Honestly, before getting engaged I never gave much thought about how I wanted my wedding to be. At first, we thought of having the wedding in Brazil but with time we just figured it would make more sense to do it in the US, so we started planning.
Whenever you start searching for a wedding venue, ask yourself these questions:
- What is important to us?
First, remember to always take your future spouse’s opinion under consideration. You may not agree on everything, but you two always need to talk and try to reach a common decision. Remember, this day will be for the both of you. If it weren’t for your partner you wouldn’t be getting married, right?
That being said, you two should sit together and write a small list of things you have in common: places that are special for your relationship, where your favorite date was, where you had your best memories… It may sound weird but trust me, usually that’s where the idea for your venue choice will come from. For example, maybe you two met at a country concert and you both love country music. A great idea and a place that highlights this would be to get married in a barn.
- Who needs to be there?
It’s important to be honest with yourself when you start planning. If you feel like it’s important to have all your childhood friends, distant family members and co-workers there, invite them and be sure to look for a place that can accommodate all of you. Perhaps a large ranch or a private estate with open space would work best. Or, if you are thinking of only having your close family and friends in a more intimate ceremony, consider a house with a small patio and a killer view for a romantic, cozy celebration. Making a guest list and prioritizing who you want to attend is essential to determining the size of your wedding venue.
And the biggest one:
- Will this matter a year from now?
You’ll probably be surprised with your answers once you give some thought. You are going to realize that having a four-tier cake may not be the best way to spend your money because chances are you won’t even remember the flavor in 5 years. Right now, as you plan the big day, it may feel like the most consequential component is to have your wedding at a specific resort that will cost you at least $20,000 (for just one room!). But close your eyes and think of your future self, will that make any difference in 365 days? Maybe saving your money and looking for a cool house in a fun destination for a couple of days will give you something more to remember.
What made Stevie and I decide on having our back yard ceremony was we knew we didn’t want anything too big, so we made a list with about 100 guests, perfect for the backyard’s size. As far as the reception, we had it in a cute Italian restaurant, owned by a family friend. The place was beautiful and just big enough to comfortably accommodate us all during dinner and the party, but if we wanted, the backyard alone would have been fine for both ceremony and reception.
So, before you start shopping and end up regretting your decision in the future with some overpriced wedding venue, sit down and answer these questions. You won’t believe how much easier your work will be from there.
Love,
Luisa.
