Choose a Cool Wedding Venue for the Perfect Reception

The wedding reception venue you choose for your reception can make a big difference.

Cool ideas for wedding receptions usually focus on decorations, dresses, cakes, flowers, or vows, but the locations of your chosen venues are usually the most important consideration. Just like shopping for the perfect dress, you should consider more than one venue. This is because different locations will be more or less suited to your theme, and can even change the type of decoration you decide to use. These things can make large and small differences in the flower arrangements you select, or the wedding invitations you send to guests.

1. 1
   Look for a Unique Wedding Venue to Host Your Reception

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   The location you choose doesn't have to be awesome, but it does have to be uniquely you. That's not only because it's your wedding though. Rather, it's a memory you'll record with photographers and videographers, and cherish over the lifetime you're planning to spend with the one you love. Together, you'll be exchanging much more than vows. You'll be building a foundation on which to grow and strengthen your love for one another. Where it happens is almost as important as who it happens with.

   

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2. 2
   Choose a Wedding Dress that Suits You and Your Venue

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   The great thing about being able to choose from more than one location is that it lets you consider what different wedding dresses are going to look like in the setting you choose. Many times brides choose between their choice of dresses before they look at venues. Too often this results in them discovering that the dress they love doesn't really work with the location they want. Knowing your top choices for where your reception will be can make choosing the perfect dress a lot easier.

   

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3. 3
   Select Flowers and Decorations that Suit the Location

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   Wedding decorations and floral arrangements are something almost every bride has trouble deciding on. Add in the opinions of mothers, future in-laws, bridesmaids, and wedding planners, and it can push a bride-to-be over the edge. However, if you've picked out a great venue in advance, the choice of flowers and decorations becomes much easier. Since you'll already know what you're going to wear, ideas for matching a flower or decoration style to your theme will present themselves. This will make it much easier to decide, and considerably less stressful for you.

   

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4. 4
   Pick a Lovely Wedding Cake That Ties it all Together

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   When you've got your dress, flowers, and decorations sorted, tasting wedding cakes is going to feel like a reward, rather than more planning and preparation. You'll be armed with photos of the different venues and locations you've looked at, photos of your dress, and of course a sample decoration or two. This will let you choose a theme for your wedding cake that ties everything together. Best of all, your choice of flowers will help you decide on colors, shapes, and other designs, depending on what you've chosen.

   

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5. 5
   Now Decide on Your Wedding Invitations

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   After you've put everything else together, you won't need to agonize over stationery and calligraphy. Instead, you can use your wedding cake design samples, location theme, dress photos, and floral arrangements as standards from which to narrow down your selection. Most of the time this will just leave you with a half dozen or so great choices of stationery. Your own personal tastes will take care of the rest, letting you identify a few wedding invitations that are uniquely you. Then, you'll be able to start the hard work of getting them all written, addressed, and of course posted.

   

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6. 6
   Get the Groom Dressed When You're Done

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   Fortunately dressing up the groom tends to be the easiest part of any wedding. By choosing his attire last, you won't upset him by constantly changing from style to style. Instead, you'll be able to dress him in one go. Because you started out early, and picked everything else first, you'll have a whole host of new ideas on both the colors and decorations you'd like to see him in. Most of the time that will let you dress him in one day, because you chose your reception location early, and followed it up with every other major consideration. He'll surely appreciate the peace of mind it gives him, and you won't second guess his choice of cuff links at the last minute.

   

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Every wedding is different, just as every reception location has its own unique appeal.

Obviously there are other considerations that go into planning the perfect wedding, but following these guides will help you choose what you want. They'll help to eliminate much of the uncertainty many brides struggle through when trying to decide on so many different things, and then tie them all together.

All it takes is a little careful planning, and of course an early choice of venue to make your wedding something truly amazing. Here are a few extra pointers to help you make the perfect choice for your wedding reception location:

• Consider the dates. If you're planning your reception around holidays, big trade conferences, or other popular event times, you'll have a hard time booking. Check with different venues in advance to make sure they are available before you set your heart on a location.
  
• Think about your guests. Some wedding venues are great, but others are not so great. If you will have any guests with special needs, make sure the event is something they'll enjoy, and be able to easily access.
  
• Don't forget the catering. Many times a catering company will have a specific requirement for the locations they work in. Often it's just space, but some of the higher end companies will reduce their costs if your reception venue has suitable on site facilities that they can use.
  
• Make sure there is a private place for you and the groom. Sometimes you'll want to take a break from the guests, or just sit with your new husband for a few minutes in privacy. Other times you might have a fashion or hair issue that needs to be taken care of in private. Whatever you need to do, a private room or area can be a great place to de-stress.
  
• Don't forget your exit. At the end of the night, you and your groom will head off to your new life as husband and wife. Having a venue where you can make a grand exit is something you'll want to think about in advance. It will make for memorable photos.
  
• Plan your honeymoon ahead, and pack before you are married. Whatever you plan to take with you, pack it in advance. Having your bags ready means you'll get to enjoy your wedding night, and have a worry and stress free honeymoon together. All it takes is planning.
  

Have a great wedding, and don't forget to share your own tips and suggestions in the comments, or by adding your own tips to the article above. If you need any help adding tips or suggestions, or want to write your own great how-to article on weddings or anything else, just contact Grimm, and he'll help you get started.

If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.

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