How to Choose A Wedding Venue

When planning your wedding, you need to choose the venue where the wedding will take place. While you may have picked out a place in your mind before you were even engaged, there are definitely some considerations to make before you book.

Outdoor Ceremony

An outdoor wedding can be stunning, but it can also come with many implications.

The weather can cause a lot of problems for you, as well as your guests. Rain is never welcome on wedding days. Extreme heat or cold can make your guests uncomfortable. Wind, bugs, the sun, uneven ground... the list goes on. Make sure you do your research and prepare for what possible problems Mother Nature might give you on your wedding day.

Despite all of this, an outdoor wedding can be magical. You can have any scenery as your backdrop. You can choose the beach, the park, a golf course; your options are limitless. An outdoor ceremony is my favourite option.

Indoor Ceremony

An indoor ceremony can be just as beautiful and romantic as an outdoor one. The most common location for an indoor wedding is a church, however it can also be at a country club, hotel ballroom or a historic building.

When having your wedding indoors, you are more likely to be restricted in terms of the number of guests. If you have your heart set on a specific location (such as the church your parents got married in) then you may need to give up on having a lot of guests if the church does not seat a lot of people.

Other things that you need to consider are: Is there air conditioning? How far away will the reception be (or will it be on site)? How many people can the building accommodate?

Because the wedding will be indoors, you don't have to worry about the weather ruining the day. While indoor weddings do have their problems, they require a lot less crisis planning than outdoor weddings.

Outdoor Reception

Having an outdoor reception can be tricky. There are many things that can complicate dining outdoors. As seen in the picture, many outdoor receptions will be on grass. If the ground is uneven, it can be difficult to set up the tables and chairs, or even the dance floor. You also want to make sure that people aren't tripping or falling.

Rain and heat can be an issue as well. Most outdoor receptions are under tends to keep dry in case of rain, and keep guests out of direct sunlight.

Bugs can be another problem. It is best to get citronella candles to try and decrease the amount of bugs in the tent.

Overall, an outdoor reception can be beautiful and romantic, but extra precaution needs to be taken.

Indoor Reception

Definitely the easiest option, the indoor reception gives you a lot of variety. When having an indoor reception, you don't need to worry about things like temperature and the weather. You also don't have to worry about uneven ground or bugs. It is much easier to plan a wedding with an indoor reception.

Many venues will have two or more different sized rooms to accommodate different wedding sizes. It is important not to get a room too big where guests will feel lost, or too small where guests will feel cramped. Make sure there is enough space between tables for guests to comfortably walk around, and enough room on the dance floor for everyone to shake it.

Other Considerations
No matter if you choose indoor, outdoor, or a mix of both, there are still some other things you will need to consider:

• Budget
• Transportation from ceremony to reception (if not at the same location)
• Vicinity to hotels
• Food options
• Parking

Thanks to Grinvilla and Taylor Clark Photography for these beautiful photos!