How to Choose Your Perfect Wedding Venue

This is part of the series put together by the bloggers of BE Society on planning your ideal wedding. Be sure to check the linky at the bottom  for all the great tips throughout this month.

   One of the first and most important things you will want to do while planning your wedding is to decide on a venue. There are a great many places to choose from so that your venue will fit your needs as well as any theme you may have chosen for your big day. Long gone are the days where you get married in a church in the bride's hometown with a standard reception to follow. There are literally no rules and there are absolutely no wrong answers. The world is open to you so I have a few tips on the best way to go about picking out the ideal place to celebrate your wedding day. 

   You may first want to consider logistics. Having an approximate head count is a very good idea so you can automatically eliminate places that will be too small for say a 300 person wedding, or so large that the place will not have the intimate feel for a small gathering of 50 people. Also, as much as this day is all about you and your fiancee, your guests' needs are also important. If you wanted to have your ceremony on a beach but have relatives with limited mobility, you'll want to make sure you have made arrangements to accommodate them. The same is true if you are planning a destination wedding and your wedding party has small children. Can they make it to a safari location for a number of days? It's also a good idea to make sure that your venue has the lighting you are looking for or, depending on the season, heating and air conditioning available. 

   Depending on how important religion is to you and your fiancee you may be considering a traditional, church ceremony followed by a banquet hall reception. About 50% of couples choose this route. If you are going with a religious ceremony, it may have to be held in a place of worship that should be booked before the reception hall. You may also want to check with the facility as to what their policies are on decor. Some places frown upon heavy decorations and/or flowers that need to be put up before the ceremony then taken down afterward. On a plus side, many reception halls can hold between 100-400 guests and provide silverware, dinnerware, linens and in some cases food and beverages which will save you money on your overall budget in the end. 

*Resources: 
-National directory of Christian churches: churchangel.com
-Jewish temples: jewishdirectory.com
-Mosques: islamicity.com/orgs
-Hindu temples: hindumandir.us
-Extensive list of reception halls: elegala.com

   Conversely, you may choose to go with an alternative location. This list is endless. A few suggestions are a farm, a museum, an art gallery, beach resort, botanical garden, civic center or even a sports venue. Depending on where you decide, it will be easier in some cases and harder in others. For example, in choosing a beach resort lodging can be included as well as catering, staff to clean up afterwards and a picturesque background for photos. If you went with a farm, consider some of the heavy lifting that may be involved including bringing in your own seating and tables, a place for the catering staff to set up and serve as well as moving Bessie and the other animals while your event takes place. What to know when using an alternate location is to get a few things in writing such as head count, do they have or need a liquor license, can they execute a fire plan and liability insurance for any accidents or property damage.

*Resources:
-Chamber of commerce for venue recommendations: uschamber.com
-For creative spots: uniquevenues.com

   While there is a lot that goes into wedding planning, choosing your venue is an important step and there is a lot to consider. But you can make you day as unique and as wonderful as you are by taking your time and putting a bit of thought into picking the perfect venue for you and your fiancee. As I stated before almost any place is open to you so with a little careful thought you can have the wedding location of your dreams!