What you need to know about preparing for your wedding day.
article What are your options for getting a wedding ceremony started?
It’s a huge decision that has many possibilities.
From whether to have your wedding reception in the town square to choosing the venue, you can have your ceremony organized in just a few days.
And the biggest question to ask yourself, is what’s your budget going to be?
Some wedding venues will require you to buy the wedding band.
Others will have you buy the cake.
But which one is right for you?
Here are some wedding planning tips to help you make the right choice.
1.
Choose the venue for your ceremony.
In the past, many couples went to a church or a local community center.
But there’s a new trend these days that says you can go to your own wedding venue.
If you want to get the most out of your wedding, you want the venue to be something special.
“There’s a certain type of venue that people are attracted to because of its size and the way the space is set up,” says Mary E. Baugh, a certified wedding planner in New York City and an expert on wedding planning.
“The size is a huge factor.”
Baugh says it’s best to choose a venue that’s as big as you can comfortably fit your wedding party.
Boudoirs, for instance, can hold up to 2,500 people and cost $30,000, according to Wedding Planning Digest.
A wedding venue can also be a good match for your event’s location.
Broughton in California is a popular venue that can hold 1,500 guests, and it’s free to join.
You can also book an apartment or condo for the reception.
Baugher and Baugh recommend renting a studio suite or a small town home in the heart of a town, where the people are more likely to be supportive.
2.
Choose a location for your reception.
If your wedding is held in a hotel, it may be best to find a location that’s less than 5,000 square feet.
“It can be a huge logistical headache,” says Baugh.
“You want to be able to do all the prep work on the spot.”
The biggest issue is deciding which type of location to pick.
“We have a whole room full of people who are just sitting there,” Baugh adds.
“But you want people to feel comfortable.
They’re going to come in and say, ‘I’m ready to get married.'”
For the most part, wedding venues don’t require guests to pay for a room, and they’re usually free to rent.
If a wedding reception is held at an outdoor venue, expect to pay around $50 to $60 per person.
That’s an average price for a typical reception, but wedding venues often charge significantly more.
“A wedding reception will take a lot of time and energy,” says Eileen S. Clements, a wedding planning expert in Chicago.
“If you’re going through this and you don’t have a place to call home, you’re really looking at a very expensive wedding.”
3.
Choose your venue.
You may want to think about a venue in a different part of town to get a sense of what people are saying about the venue.
For instance, a reception in a park could be great for couples planning a small wedding, but it can be too small for large groups.
If it’s going to take more than one person to get there, choose a location with a large number of people.
You want a large open space with lots of people on it, says Clements.
“This gives people the opportunity to have a great experience and they can enjoy it.”
You can use your personal experience to your advantage, as well.
“I think the first rule of a good wedding is, be the best you can be,” says C.J. McArthur, a New York wedding planner and the founder of the wedding planning blog, The Art of Wedding Planning.
“And if you’re in the wedding business, you have to be the very best you you can.”
And if you can’t say the same for your business, at least have a plan for what you’re doing next year.
“People are so overwhelmed right now,” says McArthur.
“When they’re getting married they’re going out on a date and they want to spend time together.
But their friends don’t want to go out with them.”
4.
Choose venue locations.
There’s a lot to consider when it comes to where to set up your wedding.
“Whether you’re booking a private ceremony or a public ceremony, it’s important to know where the venues are,” says S. J. Bowers, a licensed marriage counselor in New Orleans.
“Just knowing the location of the venue will help you pick the best venue for a given type of event.”
So, if you plan to hold a reception at a church, don’t choose a church that’s too small.
Instead, pick
