent on your own. Especially for an outdoor ceremony, you may need to know what electric power is available.
If an outdoor ceremony is what you hope for, “you should ask about a Plan B due to weather”, suggests Orlando of Press Play Entertainment. And make sure the accessible power is close enough to ceremony space so the officiant can have a microphone to be heard over the outdoor sounds.
Corner House Photography – Orlando Science Center
Some Details Often Overlooked
Don’t forget the background scenery!
“[Couples] should consider whether the ceremony venue has nice scenery or places for pictures,” says Orlando. This will save you time and money from having to go to another location for your photographs.
Make sure to take one day at a time before your wedding day and create checklists so nothing gets overlooked, such as “the reservation signs for the first few rows for family, or determining who will be providing microphones and power for the ceremony, finding out if the venue provides things such as tables for their unity candle or sand ceremony,” says Cortney.
Jessie Weissman from Our DJ Rocks says, “When picking the perfect ceremony space for your wedding, it’s easy to fall in love with the space and forget to think about some logistical elements of the big moment!” She suggests other good questions to think about such as “Will your guests be able to hear your vows? Where will the DJ set up to play your ceremony music? It’s important to make sure you have room to fit a DJ in a non-obtrusive spot that won’t be in the way of the photographer.”
Shaina DeCiryan Wedding Photography – Casa Feliz
Location, Location, Location
Should you have your ceremony at the same venue as the reception or somewhere different? Here are some helpful tips to help you decide.
Having the ceremony in the same location will save you time and money.
Orlando says, “It saves time on the day of the wedding, on traveling from one location to the next, and especially if you need a third location for pictures and video. And time is money, if you need to travel to different locations, that means you are needing your photographers and videographers for a longer period of time, which is more money.”
Rachel Doyle of Rachel Doyle Photography agrees with Orlando: “If you don’t have the ceremony and reception at the same venue, don’t make the venues too far away from each other and account for the extra portrait time you may need if you would like portraits at both locations,” which also increases the costs!
Having everything in one location also makes it easier for the guests, especially those traveling from out-of-town. Also, a lot of hotels may offer free shuttle services to guests. This is something to keep in mind when picking your venue distance from the hotels you book for your guests.
If you choose to have the ceremony a different location from the venue, consider keep them relatively close so you can stick to your timeline and keep everything running smoothly. Also, have a location to entertain your guests when they arrive at the reception venue, since their arrival times may be staggered.
Rachel Doyle Photography – Azalea Lodge at Mead Botanical Garden
Enhance the Ceremony Space to Make it More Personal
Of course, you will choose a ceremony space that fits your style and taste, but what if you want a little more?
When you aren’t sure where to begin, consider hiring a wedding planner.
“We help our couples to select/design decor that can further allow their personalities to shine through. This is where having an idea of what theme or style the couple is drawn to is quite important. A more bohemian couple might want to include more earthy tones and whimsical flowers in a garden or outdoor venue, while a more glam couple might prefer a ballroom with chandeliers and larger floral arrangements as decor,” says Cortney. Ultimately, you should make your personalities and style shine through with the decor.
The wedding ceremony venue is the location where you will exchange your vows and make your marriage legal. While it may be the space that you spend the least amount of time on your wedding day, what happens during that time are the moments you will never forget. Do plenty of research before choosing the best wedding ceremony venue that is perfect for you.
Written by Daniella Hume
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