Choosing the right location

No wonder finding a date and a location for a wedding is so difficult. Approximately 2.3 million American weddings will occur in 2008, according to industry tracker The Wedding Report. In August 2007, 243,000 couples got married – that’s an average of more than 7,800 a day!

But before you start circling dates or scrambling to find a location and beat the crowd, the first thing to know is your budget. There’s no point in researching locations and possible dates if you aren’t sure you can afford the place to begin with. Get stuck with a place that’s out of your budget, and things can easily go downhill from there.

“If you spend too much on your location you won’t have money for other vendors,” says Xaviera Pepe, a Chino Hills, Calif.-based wedding planner. “It just throws off the whole wedding and stresses you out by making you feel like can’t have the wedding of your dreams.”

Pepe suggests coming up with a total budget and then allocating 50 percent of it to location. That includes food, alcohol (if you’re going to have any) and the place itself. Pepe also says most of her clients have their wedding and reception at the same location because it’s convenient and cost-effective.

Courting a Date

If you have your heart set on a date, having a budget will help you look for a practical location. Other important factors when choosing a date are your personal schedule and any high-traffic events that might be occurring in your area at that time. In some places, summer tourists can make booking difficult, and if you are planning on a lot of out-of-town guests, make sure you will be able to reserve a block of hotel rooms.

Also consider avoiding major holidays. Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day and the Fourth of July are particularly bad, as the price of flowers skyrockets and event planners are swamped with work.

Saturdays are the most popular days for weddings. Opting for a Friday or Sunday means you not only will have a better chance of snagging the location you want, but you also will probably save money by opting for a nonprime day. “You can save 20 percent on your location budget by not going for a Saturday,” Pepe says. “And you can have a Friday wedding and still have a great wedding.”

The Waiting Game

If the date is less important and you’re set on that perfect wedding site, just remember it’s OK to take your time. The average engagement in 2007 lasted for 17 months, according to The Wedding Report, and having more than a year of prenup time is especially important if you’ve decided on a religious location.

Getting married in a house of worship sometimes takes precedence because churches are hard to get into and book in advance.

Not only that, but churches, synagogues and mosques can be tricky places for weddings for other reasons. Often religious locations are denomination-specific, and even if it’s the exact look and feel you want for your wedding, you may not be able to get married there. Sometimes you also have to be a parishioner or member of the location, and that takes time. Pepe regularly advises couples to start attending services at the church of their choice in order to have their wedding there.

A final consideration when it comes to houses of worship is the length of the service. Most people want a short ceremony that lasts 20 to 30 minutes, Pepe says. But in a church, for example, it’s a religious service, too, so it’s going to be longer.

Countless Choices

If you want a secular location, the options are limitless. You can get married at a park, a local landmark or even at your house. This also is a good time to make use of any alumni or country club memberships as members often get special consideration for bookings.

Make sure the location fits the style and scale of your wedding. If you’re thinking casual, maybe the reception shouldn’t be under crystal chandeliers. If you’re inviting a large number of guests, don’t cram them into a tiny room, and if you’re planning a small party, don’t let it get lost in a large space.

Visit locations at the time of day your wedding is planned to get a better feel for what it will look like, and keep your personal style in mind as well. After all, it’s your wedding, and the location is the foundation of it all. Without just the right place to say, “I do,” all you would have is flowers and a cake.

© CTW Features