One of the first things to consider when selecting a location is the ceremony site fee. Yes, they are happy to learn you are getting married, but they are still going to charge you for the use of the facility. In formal churches and temples, the fee can also include the organist, a wedding coordinator and miscellaneous items. Make sure you know the full list of expenses so there aren¡¯t any surprises your budget can¡¯t handle.
The selection of your ceremony site is also influenced the by the season. It is vital to keep in mind the time of year for the ceremony. You might be making the choice in February when things are cool, but keep in mind an outdoor wedding in a hot summer location can be tough on your guests, particularly older couples. Getting a tan is fun. Baking in the sun while wearing a dark suit is not!
A more subtle consideration is the tone of your wedding. If you wish to hold a formal wedding, then holding it at the beach probably isn¡¯t going to work well. This is probably obvious, but it is important to make sure both the bride and groom agree and that their respective parents are also aware of the exact type of wedding that is going to happen. If not, things can get stressful later on.
There are also little tweaks you can make to save a few bucks here and there. The first is to hold the ceremony and reception in the same place. This will help you avoid two rental fees, which saves money. You should also give a lot of thought to your guest list. The more people, the more it is going to cost. An intimate wedding followed by a ¡°friends¡± party after the honeymoon is often a good way to save money. An experienced wedding consultant can also show you tremendous ways to cut expenses and save money without it showing.
Aazdak Alisimo writes about weddings for WeddingYeti.com.