Choosing the Perfect Ceremony Venue

Leanne Smith Civil Celebrant

One of the benefits of having a Civil Celebrant officiate at your wedding is the freedom this gives you to choose where your marriage will take place. If you follow my social media at all, you may have noticed I get to travel to some stunning places throughout our beautiful region Some of them aren’t easy to get to, there’s bumpy roads, rough seas, a bit of huffing, puffing and lugging of gear but the results are always beautiful memories to be treasured forever. Weddings happen on beaches, hill tops, sand dunes, creek banks, under trees on farms, on islands, on boats, in restaurants, chapels, golf courses, home gardens - you can literally get married anywhere you choose…… so HOW do you choose?

You’ll want to work out what your most important criteria are Maybe there’s a spot that is special to you or the family, maybe there is a particular view you want in your “kiss’ photo, maybe you want to provide your guests with a beautiful and unique memory. Perhaps you need somewhere that gives easy access for older guests or is accessible by the vintage car you dream of arriving in or is walking distance to your reception venue

You’ll need to think about shade, nearby facilities, safety of young children, and how public or private you want your ceremony to be.

Consider how many guests you will invite, will it be easy for them to get to the venue, how complex your ceremony décor set up will be, who will you be relying on to achieve the venue set up for you and how long they will have to achieve it all. Is there access to power, is there access for vehicles and enough parking?

If you find these considerations all a bit overwhelming you could consider making the same choice as one of my couples, they got married sitting around their dining room table, after inviting their neighbours in for coffee (and then telling them they were to be the witnesses!)

A video camera was set up to record the special occasion, as they knew no one would believe them without the evidence!

Remember, the choices are yours to make If you have questions don’t hesitate to reach out, any time

Leanne