Where to Start Looking For A Wedding Venue
Getting married is as much the ‘where’ as it is the ‘whom’. Your choice of wedding venues in Orange County where you hold your wedding will be a reflection of your most cherished memories as a couple, the eclectic mix of both your personalities and the vibe you want your life together to take. It may be a place you’ve dreamed of since childhood (for brides of course, grooms, just say yes) or the place you first met, shared your first kiss or where he proposed and started all this madness. Whichever of the many Orange County wedding venues you choose is a solemn, significant location that will bear witness to your most cherished memories for the rest of your life.
You could be a D-I-Y couple in this D-I-Y wedding or one with a wedding planner on board, but the questions to ask your venue are basically the same. From availability to budget, you will need a checklist of things to ask when you meet with your contacts and prospective vendors so you can come up with a comprehensive list of pros and cons for decision making. To help you get on track with the decision-making process, here are some things to consider first before we go to the specifics of deciding which of the wedding venues in Orange County is best for the wedding of your dreams.
Who You Both Are As A Couple
Are you both religious? Are you fun-loving or serious and straightforward? Are you more alike or total opposites? Your background as individuals and as a couple will greatly affect your choice of the Orange County wedding venues you consider. A more religious couple choose to have a church wedding rather than an outdoors-y destination kind. This also reflects on your families’ preferences which also should be accounted for when planning where in Orange County California to have the wedding. If your religious beliefs are in tune, then it would be easier to decide whether to have a church wedding or not. If you and your future spouse have different religious backgrounds, you can choose to wed in a neutral location that sets a beautiful backdrop of nature or an indoor location styled to your preference.
Who Your Guests Are
My apologies to would-be brides, but this day is not all about you no matter how we all wish it is so. Your wedding, in a big way, is also about your guests. Your guests are the people who have raised you individually, molding you to be the kind of person your partner fell for and committed his life to. They are your closest relatives and friends who have been with you in the happiest and toughest of times. As such, they deserve to enjoy this day as much as the both of you should.
Try to see where majority of your guests will be coming from and if the wedding venues in Orange County you desire the most are accessible for them, even those who might need to take public transportation. If you desire to hold it halfway across the country, see if you are willing to foot the bill for your entourage and if your guests will be able to shoulder the added travel expenses. If you have your grandparents or other elderly relatives attending, check if the facilities are conducive for senior citizens or persons with disability.
Once you’ve identified the tone and mood that you want for your wedding and taken into careful consideration the welfare of your cherished guests, then we can move on to the nitty-gritty of searching the Orange County wedding venues for a cost-efficient, well-planned venue package.
Ceremony And Reception
Will your ceremony and reception happen in the same place? For those who opt for church weddings, you can ask if your church grounds can accommodate your reception and what its rules and regulations are for on-ground parties. Most churches may be more conservative about attire, even that of the bride and groom, so you may need to align with them when it comes to wedding dresses Orange County. If you are leaning towards a destination wedding on one of the Southern California Beaches, inquire about the specific location of the ceremony and how far the reception will be. Everything from vendors to beach wedding dresses may be different if you choose a beach wedding. From there, you’ll be able to see the other logistics you’ll need to cover.
Reception Setup
Most Orange County wedding venues have a banquet style set-up which consists of round tables of eight to ten people each. Depending on the theme of the wedding, you can also opt to have long rectangular tables that can accommodate up to 15 people per table. One of the elements you can play around with in relation to your theme is the table centerpieces. Some couples choose to place fun facts about themselves on every table so the guests can get to know them better or have a laugh while enjoying the food. This makes for some memorable photo opportunities for your Orange County wedding photographer. Try to ask your venue also if they can customize your table numbers to pull the whole look together. Also make sure to check if you have to use their catering service or you may bring in your own culinary specialist for wedding catering Orange County.
Package Inclusions
The great thing about wedding venues in Orange County is that is that many will provide free accommodation for the bride and groom. This lessens your worry in getting to the venue on time or messing up your hair and makeup while on the way to make your vows. This is also a plus point in terms of saving significantly on your allotted budget. A venue with this package inclusion will definitely make the top of your list.
For other logistics concerns, inquire about the free use of the in-house lights and sound system and if you can be free to bring in your own supplier if you want a greater party vibe than what their system can offer. For your thematic styling, ask if they can design the venue in line with your theme or if they have a recommended stylist that you can use. Most Orange County wedding venues charge extra for referrals or place corkage fees on supplies from non-accredited wedding vendors. Just make sure to clear out where the freebies end and the additional charges start to avoid bill shock. Nobody wants a heart attack just after they’re pronounced man and wife!
The most important things to remember when booking one of the wedding venues in Orange County are accessibility, availability, budget and customer service. Venue styling and preparation is a tedious task and you don’t want the added burden of having to deal with unaccommodating staff. Just make sure you have your theme and vision in place and have fun while designing a most Instagram-able wedding location!
by Kerry Johnson – Follow Kerry on G+!
