In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, brides were still getting married either at their home, the homes of relatives or the churches that they attended since they were children. However, more recent trends in brides’ choices for wedding venues have moved toward destination weddings, including all-inclusive resorts, ranches, country clubs, and lavish hotels. According to TheKnot.com, twenty-four percent of brides in 2013 had destination weddings. Interestingly, the most expensive place, to get married, is Manhattan at an average cost of $86,916, whereas the least expensive place was Idaho at $16,159. There is no doubt that much of the high cost of being married in Manhattan can be attributed to the expensive hotels, restaurants and other traditional wedding venues in the area. Let’s face it – it’s difficult to keep anything simple in the city that never sleeps. So, it’s easy to imagine that simple yet elegant nuptials in Idaho might include natural settings with backdrops and scenery that are free of charge, compliments of Mother Nature.
Another important factor, when choosing a location for your ceremony, is to consider the guests’ needs. If aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and so on are attending, the bride and groom should keep in mind that flights and lodging are going to possibly be expenses incurred by these guests. Having everyone come to a villa in Italy is a lovely idea, but that can be a very large financial burden on some people. In this case, a destination wedding closer to home is in order. Most towns and cities have nearby resorts or country clubs and nice, full-service hotels and inns for people with lots of family living in close proximity to the bride or groom. Decisions regarding the wedding venue location are very important, and it’s considerate to keep in mind that a bride or groom’s family will most certainly want to share this special occasion with their loved ones.
Another one of the biggest details to consider is the climate of the location and time of year when the big day will take place. A backup plan should be made to move indoors if it’s an outdoor wedding. It’s also helpful to consider a location that offers indoor options with an outdoor, resort type feel. For instance, getting married in a ballroom at a resort with no windows may feel dark and gloomy, which is not at all the feel you want for your special day! However, getting married inside a lodge with bay windows in the winter at a resort in the mountains with snow coming down can have a very outdoor feel, but still provide the shelter and comfort of being indoors in inclement weather.
Wedding venues are very important in the planning of a successful and memorable day. If a bride keeps in mind the overall feel or theme she is going for in regards to her special day, she should be able to choose the perfect location to suit her needs.
