Choosing a Wedding Location

Choosing a Wedding Location

For some people choosing where to get married is the easiest decision they can make. If they belong to a church or have always dreamed of getting married at a certain place, there's not much for them to think about. But for many others the choice is not so obvious.

Your best bet is to start looking around for a location as soon as possible. It can take time to find a place that has everything you are looking for. Ask friends and family for recommendations and browse websites that cater to your area.

Keep in mind that churches and reception halls book up fast, especially for the summer months. If you don't start looking at least a year in advance you may have trouble finding a location with an availability. And if you are having your ceremony and reception in different locations you'll have to worry about coordinating the dates and times carefully.

Some other things to keep in mind when choosing a wedding location include:

• You should have at least a rough idea of how many guests you can expect to attend before choosing a location. You'll need to be sure that the site can accomodate your needs.
• If you have guests who are older or disabled, make sure there are restrooms that are accessible to them. If the only restroom is up 2 flights of stairs, there could be problems.
• Is there an area for taking photographs? If not you might have to have them taken offsite.

Who will be supervising and troubleshooting on your wedding day?

If possible meet him or her ahead of time. You'll need to trust him to handle any little emergencies that pop up.

Is there a room available for the bride and groom to relax and freshen up?

If the location outdoors do they have a backup plan in case of rain?

Destination Weddings

A destination wedding is when you travel to a special place to get married. Presumably, its a place that you've been to and loved or a place you've always wanted to see.

This is a great option to cut costs as your guest list will likely only include close friends and family. This will depend of course on how far and how exclusive your destination is.

When planning a destination wedding be sure to research the marriage laws of the place you are traveling to. Some countries have laws that require you to be a resident or to submitting to tests before tying the knot on their soil.

It would be a great shame to travel a great distance only to find out that they won't let you get married there.

Article by Roger Mayne of Surrey Weddings wedding directory