Choosing the wedding venue
Once your daughter or son has announced their engagement, the first subject likely to come up on the agenda will probably be the venue. This is one of the first things that needs to be arranged and Mother’s of the Bride tend to take a particularly active role in choosing a suitable venue, often because they are paying! There are several questions surrounding this very subject that need to be answered before you can choose your daughter’s dream venue.
Cost
The first thing to agree with your son or daughter is how much of the budget you intend to allocate to the venue. Use this as a starting point to calculate a basic cost per head for food and drinks. You can then add on how much you intend to spend on the ceremony itself, rooms, arrival drinks and food etc. Key to keeping the arguments at bay from an early point!
What time of the year
Summer months can be very popular, as can major holidays like Christmas and Easter. If your daughter is choosy about the time and place and knows she wants a winter wonderland in Edinburgh castle make sure you are prepared to book well in advance and wait for the right date. Remember to consider the weather for certain venues - marquees or barns are great for summer weddings whilst castles and stately homes will be brilliant at colder times of the year. If you are arranging it for during holiday times advise your guests well in advance to ensure their availability or send out save the date cards.
What style of wedding ceremony
There are a couple of obvious options when it comes to choosing the perfect wedding ceremony, which include religious; civil; register office or abroad.
If you choose a religious ceremony and have a specific church in mind you need to first of all check with the relevant clergy for any restrictions in marrying people in/outside of the community. Some things to consider are your son and daughter may be required to attend church and classes, or pay a fee to obtain a special license to be married there.
If they have opted for having a non-religious ceremony, you must first check that the building you choose is registered to conduct weddings and civil ceremony.
If your daughter’s choice is to be married abroad, check with the embassy of the country or contact travel agents to obtain further information.
If you are going for a split venue e.g. a church for ceremony and reception at a hotel ensure to check the availability of both before getting tied into either or handing over deposits. Also consider the distance between the venues and if you and your guests will have travel arrangements.
Choice of reception venue
The options for a wedding reception today are vast and extremely varied. It would not be possible to list every idea that has ever happened but below are a few that might be worth looking into if you are struggling to find that perfect place in your area. Hotel; restaurant; country/ golf club ; pub; community centre or church hall are popular choices.
Alternatives could be:-
Marquee in a large open space; converted barn; castle; stately home; boat or at home.
Some things you need to consider once you have made your choice of the style of place include:
- How many guests will it hold? Will it allow for additional evening guests?
- Will it be suitable for your preferred time of the year?
- Is it licensed for alcohol and entertainment? Are there any time restrictions?
- Does it offer adequate parking?
- What are the catering facilities? Buffet, formal wedding breakfast, bbq, or are outside caterers required?
- Is there accommodation for guests at the venue or nearby?
- Is there a wedding planner to help with preparations?
- Are you allowed to provide your own champagne with corkage costs only?
- Will the venue be exclusive to you and your party or will there be several weddings?
Thinking about all of the above criteria early on will save from any later disappointments and also help manage you and your daughter’s expectations with the chosen venue.
