How to Choose a Reception Venue

Choosing a reception venue is a large task when planning your big day. There are a lot of things that need to be taken into consideration and it can be a bit overwhelming. For some, the reception will take place at the same place the ceremony will be and for others they will be at different locations. Here is a list of things that need to be taken into consideration when choosing a venue.

1. What is the cost and what is included in the cost?

Venues vary greatly in cost. Some may just include the rental of the room with nothing else included. Others may require a minimum amount that includes food, beverages and decor. Some venues will be a mixture of the two. It is important for you to decide what your priorities are and go from there when deciding what you are willing to pay.

2. How many people does it hold?

This is pretty self-explanatory. You need to make sure the venue will comfortably accommodate the number of guests that will be at your reception. On the flip side, renting a venue that accommodates 500 people when you only plan to have 150 guests doesn't make a lot of sense either.

3. What "look" are you going for?

The venue will play a huge role in creating the overall look and feel that you have envisioned for your wedding day. For instance, if you are going for an elegant, romantic feel, then a place like Park Place Events Center may be a great option for you.

 

If you envision mason jars, burlap, and an overall rustic and vintage feel, Bessie's Barn would be the perfect venue for you.

Whatever look you choose, having a venue that fits that idea will really help you to bring your visions and ideas to life!

4. Are there hotels or other lodging options nearby for guests?

Guests really appreciate having hotel or lodging options near the reception venue. If your venue isn't near lodging, having a shuttle of some sort lined up is a great idea. Some of your guests may be driving a couple hours or more for your big day and some may just want to stay close to the reception so they don't have to worry about driving home. Either way, planning for hotel and/or lodging options will be much appreciated by your guests.


I wish you the best of luck with finding the venue that is perfect for your big day. Remember, venues book up very quickly so don't wait too long to reserve the place for your day!

Wedding Planning: Where to begin!

You just got engaged... Congratulations!

Planning a wedding is an exciting time, but if you aren't careful it can become a very stressful time. My goal is to help you have the exciting times far outweigh the stressful times. From personal experience, I have learned that there are a few things that need to be decided fairly soon after getting engaged in order to get the wedding planning off to a good start. Here is a list of the three things that are great ways to get started on planning your big day.

1. Determine how many guests will attend the wedding

It may seem impossible to know how many people will attend your wedding when you JUST got engaged, and that's because it is impossible. However, without getting a rough count, it is impossible to know how big of a venue you will need and what your budget will be. You can get a rough estimate by deciding if you want it to be a large affair with all your family and friends, or if you want it to be an intimate celebration with just your family and closest friends. Once this is determined you can start to get an idea of how many people will attend and thus move forward with making a decision on the budget and venue.

2. Set a budget

Talking about a budget isn't the most exciting thing about planning a wedding, but it is definitely one of the most important. Once you know about how many will attend the wedding and reception, it is time to start budgeting. It is important to sit down and talk with both sets of parents and figure out who is paying for what so you can start figuring out the details. Once you have a budget prepared it makes it easier to choose a venue, photographer, honeymoon location, etc. because you know how much money you have to work with.

3. Choose a venue

Choosing a venue is an extremely important task to tackle right away. Venues fill up quickly and if you aren't on top of it, you may miss out on the venue you prefer. When choosing a venue, you want to take into consideration the cost and what is included in it, the size, the distance from ceremony to reception if the venues are different, and what the overall look is that you are going for. If you are going for a vintage, rustic look, then a romantic, upscale events center probably isn't the best option for you. On the flip side, if you are going for chic and elegant, then an antique-style barn is not an ideal choice. The biggest thing is to do your research, check out a lot of places and compare them, and choose what you feel will be best for your big day.

Most of all, take it all in and enjoy every minute of the planning. This is an exciting time for you and your fiance and your families. Happy planning!