Wedding Ceremony Locations

How to Select a Wedding Ceremony Location

The wedding ceremony location you select will ultimately depend upon a number of factors.  The desired style of wedding, your religion, the time of year, the estimated number of guests, availability and - last but not least , the costs - are all considerations that will need to be addressed before you can make your final wedding ceremony site selection.

WEDDNG CEREMONY LOCATION OPTIONS
A multitude of options are available to you depending upon the above considerations.   Churches, chapels, temples, university and college facilities, legion and club facilities, community centers, historical buildings, hotels, museums, yachts, parks, golf courses, gardens, beaches, boathouses, airplane hangars, warehouses - and the list goes on and on...   A wedding ceremony is a once in a lifetime event - your once in a lifetime event.  You can make it as unique as you want.

WHEN TO START LOOKING FOR A WEDDING CEREMONY LOCATION
Since there are a limited number of wedding ceremony locations available in most areas and many wedding dates can be booked a year or more in advance, the earlier you start looking the easier it will be for you to get the wedding location and the wedding date you want.

MAIN POINTS TO CONSIDER

DATES AND TIMES - Are the desired dates and times available?  How much time is allowed for access both before and after the wedding ceremony?  Is there another wedding ceremony scheduled either before or after your wedding ceremony?

SIZE - Is the wedding ceremony location the right size for the size of your wedding?  If it is too large or too small it will project a less than ideal feeling.   If the wedding ceremony venue is too large the feeling can be very impersonal.  In a large room, music and voices can become distorted and ambient noises appear to become intensified because of echo making it very difficult for guests to hear the wedding ceremony.  If the wedding ceremony venue is too small everyone will feel cramped and uncomfortable.  Consider the number of guests you plan to invite to your wedding when considering the size of the ceremony location - and the available parking.

AMENITIES - Is the entire wedding ceremony location (including bathrooms) accessible to wheelchairs?  Are comfortable facilities available for the bridal party to dress?  Find out what the facility has (and has not) before you make your decision. 

RESTRICTIONS - Are there restrictions pertaining to added decor items like candles and flowers, music type, photography, videography, etc.?   Are there any restrictions relating to wedding attire? You would be surprised how many wedding ceremony locations impose restrictions or regulations of one type or another.  You will need to know in advance of any restrictions or regulations that may affect your wedding ceremony plans.

COST -  You will want to know all of the fees involved, how much time is allowed both before and after the wedding ceremony and what services and equipment the wedding ceremony location fees include - and do not include.  For example, some wedding venues may include the cost of a wedding organist while others do not.  Some may include janitorial services to clean the site after the wedding ceremony while at other locations you may be responsible for clean up immediately after the wedding ceremony.  Some wedding facilities may offer aisle runners, candelabra and other items as part of the base fee while others might provide them only with an additional charge - or they may not provide them at all.  A written outline of what is - and is not - included in the wedding facility rental should be obtained (and retained) by you.

CONTRACT - Once you have selected the perfect location for your wedding ceremony, a deposit will usually be required to hold the wedding date.   Before a deposit is handed over, you should have everything outlined in writing in the form of an agreement.  The agreement should include times, included services and equipment and the specific costs associated with each item.  Although cancellation of your wedding is not something that is usually considered or planned for, the agreement should also contain a cancellation clause should your plans need to be changed.

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