Monthly Archives: July 2009

There are nearly unlimited choices, budget notwithstanding, for where to hold a wedding. Although real-life considerations like the number of guests and available budget always come into play, the choices remain vast for everyone. Choosing the ‘right’ wedding venue for your own very special occasion can and does make a tremendous difference in the overall ambiance of the ceremony and in the experience and memories of both the couple and their guests.

Once the couple has determined how many people (more or less) they think will be invited and whether or not they have a budget to rent a venue, the process of selecting the most appropriate wedding venue can begin. Having worked with many couples over the years in writing their own ceremonies and then officiating at them, I have stood with people in a wide array of wedding venues; indoors and outdoor, houses or worship and secular halls, personal homes, forest knolls and beaches. There really is no limiting factor beyond the amount of space needed to accommodate the expected guests and, sometimes, money. The following essential variables and considerations may be helpful to the couple planning for this (usually) joyful event:

Indoors Or Outdoors ?

In an area where the weather is nice and comfortable, outdoor wedding venues are worth considering. In a field, by a stream, in a park or on a beach. The limitations are those of the great outdoors. But, even so, certain considerations come into play when considering an outdoor venue. Is there an indoor option close at hand – just in case it rains? As my grandmother used to say, “Men make their plans and God laughs! The ambiance of the wedding would probably not be enhanced by the presence of porto-potties , rampant poison oak/ivy/Sumac or by minions of uninvited mosquitoes or other annoying insects. The sounds of running water, chirping birds or gently breaking waves can be a nice touch – nature’s own music.

In considering an outdoor wedding venue, the needs of easy access also come into play. Sometimes, the most beautiful spots are the least easily accessible – especially for older guests. If people have to walk more than a hundred yards pr so from the parking to the site, it may become an unrealistic or possibly even painful trek for some of your guests. Some outdoor spots are free, including a your own or a friend’s yard – while others have to be rented – like some special areas in parks. There is always somewhere available for free outdoors.

Chairs may be harder to set up outside and this may be an important consideration if you have guests who are either very young, very old or infirm who cannot be expected to stand for the ceremony. The firmness of the ground becomes important as does the position of the sun at the scheduled time (whose eyes will it be shining in?) Is there access to electricity and toilet facilities? Outdoor wedding venues add a touch of the natural to the event and are worth considering unless you are already set on an indoor venue of one kind or another.

Indoor wedding venues offer as many choices as do the great outdoors, but you are more apt to have to pay (more) for them. In it’s simplest form, for a small wedding, someone’s living room might be just the right place! Formal ballrooms and halls, best suited to larger weddings, are available in most areas for those who feel that these venues offer what they (the couple) really want and can afford.

In choosing an indoor wedding venue, be sure to look beyond the price. How does the room feel to you? Is there natural light? Is the room, itself, put together in such a way that you will feel comfortable in it? Is there something about it that ‘speaks’ to you and makes it seem special? What is covered by the cost? Sometimes, when renting indoor venues, everything provided (furniture, power, amplification, etc.) is all billed separately. A Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas or Reno is an indoor wedding venue that may be exactly the right thing for some people, while a large ballroom atop a tall building downtown may be better suited to other wedding ceremonies. As with so many other things in life, there is really no one right way. What is important is to be sure that the wedding venue reflect YOUR way!

House of Worship of a Secular Space ?

One of the most challenging, complex and potentially discordant discussions I have had with couples as we prepare for their wedding is about the role of religion in the ceremony and the way in which this issue may impact the selection of the venue. This is most especially true where the couple is ‘Interfaith.’
Having officiated at weddings in houses or worship as well as in secular rooms, I can tell you that it DOES make a difference. The traditions of a faith are expressed, quite deliberately in the design of a house of worship. As a wedding venue, these traditions become an evident and important aspect of the ceremony itself. It is simply not possible, in my experience, to hold a ceremony that is intended to be experienced as being ‘secular’ in any house of worship. The two ideas are functionally antithetical.

In a situation where both of the partners agree that a house of worship is best for them – the question is, as the attorneys say, “Asked and answered.” It is decided and choosing the right one is what comes next. It is also important to remember that when selecting a house of worship as your wedding venue, you are – most usually – selecting, by default, the officiant (the person who will perform the ceremony.) Also, choosing a religious wedding venue may circumscribe, to one degree or another, your ability to ‘customize’ your ceremony.

Most houses of worship are accustomed to celebrating various life-cycle events – including weddings. Consequently, they will know a lot about how they do things and the couple will have a bit less to concern themselves about than they might otherwise.

In inter-denominational or non-denominational unions, using a house of worship as a wedding venue is likely contra-indicated. It may offend some and leave at least one of the couple with feelings of having ‘settled’ with something they were really not comfortable with. This would not be an auspicious beginning to a new marriage.

Other Considerations In Choosing Your Wedding Venue

How convenient or inconvenient is it for the people most important to the couple? Is it easy or difficult to bring what you need for the ceremony (and reception, if there is to be one) into the place you have chosen? If their are costs involved, can you afford them? Beginning a marriage in debt is not the best of ideas if it can be avoided.

Choosing an officiant, where the person is not part of the venue ‘package’ is important for all of the same reasons. It is best if it is someone you feel comfortable with who will work with you to assure that the ceremony that you want is the ceremony that you’ll get. It is also important to choose and work with someone who you feel respects you and your own beliefs, practices, lifestyles and preferences.

There is no universal right or wrong when it comes to choosing a wedding venue. Whatever the partners agree upon is what’s ‘right.’ With that achieved, you really can’t go wrong in choosing the best possible wedding venue for your marriage ceremony.

Possibly Related Posts:

• Special Wedding Venues in Nashville
• Top Wedding Salons in Gatlinburg, Tennessee
• Wedding Venues in Branson
• How to Make Your Own Wedding Veil
• Winter Wedding Venues in the Tri-Cities (Bay City, Saginaw, Midland) of Michigan