As I think back over the many weddings I’ve attended over the years, I realize that these various nuptials have brought me to farms, lakes, rivers, oceans, botanic gardens, lodges, back yards, and of course several country clubs.
When we were choosing our wedding venue, we knew we wanted an outside venue and eventually narrowed it down to a farm (with a round barn) but looking back, I realize how naive I really was about the whole selection process.
Of course, ignorance is bliss, and we can never predict the weather or any other events that may transpire to create obstacles to this special day, but you really should have a few things in mind when choosing your spot:
- Travel. How hard is it to get there? If you are among a fabulous jet-set crowd, congrats to you and ignore this bullet point. But for the rest of us: keep in mind that most people live within a budget. Don’t choose a locale so exotic that you end up exchanging vows with the five or six people who can afford it.
- Budget. When thinking about your own budget, consider selecting a venue that provides basic tables/chairs/linens/china/glasses etc. You always have the option to rent fancier items, but these are not the things that guests usually remember anyway…
- Back yards. If you or a willing family member lives on a great piece of property, consider using it. Especially for you creatives out there, back yards and farms are blank slates for you to work with. Yes, there will be the incurred expenses of having to rent tents, tables, chairs, etc. but if you can get past all that, I’d say the back yard weddings we’ve attended are some of the most unforgettable.
- Sound. If you’re a music buff, think about how the band or D.J. will sound in your space. How are the acoustics at the wedding venue?
- Space. Will all your guests fit? Again, our reception was held in a round barn with a huge silo in the middle. Once the band set up, I realized there was not a ton of space left for the guests to dance. Of course we made do, and many guests ended up dancing from their seats, but it’s something to consider if you have a large guest list.
- Temperature. Don’t forget about the heat. Again, I learned this one the hard way. We were married in Vermont in June. All I worried about was the rain; heat never crossed my mind. Well, as you might have guessed, the rain held off but my guests were dripping with sweat. I would have considered shorter dressed for my bridesmaids (rather than the floor length we chose) and perhaps a venue with air conditioning?
As with most aspects of wedding planning, keep in mind that even the venue can cause unexpected problems. There’s the issue of weather of course, which most people do fret over for good reason, but you also have to contend with other travel obstacles if you’re having a destination wedding – even if it’s a local wedding with out of town guests.
One of the first weddings we attended was the Saturday after 9-11. Needless to say a lot of people were unable to attend. There was an awesome group of college friends who loaded into a van and drove to the east coast from Ohio, but not everyone had the time to do that.
Another friend told me about a wedding she’d been planning to go to in the Presidio section of San Francisco. Unfortunately, all government funded and run parks and buildings were closed for any type of business –or celebration –during the government shutdown.
I don’t know what happened to all of those scheduled weddings, but as an engaged couple, it would make me think twice before booking a government-related wedding venue.
My point is that unless you’re having a small wedding with only local guests, be prepared for a bit of fall-off due to travel, illness, unexpected super storms, or government shut-downs. Everything else about that day can be figured out – new food can be ordered or cooked last minute, flowers can gathered, clothes can be tailored, back-up band mates can (hopefully at least) but called in, but the venue is the venue. That part cannot be changed unless, of course, you have a relative or close friend with some serious real estate…
