Wedding ceremonies are most often held in a place of worship, a backyard, or in the same location as your wedding reception. But what are some other options?
Visit your local visitor or tourist bureau to see what kinds of places are close by that you just haven’t considered. In addition, the staff can tell you about local facilities that are available that you may not have thought of. For example, one of the historical buildings in your area might make a great place for a wedding ceremony. Your Historical Society or local Chamber of Commerce may give you other leads.
Your local parks department is also another great source for creative wedding site ideas. They know which parks are most often used for wedding ceremonies because they have the best amenities to offer. They know the out-of-the way parks, what they have to offer, and how to get approved to use the sites. They are a great help, and enjoy working with the public in having the public park system used by them.
The internet is another source for wedding site ideas. Check your local government tourist pages for ideas. Have you considered a botanical garden, or a historical fort? Have you considered your hobby or passion as a direction for deciding on your wedding ceremony site? Maybe your wedding ceremony will be held on horseback, or on a skydiving landing field (after you’ve made the jump).
If you don’t belong to a church, but always wanted a church wedding, many non-denominational churches have officiants who are willing to conduct religious ceremonies for couples who are not a member of the church. Some examples are the Unitarian Church, and the Salvation Army to name a few. Practices differ in different regions, so make a few phone calls to find what you are looking for.
Once you have chosen your wedding ceremony site, you need more information. The first question to ask is if they have your wedding date available. Popular wedding seasons might see two or three weddings in the same church, so the time you want to have your wedding is also an important consideration.
Depending upon your site, they might have restrictions, set-up times and clean-up requirements. Get the requirements in writing so there is no mistake about what is needed. Some facilities may not allow candles because of fire regulations and insurance costs. Other places might forbid the throwing of confetti, rice or birdseed after the ceremony. If you bring flowers to the ceremony site, will they be taken away after, or will they be left behind. How long can you stay at the site after the ceremony to take pictures?
What kind of equipment will you need to rent? Just because something is at the site does not mean you are free to use it. Ask questions. Think about the comfort of your guests—is there heating or air conditioning available? Who will set up and decorate the room, and how early can they get access to the site? Will the heat or air conditioning be on when they are working? Who will do the clean-up after the ceremony? Does the site offer a clean-up service? Find out who will be your contact person for the site, so all your questions can be answered by the proper person. You don’t want a secretary telling you one thing, and the co-ordinator telling you something else. Get the information from the right person.
Think about rehearsal. Will you need to “rent” the time from the site for the rehearsal as well as for the wedding? What other considerations are there? Can you decorate the site the day before at rehearsal?
Many civic sites (run by your city) have lovely facilities that are available for a very small fee—often much cheaper than the church you grew up in. Some churches have fairly high fees, so don’t make the assumption that because you are a member that you will not pay the regular fees. Often your church officiant will perform the ceremony in another location without you paying the church rental costs—only the clergy costs.
Another option is to see if any of your friends are licensed to perform weddings. In most places, the requirements are minimal, and a friend might even agree to get licensed to perform your wedding ceremony as a gift.