The ceremony- The Site (how to choose)

The wedding traditionally takes place at the bride’s house or in the church. However, with changing times, many couples tend to prefer alternative venues such as one where they can accommodate all their guests comfortably, where the mood and setting is unconventional or at a place which holds fond memories for them. Deciding on the marriage venue is a very important resolution since the ceremonial place signifies and means a lot to both, the couple as well as their families.

Couples from affluent families prefer to tie the knot on their ancestral grounds. Other common wedding venues include the church, marriage halls, restaurants, beach side or a hill resort. A lot of thought goes into selecting the site for the wedding, as relatives and friends of both sides should be comfortable with the location. There is plethora of choice today ranging from town halls to distant beach side venues for hosting unique weddings. Marriage organizers come up with exclusive ideas for wedding venues. Since many couples want their wedding venues to be ‘different’, it is indeed a tough task to actually decide on a place. The following checklist could be of use in helping you make that vital decision.

What to look for

• Distance:
  The distance of the venue from where a majority of your guests stay plays a very significant role in determining how many people would be attending your wedding. If the venue were to be situated too far away, the invitees would be a little reluctant to attend the ceremony personally and instead might choose to just parcel their gifts and wishes.
  
• Size:
  The size of the venue should be adequate enough to accommodate all your guests without making it crowded. The guest list should be determined before finalizing the site. Take into account the capacity of the venue after the furniture such as tables, chairs, pedestals, band equipments and other such paraphernalia are placed. It is a good idea to draw a map of the venue to get a better idea of this. The ceremony will lose its charm if guests do not have sufficient place to move around and might also lead to a few departing early.
  
• Climate control:
  It is very important that you take the climate into consideration while choosing a site. In winters, heavy snowing could block roads and hence checking a weather forecast in the local area beforehand is advisable. In case of a beach wedding, it is important to fix the ceremony timings based on predictions of tide and rain so as to not spoil the gathering.
  
• Smoking:
  Make sure the venue has a smoking zone; otherwise smokers would keep stepping out of the ceremony every fifteen to twenty minutes for a smoke. This can distract the couples, attendants and the minister.
  
• Venue guidelines:
  Certain venues have their own set of rules and regulations that have to be followed. For instance, some sites charge a cake-cutting fee while some others don’t. It is significant that the cancellation policy is known in case of an unavoidable postponement of the wedding. Make sure that you communicate with the venue management about the services they would be providing such as caterers, decorations, barbeques and liquor arrangement and if the costs are included in the price you have negotiated. It is good to know in advance if you have to arrange for these on your own.
  
• Costs:
  Depending upon the exclusivity of a venue, amenities and services offered, the cost of rentals and service charges vary. There should be no ambiguity in the matter of pricing and all communication with the venue management should be in writing, to avoid unpleasant surprises after the event.

Following the above can help you choose an apt venue for smooth conduct of the function and to make it a special fragment of the entire experience.