Tips for Selecting a Wedding Venue

You’ve announced your engagement, and the planning begins. Now you’re faced with countless decisions regarding your perfect wedding day.  From attire, to music to be played, to the menu, and so on, there are many choices to make. Before things become too overwhelming, learn to prioritize those decisions according to importance.

Choosing Your Wedding Venue

First, and foremost, you must choose your venue.  Of course, the estimated guest list determines a lot, so have a rough estimate in mind, as you begin the search for the ideal location to celebrate the beginning of your new life together.  A few tips to consider when selecting your perfect wedding venue are:

• Size - Your ideal wedding venue needs to accommodate your guests, and your budget. You may have imagined an intimate and casual ceremony on the beach, followed by a small gathering of friends and family at a local restaurant. While this might be your idea of a perfect day, a guest list of more than about 50 people can make such a wedding very difficult.


• Wedding Theme - For those who plan a full-on black tie affair, a rustic venue is never a good idea.  Making your friends and family trudge around a rustic venue in formal attire is asking a lot.  On the other hand, a simple, boho chic, or low-key affair can be overshadowed by the country club atmosphere. Decide on the style and formality of your celebration, and choose a venue that matches.


• Logistics - Next to size, the location of your venue is one of the most important considerations when planning your wedding. For those who choose a destination location for the aesthetic quality, consider how your guests’ travel requirements.  Is there a nearby airport?  Are there options for hotels in the area?  Is there a transportation service to shuttle your guests to and from the ceremony and reception?  And don’t neglect to figure the cost for transportation, and even an organized brunch the following day, into your budget.


• Menu - It’s wise to have a menu in mind before you select your venue.  Many venues are open to-and even encourage-outside catering for the reception.  However, some venues, such as hotels, with their own in-house catering services, have very specific menus for weddings.  Additionally, bar service can be up-charged for parties in venues where this service already exists, such as hotels and restaurants. And many restaurants and hotels will charge a fee for the cake to be cut and plated.


• Ceremony and Religious Restrictions - Some religions require the ceremony be inside a house of worship.  Find out ahead of time, and choose a venue close to your personal house of worship, or consider having the ceremony separate from the reception and celebration.  

 

Once you’ve narrowed your prospective venues, talk with the staff and, if possible, other couples.  Make sure you visit the venue more than once, and try to visit when another wedding celebration is taking place.  Find out contingencies for inclement weather, should your celebration include an outdoor ceremony, or cocktail hour.  Research the reviews of your preferred venues online.  

Rose Hill Manor Provides an All Encompassing Experience

Rose Hill Manor offers the best of all wedding options.  Our ample patio can serve for you and your beloved to exchange vows in an outdoor ceremony, surrounded by guests, in breathtaking natural splendor.  Our classically elegant ballrooms provide the right amount of grace and gentility to impress, and lend a stunning quality to your wedding photos.  

Our wedding venue encompasses all of the most popular, and memorable, details for your special day, contact Rose Hill Manor.