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Here we explore the many options you have for both a ceremony and reception site. The SmartBride™ Checklist has an extensive list of location types, and also an extensive list of places to check for unique locations in your city or town. We also cover different ways in which your location can reflect you chosen style, theme, or personality, so you can see how easily your wedding vision is unfolding before you.
The following article is an EXAMPLE of the content we have in our online wedding planning membership site HappyWeddings.ca under the heading of Wedding Vision. To learn more and get useful wedding planning tools for FREE, click here!
Here we will address step 7 of Defining Your Wedding Vision – the wedding location. Your wedding location is an important factor in creating the overall feel to your wedding. When choosing a location for your wedding, you have the option of having the ceremony and reception in separate locations, or they can both be held at the same location. Many churches have a hall or some other facility in which you can hold your reception. Alternatively, often you can hold your ceremony at your chosen reception site.
If you are planning a fairytale wedding, for example, having your wedding in a grand historical house in your city might be a perfect match. If you are planning an organic or eco-friendly wedding, holding it at your local botanical gardens or at the gardens in a city park might be a great match. If you are an artsy couple, a wedding at your local art gallery might be a perfect wedding location. If you are into sports, holding your reception in a sports complex might be a unique statement.
Looking for something completely different? How about a wedding at a local farm or ranch? Or maybe there is a grand factory that rents out space in your city. For a family friendly wedding, holding it at a zoo might be a fun, unique location. Small weddings might be perfect at a pretty bed and breakfast in a lovely location.
Of course there are the usual hotels, resorts, golf and country clubs, and restaurants if you want both a reception site and food services together. Some other options, which may or may not include food services—meaning you might have to arrange for a caterer—are local theatres, museums, cultural centres, gymnasiums, community halls, Canadian Legions, and so forth.
Almost all colleges and universities have great spaces to hold receptions, and they have catering facilities available. Some of these facilities are located along rivers or have a beautiful, picturesque setting that is a perfect solution for a summer wedding.
The SmartBride Action Plan called Defining Your Vision, has all these options listed, as well as additional sources for you to pursue if these ideas don’t inspire you.
Take your time and explore your options. Talk it over with your fiancé and enjoy the process. Take a drive and explore places in your city or town. Whatever your choices, there is again space to list the bride’s choices, the groom’s choices, and of course, your final choice.