What is a Good Ceremony Location?

Most couples that live in Michigan envision their reception at a modern hotel or local banquet hall. Break free from the ordinary and think about throwing your wedding outside. How memorable would it be to walk down the beach instead of a facilities isle-way. Imagine the warmth of the sun on your face instead of indoor lighting fixtures.

As great as an outside reception might be, there are some things you have to remember. You want to make sure you have a “Plan B” in-case nature takes a turn for the worse. We all know things happen last minute, and your wedding coordinator should have a backup site reserved for an emergency. Your “Plan B”can be as simple as making sure tents are setup as a last resort. The last thing your guests want to worry about is getting drenched during your unity candle. Spend a lot of time when choosing your ceremony location. Since you need a good place to start, we created a list of (4) important things to remember.

#1 If the temperature drops, does your facility have portable heaters outside?

#2 In case it starts to rain, or it is too hot, does your venue provide/allow tents to shelter guests?

#3 How far away are we form an inside location? How many minutes would it take to relocate the ceremony indoors?

#4 What is the allowable time for calling if the ceremony should be moved indoors? How makes that call? (Most venues in Michigan will give you several hours the day of)

Majority of outside ceremonies and receptions in Michigan will have a backup solution available. Reputable sites will have this option to give you better piece of mind. One ex. of a place that does this is Holly Michigan’s Garden Park. If the location has to be changed then you can have your ceremony under their spacious tent. Unfortunately not ever place can offer the same flexibility as this facility. Most locations need a “Plan B”, but don’t have the space available. In instances like this, you would set aside a portion of your budget for the backup plan. You might even rent space at a local hall to keep your stress levels low.

Not all brides and groom have to worry about planning an outdoors event. It costs more to reserve a room at a separate facility. Good rule of thumb is to prepare for the worst. Murphy’s law is if it can happen, it probably will. Remember to communicate your “Plan B” to guests well in advance, so it reduces the amount of confusion if the location is changed.

In conclusion, the perfect outside ceremony location is one that took into consideration the (4) points above. Worrying last minute about what-if’s and having your guests panicking should be avoided. Give your family and friends the time to get used to the idea that there might be a secondary location. This includes maps, directions, and available parking. One of the biggest problems with weddings is logistics, and since you’re planning this in advance it will be the last thing for you to worry about.