Wedding Reception Venues

When selecting a reception venue, consider the theme of the ceremony. The reception should carry on the theme of the day. If you are getting married in the high season, plan to book early, many venues book more than a year in advance.

There are several options for selecting a reception venue:

• Hotels. The advantage of using a hotel is they can also host the ceremony if you want to keep everyone under one roof. Most resort hotels have a wedding planner on site that can coordinate with the catering department to make all of the arrangements. They also can facilitate the decorations for the event.
• Country Clubs. Most country clubs are in a nice area with outstanding views. If the weather is good, the reception could be held outside on the grounds or in one of their banquet rooms. You can expect similar service to that of a hotel, but perhaps the costs will be more affordable.
• Houses of Worship. If you are hosting your wedding in a house of worship, may have a banquet facilities all attached or on the property. Most will allow catering to be brought in. It is convenient and low hassle. Larger churches may have a wedding planner than can coordinate the details for you.
• Homes. If you're hosting a small wedding, your home or the home of your parents might be a quaint environment to have the event.
• Museums or Historical Sites. Many civic or non profit organizations will rent out the facility for an event like a reception. This would be a unique twist to any themed event.

When selecting the event check to see how many it will hold, the number of guests may exclude many venue options. Also check to see if alcohol can be served, many non profit or religious venues prohibit serving alcohol.

If you select an outdoor venue like a park or botanical garden, inquire about the weather back up. Before booking an outdoor venue research the weather patterns over the past 5 years to get an indication of the type of weather to expect the week of your wedding.

Restrooms are also a major consideration when selecting a wedding reception venue. Insure there are adequate facilities for the women in your group as they will visit the restroom more than twice as often as the men in the group. If you have selected an outdoor venue, ask about renting portable upscale restroom stations if needed.

There are many options to host the reception. Discuss the things that are important to you, theme, and number of guests and time of year. Look for a venue that naturally lends itself to what you are trying to create. Take a friend to preview the facility and play devils advocate to make sure it will accommodate all of your requirements. Make list of questions to ask the coordinator so you can identify any hurdles early in the process.