So, you’ve picked a date for the most important day of your life. Now, the work begins, planning the celebration. Also known as – the best bit! If it were a matter of inviting a few friends to join you at a city hall, that would be one thing. But, in most cases, there’s the big church ceremony wedding followed by the party to beat all parties.
There is entertainment, drink, food, little extras … so much to think about when creating the ultimate day.
However, the main question is: how do you go about picking a venue to host your reception? Ask yourself the following questions before you start looking, and have a read on for some tips.
HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE THERE?
Probably the most important question to be answered before selecting potential venues is the number on the guest list. If only you could ask the Magic 8 ball and get an exact number, how much easier life would be. But, experts suggest that 75-85% of all guests invited will show up. Sometimes venues have a maximum number that they can accommodate, but that can mean the venue gets cramped if you go up to the maximum, so don’t let numbers dictate. Look for your ideal venue in the area you desire first, a simple search for ‘denver wedding venue‘ will bring up your options, and then you can scope out the space from there.
Remember that you won’t be able to guarantee the number of confirmed guests until closer to the date. But the more out of town the venue is, the lower the percentage is likely to be due to people not wanting to travel far.
INDOOR vs OUTDOOR
Usually, an easy decision for couples is the option of an indoor vs an outdoor wedding. Both certainly have their pros, but the cons of an outdoor wedding can be substantial. Couples need to take into consideration if the outdoor venue will be handicap accessible, how the weather will be and if there will be pesky bugs during the day. These potential problems may not even be an issue, but they could be and should be thought about before choosing outside sites.
If you’re on the fence, it could be a good idea to select a site that will host both indoor and outdoor weddings. Locations such as Clevedon Hall near Bristol can offer an amazing indoor wedding in the castle-like setting or an intimate wedding outside in the gazebo.
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
While a beach wedding may sound cool in your imagination, it’s important to realise how little is included in that type of wedding. While yes, the location can’t be beaten, nothing is included but sand and water. It would be your responsibility to provide chairs, pulpit, tables, flowers, etc, basically everything needed for the wedding – unless you go down the route of a hotel wedding, or ask for help from an oversea’s wedding planner.
On the other hand, if you choose a traditional wedding hall that has hosted many weddings and receptions in the past, much of this will be included in the cost of the hall. It all depends on the venue and the location, and lots of popular wedding destination venues have access to help.
For example, Canvas-events.co.uk provides an easy and intuitive way to locate event venues in London, so you can find the ideal venue for a London based wedding. It also allows you to search luxury, premium venues, and one’s with extravagant views, right through to the smaller, quaint, private style wedding events.
GUEST EXPERIENCE
When considering the various venues, look at it from your potential guests’ point of view. Take the beach scenario mentioned above. Often times, the attendees stand for the entire ceremony. While this might not be a problem for a bunch of 20-something guests, when the elderly are invited, it might be more of a problem. Consider how the heat might affect guests, especially pregnant ones.
BE TRUE TO YOURSELVES
In the days of Pintrest weddings, it’s easy to fall in love with the idea of a wedding based on pictures shown on social media. Ask yourself, however, if the wedding is likely to be more beautiful on Facebook than it is in person. Think about what will truly make you and your partner happy vs what would look good online. And if you happen to find a place that’s both, all the better. Like, maybe you want a quiet lakeside ceremony or a simple celebration in the countryside that reflects your personalities rather than following online trends. You can bring that vision to life with the help of services like Italy Elope and other destination wedding specialists who assist couples in creating more personal and meaningful celebrations.
BUDGET
While it would be nice to live in a world where there was no restriction on money, it’s not very realistic. So, before you go viewing spots that are way out of your price range, set a budget ahead of time. Then, when viewing spots, you won’t be heartbroken over the fact its way out of your range.
The wedding day is one of the most important days of any bride and groom’s life..but it’s also important to remember it is just ONE day. So, find receptions spots that will fit your lifestyle, make your guests comfortable and NOT break the bank.
All photos taken from my bridal makeup business.
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