Choosing the Perfect Place
3rd November 2019
Top tips for choosing your dream wedding venue! We’ve researched for you, spoken to couples and collected a pool of knowledge for you to peruse.
Here's what we think you should consider when choosing the perfect venue to celebrate your wedding...
Does it suit you?
Deciding on the style/vibe of wedding you want can help you set a date, and then choose your location.
We'd recommend sitting down together and writing a list of what you look for in a venue, and what kind of place will compliment your personalities. This day is to celebrate the two of you, so it's worth thinking carefully about a space which is truly you.
Do you both love being outside? Do you want beautiful sunset photos in your album? Consider whether you want a beautiful Spring wedding, with the flowers coming out and guests needing only light jackets, or a magical winter wedding in a cosy country home. Consider the lighting, how many daylight hours will you have? Even if you have the most beautiful venue, if the lighting doesn’t compliment the space, or there isn’t enough of it, you’ll miss out on its full beauty! Work out what suits you as a couple, and have this in mind when setting a date and deciding on a venue.
Maybe you met at a music festival, and want to bring a memory of that to your special day - find a gorgeous venue with glamping options on site! Maybe you're after more of an elegant country house which is exclusively yours for the day. The type of venue you go for says a lot about you as a couple, and really sets the tone of the day for your guests.
We have barns, boats, castles, country houses, marquees, woodlands, stately homes, town houses and vineyards. There's something for every couple!
Where in the World?
Perhaps you’ve dreamed of a tropical beach wedding but flying your family across the world just isn’t realistic; location is an important factor when it comes to the amount of guests you can invite and the style of your wedding. Think about distance from ceremony to reception, where guests can stay if coming from afar, and if you'll need to compromise on distance from your families if they are far apart? These things are all good to discuss before you start looking.
Visit more than once
Once you’ve got it down to the top two or three choices, it’s always wise to visit them at least another once or twice. You may feel rushed to make a decision but make sure you have really got a sense of each venue before you choose. The venue will affect most other choices you make to do with the wedding so take your time!
Can you see yourselves saying ‘I do’ here?
A handy tip our couples give us is to keep an eye for ‘the feeling’ - the butterflies in your stomach that come when you can see you and your partner saying ‘I do’ at a particular place. Couples will tell you that’s usually the venue for you!
Money, money, money
It may sound obvious but having a good idea of your budget is important: What you would like to spend? What can you stretch to for the perfect location and what other areas of the budget have some leeway if you decide you want to invest a bit more in the location? It's also worth considering that venue prices can vary dramatically dependent on season, time of day and day of the week. There are ways to save big money on location if you need to.
Keep an open mind...
Having a few non-negotiables is fine, and it’s a good idea to have the essentials you discussed with your partner in the forefront of your mind, i.e. capacity, location (for guests to travel). However, a venue that you might not have thought was your style, may take your breath away! Try and keep your vision wide, at least in the initial stages of looking, and you might be surprised!
Happy planning!
Amazing Space Weddings x