Choosing the perfect venue for your wedding day
Since the law changed in 1994 The Marriage Act allows weddings to take place in venues licensed for civil ceremonies, rather than just places of worship and register offices. This gave couples a huge amount of choice when it came to their civil ceremony venue there are literally thousands of venues out there from barns, castles. Choosing the perfect venue is one of the most important decisions you will make when planning your wedding day.
So how do you choose the perfect venue for your wedding day.
Firstly, choose a venue to suit your personalities – would you like a grand manor house, a barn wedding or something more simple.
Stick to your budget
it is possible to choose a gorgeous venue on the smallest of budgets
Location
One of the most important decisions you’ll make is where to position your wedding. You’re likely to have family and friends across the country (or perhaps across the world!), so choosing a location will be key to making sure everyone can attend. Consider elderly relatives who may not be able to travel very far or walk up stairs, and it might be worth looking somewhere with great transport connections if everyone is coming from far and wide!
Space
Take into consideration the size of your guest list and what you want to happen on the day. Make sure your venue can accommodate for your large party of 300, or has the perfect intimate ceremony space for you and your 10 guests.
Not every venue will take your breath away. However, some unexpected venues may actually make your wedding day perfect! Keep your mind open to different ideas, themes and locations if possible, as you may be surprised at what you find! How about tying the knot in a riverside cabin, at the zoo, or at a stunning cinema?
Listen to recommendations
On your big day, you’ll want everything to run smoothly from dawn until dusk. Read reviews and recommendations of your prospective venues to see how their day went, and make sure your wedding service is 5*!
Stay in control
Write a list of non-negotiable things you want to include in your day, and make sure your venue fits in with this. If you want a particular caterer, an ice sculpture and fireworks on your wedding day, make it happen! If a venue can cater for this, then you know you’re on the right path to creating the perfect day.
Consider the lighting
One of the most forgotten elements to your wedding day is lighting. There’s not much point having a gorgeous venue if nobody can see it! Make sure there is plenty of lighting to compliment the spaces and your wedding theme. Stay well away from fluorescent or ultraviolet lighting (unless you’re having a glow in the dark wedding, that is!) And if all else fails, create your own stunning lighting!
Visit more than once
Always go and see your top venue choices two or three times before you make a decision. And there’s no rush to sign on the dotted line…take your time as your venue will affect every other choice you make in regards to your upcoming wedding.
Make sure you get ‘the feeling’!
You know when that feeling of butterflies appears in your stomach, and you can totally envisage yourself walking down the aisle in an unforgettable venue? That’s ‘the feeling’, and it normally means it’s the perfect venue for you!
