There are many different venues where you can hold your wedding and the feel of your day is influenced by the venue. A barn conversion gives a rustic feel, outdoor space and can have a boho-chic vibe. A Manor House can create elegance, a castle gives a grand princess feel.
Your Theme
Speak with your partner what type of people are you. Sticking with who you are is the best way to go. You don’t want to feel out of place or uncomfortable on your wedding day. Are you outdoorsy? Do you love a bit of luxury? Do you prefer cosy and intimate spaces?
Choose a venue that fits with the type of people you are. If you like cosy intimate gatherings then choosing a grand ballroom for your wedding might be a little out of your comfort zone.
There is a big difference between guest saying at the end of the night ‘that was an amazing wedding’ and ‘that was perfect it was so you’.
Lots of people have amazing wedding days but having something that is so ‘YOU’ is something only you can achieve. To do that you need to focus on what you guys love doing and incorporate those loves into your day.
Wedding Venue Location
Considering where you want to get married for the purpose of this blog. I’ll assume you are staying in the country you live in.
Do you want to get married in a church? This may restrict your venue options so that is something to consider.
Does your desired venue have a license to perform weddings? If it doesn’t and you really want to use it you might have to consider getting married either in a church or registry office. Then travelling on to your desired venue. You’ll then have to choose between having your guest travel between venues. Or having the legal part done separately, before or after your actual wedding day, then having a non-legal ceremony at the venue.
Where do most of your guests hail from? Do you want to be as close to the majority as possible so they can all go home? Or do you want to go far enough away that it’s an overnight stay for everyone? Remember when you ask guests to travel overnight this will likely reduce the number who will be able/willing to come.
The advantage of an overnighter, of course, is that you don’t have to worry about transport home. Your guest can stay right to the end of the party meaning everyone can safely have a drink. The advantage of staying close to home is it’s cheaper for everyone. They get to go home and sleep in their own beds and your wedding only takes up one day rather than two or three.
Surroundings
Think picture perfect, if you want photographs by the water you’ll want to consider locations near a beach or lake. If you want more earthy tones then a venue near a wooded area might be a good choice.
Depending on your priorities the surroundings may be more important to you than the internals of your venue. Think of it this way your wedding portraits are what couples usually put up in the house and more often than not they are outdoor shots. The shots inside your venue are usually detail shots of tables, centrepieces, cakes, dessert tables, speeches and dance shots in the dark. The wider internals of the venue isn’t often seen.
The Wedding Venue Budget
What does your budget dictate? Deciding you want a castle is one thing but if that costs 10k and your venue budget is 5k wanting a castle isn’t going to make your planning process easy.
If you have your heart set on photos outside a castle then research the option of choosing a more budget-friendly venue close by and visiting the castle for photos this could save you thousands.
Don’t forget that good decor and a great photographer can make a less than perfect looking venue look outstanding. Don’t be afraid to save some money on the look of a building for some great surroundings and a perfect location.
Your venue is likely to be the biggest single expense of the day, so, choose which of the following is most important to you, location, surroundings, budget and work to that.
The Walnut Tree Inn
Our Victorian Inn has a lot of charm and some great spots for photos in and surrounding the venue. We offer affordable packages including the ceremony. Our kitchen makes quality wedding breakfast regardless of if you have 20 guests or 80. We also have 11 bedrooms and two other hotels nearby for guests who want to stay over. If you’re engaged and looking for a venue then please come and visit us soon we’d love to show you around.
For more information including a budgeting calculator and an extensive gallery please visit our wedding page.
