Wedding Trends That Take The Cake

There are several things you should consider when choosing your wedding reception location. Shopping for your site is a lot like finding a mate–you obviously want charm and personality–but make sure that all of your needs are met. Looks aren’t everything! Use these tips to help you to find your perfect match.

What’s your budget?

If you’re planning a wedding reception of about 200 – 300 guests, you might expect to spend between $10,000 – $16,000 for the reception hall, your food, your bar service and any additional reception hall rentals. Use this handy budget guide to create a realistic budget for your wedding and reception.  Once you know how much you have allocated to spend, you’ll be able to shop around for the best location within your budget.

What is the size of your guest list?

First, make sure the room is large enough to accommodate the number of people on your guest list. The space will look large, when empty, but wedding essentials–such as tables, chairs, a buffet, a bar, the band or DJ and the dance floor–will take up a lot of space. Also, you’ll want to make sure that your guests have plenty of elbowroom. To get an idea of the actual “living space” of your venue, ask if you can visit the reception site while another wedding is being set up.

What’s your style?

When considering reception site, consider the color palette of your party. Your site doesn’t have to be done in the exact colors as your planned decorations, but it shouldn’t clash either. Also, consider your theme. Besides the basic banquet hall, you might consider a country club, a mansion, a museum or other venue that suits your wedding reception theme a bit better than the typical site. Last, try to visit the reception site at the same time of day that you’ve chosen for your reception, so you can get a feel for exactly what the lighting will look like.

Do any of your guests have special needs?

When choosing your venue, take into consideration any special needs that your guests might have. If you have elderly guests or guests in wheelchairs, make sure that there are bathroom facilities available to them. You don’t want them to have to travel up and down stairs to get where they need to go.

Are there enough parking spaces?

Make sure your reception site has ample parking or is near a parking garage or a street where it’s legal to park. If parking is a problem at your ideal location, look for other ways to get your guests to the reception. Your site might have a shuttle or van service available to take your guests from wedding to reception and back. If not, you’ll have to make these arrangements yourself.

Read next week’s post, “Wedding Reception Planning: Questions to Ask before booking your Location,” for great tips on what to ask your potential reception site managers.

Check out Best Little Wedding Shop for Discount Wedding Invitations.

You’ve decided on a Las Vegas destination wedding. So now it’s time to plan the festivities, and then you’ll be ready to order your Las Vegas-themed Save the Date cards (and  magnets)  and Las Vegas-themed wedding invitations.

You’re excited. And you should be! As the marriage capital of the world, Las Vegas grants more than 122,000 marriage licenses every year. And it’s no wonder. From its simple drive-thru weddings to super-extravagant (and expensive) black tie affairs, Las Vegas has a lot to offer the couple ready to tie the knot in a fun and exciting way.

Check out some of the reasons, and you’ll be saying, “Viva Las Vegas” as your perfect wedding day destination!

It’s fast and easy.

• Neither blood tests (nor waiting periods) are required if you want to tie the knot.
• The legal age is 18 for both men and women (proof of age is required).
• Civil ceremonies can be performed at the Marriage Commissioner’s Office at 309 S. 3rd St.
• Most chapels allow couples to book their wedding right away, and some even accommodate walk-ins (or drive-thrus). Chapel fees vary depending on the services provided.
• For marriage license information, call the Clark County Marriage License Bureau at (702) 671-0600. License Bureau hours are 8 a.m. to midnight, including holidays.

It’s affordable.

• Las Vegas weddings cost less than traditional ceremonies, with weddings starting as low as $75.
• Weddings can be created ala carte in most cases too.
• Licensing fees are $55.
• You can have the wedding without the reception, if you want, and still have lots of entertainment options for your guests. The party never stops!

It’s convenient.

• Most hotels in Las Vegas have their own wedding chapels and wedding coordinators in charge of all the preparations–from flowers and music to the wedding official, souvenirs and entertainment ideas.
• Need a ring or two? They’re easy to find in Las Vegas.
• Flowers? Not a problem.
• Gown and/or tuxedo? You can rent both.
• You don’t even have to leave the comfort of your own car. You can do the drive-thru. Don’t have a car? You can rent one.

It’s fun!

Las Vegas is not only the marriage capital of the world, it’s also the crazy wedding capital of the world. If you go there to get married, you don’t have to have a traditional ceremony–plan something fun! Las Vegas wedding chapels offer unique weddings galore. Check out these resources, and start planning your dream wedding:

• MyWedding.com: Find everything you need to plan your wedding
• ONLY Vegas: The official Las Vegas tourism website brought to you by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
• LasVegasWeddings.com: Las Vegas wedding packages starting at $75
• Vegas.com: The official Vegas travel site

Lisa Bakewell

It’s been determined that you and your fiancé are fun-seekers who shy away from the traditional. You want your wedding and reception to be memorable–for you and your guests. That’s why we’ve decided to offer you some additional ideas for holding your unique wedding and reception.

In Unique Wedding Venues…Get Creative! we offered several unique venue ideas including cave weddings, underwater weddings, train weddings, movie studio weddings, among others. In part two of this series, we’re bringing you even more great ideas for unique wedding venues. Also, click on the photos for links to a great invitation, save the date and accessory idea from Best Little Wedding Shop. Be sure to visit the site for more great wedding products!

Here are some more “off the grid” wedding venue ideas:

Wed him a vineyard. Looking for a dreamy outdoor wedding venue? Wine Country Inn, Palasade, Colorado can help you create unforgettable lifetime memories in a spectacular vineyard setting. Exchange vows in the open outdoor pavilion among the vines, the beautifully landscaped courtyard or the elegantly appointed Vineyard Ballroom. They also offer smaller venues for more intimate events.

Marry Prince Charming. If your dream is to be married in a castle, look no further than Castle Farms in beautiful Charlevoix, Michigan. As Northern Michigan’s premiere wedding location, you’ll have lots of regal options available to you that would make even Cinderella envious! [Editor's Note: One nice feature of this venue is that you can hire your own caterer and bring in your own alcohol]

Take it up, up and away! Have your wedding in a hot air balloon! Arizona Balloon Rides in Phoenix, Arizona offers private, romantic hot air balloon wedding ceremonies as well as larger elaborate ceremonies requiring multiple balloons. They will customize the experience to meet your needs!

Make it spooky. Looking for the perfect place for your haunted wedding (or honeymoon)? Thayer’s Bed and Breakfast  in Annandale, Minnesota will fit the bill nicely. This historical B&B is an Old West Victorian mansion just minutes from the Twin Cities. As well as offering weddings every day of the year, they also offer a “Haunted Honeymoon Package” which includes a one-hour Couple’s Psychic Reading, a half-hour of private ghost hunting instruction and a disposable camera to photograph the many ghosts which inhabit Thayer’s B&B.

Follow the light. Are you and your significant other lighthouse buffs? If so, you should consider getting married in Martha’s Vineyard. Lighthouse enthusiasts consider the five lighthouses on Martha’s Vineyard to be the most diverse in a small contained area in the country, and they are available for wedding ceremonies. All of the Island’s lighthouses, except the Cape Poge Lighthouse, are easily accessible by road, and the Gay Head, East Chop, and Edgartown Lighthouses are maintained by the Martha’s Vineyard Historical Society. Call the Martha’s Vineyard Historical Society at 508-627-4441 for more information.

Have a garden party. Cleveland Botanical Garden in Cleveland, Ohio provides the perfect place to share your beautiful wedding day with family and friends. From its exotic Eleanor Armstrong Smith Glasshouse to its beautiful outdoor gardens, this botanical garden offers a most unique and elegant setting.

Lisa Bakewell

You and your fiancé love to have fun, you love the unusual and you don’t want to have your wedding at the traditional chapel or VFW hall. We understand.

As mentioned in one of our previous blog posts, many soon-to-be-wed couples are choosing eco-friendly weddings and receptions by having them outdoors. We’ve also blogged about how to plan for destination weddings. Well, today, we thought we’d give you more food for thought with these “off-the-grid” wedding venue ideas:

Wed him underground. How about having your wedding and reception in a cave? The Bridal Cave at Thunder Mountain Park  in Camdenton, Missouri might just be your ticket for adventure. Rated as one of the most scenic caves in America, the first Osage Indian wedding was held here in the early 1800s.

Make it historical. Still want to get married in a church, but not just any church? Well, how about Trinity Church in New York?  The present day Trinity Church, designed by architect Richard Upjohn, is considered a classic example of Gothic Revival architecture. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976 for its architectural significance.

Play ball. Wed your true love at The Stadium Club at Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL. Not only will you welcome your guests with your name in lights on Wrigley’s famous marquee, you’ll also enjoy pictures on the field with the legendary manual scoreboard.

Take it down under–the water, that is. Another unique idea is to have your wedding and reception at an aquarium.  Adventure Aquarium in Camden, New Jersey offers a perfect venue for your big day. Your guests will have a one-of-a-kind immersive experience!

You should’ve been in pictures. Marlene Dietrich, Mae West, Audrey Hepburn and Gloria Swanson are among the exquisite leading ladies who have starred in Paramount Pictures productions. Well, it’s a list that you can join too–at least for a day–when you have your wedding hosted by the Paramount Special Events Department in Hollywood, California.

Board the train. Except for your guests’ high-tech cameras and modern garb, a time traveler from the 19th century would feel quite at home riding Western Railroad’s Skunk Train even today. The train, which departs from Fort Bragg or Willits, will transport you and your guests to a remote and romantic location in the redwoods of California.

For all of your destination wedding invitations and unique wedding accessories, check out what Best Little Wedding Shop has to offer!

Lisa Bakewell