Choosing your wedding location is all about finding the perfect place where you can come together and celebrate with everyone you love! More than just a place, it’s a spot you will remember for the rest of your life, where you will say your vows, cheers and dance the night away. Pretty important right? We think so, that is why we have put together this handy dandy guide to ease you through the process of first determining whether you’d like to host a destination wedding or plan something a little closer to home.
Where To Begin:
First things first, sit down with your fiancé and discuss your overall budget. Create a list of everything you need, what are your must haves and then decide how much you are willing to spend within the overall budget on travel and accommodations. It is important to lay these details out early on as to avoid any issues down the road. Next, try to come up with a close estimate of how many guests will be attending, this will be a big factor in selecting the right location. Is the majority of your guest list older relatives or are you primarily inviting your entourage of friends who love an adventure? Other details to lock in are the date as well as the overall style and vibe of the wedding. If you’re set on an August wedding because you met one balmy summer evening look into what the weather is like locally that month versus a destination location. Ideal wedding months abroad in tropical areas may vary then those in the States given weather occurrences like rain or hurricane seasons. For example, prime months for weddings in the Riviera Maya fall from November through March. When selecting a date, you can also utilize long holiday weekends that are celebrated in the States but may not be acknowledged in other countries such as Thanksgiving. Go back to your list of must haves and see if the items listed would only be offered locally or if they lean in the direction of an experience. If one of your required offerings includes serving late night In-N-Out burgers, you’ll need to choose a spot where “animal style” can be catered. Can’t live a night without your White Claw? Currently the hard seltzer is only available in North America. However, if your list includes saying your vows barefoot and not wanting to be restricted to a 10 PM curfew, a destination venue may be better suited for you.
The Search:
While it is necessary to consider practical details like budget, venue size and capacity, the most important part about finding your wedding locations is that you are absolutely, one-hundred percent, in love with it. This may sound like a tall order but we truly believe there is something out there for everyone. We suggest visiting the venue during the time of day your wedding will take place to get a good sense for how it’d look during your ceremony. Other things to consider are how often do you deem it necessary to see the location throughout your wedding planning. Are you the type that knows it when you see it? If you’re a love at first sight kind of gal and don’t waver in your devotion, you’ll have no qualms with doing one walk-through of your venue before the actual big day. Conversely, if you are a type A and plan on having your hand in all the details a spot closer to your home may be more convenient. Either way, we offers mock services where you can connect with your Archive Rentals Designer and see exactly what your tabletop, lounge, reception, bar, etc. will look like on your wedding day either at your venue or in one of our showrooms. Just come prepared with lots of questions, if you do not have a wedding planner then bring a feisty best friend who will ask all the tough questions.
Pro Tip: Visit your venue at the time you’d host your wedding to see how the light and temperature will be.
Before You Decide:
Sure, it was love at first sight, but before you sign on the dotted line and take that walk down the aisle, consider the following:
How many weddings will be booked on the same day? Do rates vary for different days of the week? If your guest are traveling for a couple of days could you opt for a mid-week wedding? Are there strict noise restrictions? Is there a hard time when everything must be broken down and each guest sent merrily on their way? Is there a backup plan in case it rains?
In the end, you can never ask too many questions when it comes to finding the place where you will create life-long memories with friends and family. There is no such thing as being over-prepared when you are planning one of the most important days of your life.
At Archive Rentals we are dedicated to connecting couples with local and destination venue. Still on the fence? Browse our location page and get inspired by areas Archive services.
