Venues

With wedding season in full swing, most of you are now full steam ahead on your plans.  You should have your vendors selected and retained, your guest list prepared, and you should know where your ceremony will be held.  That may come with a challenge these days.

Something that has come to my attention recently is that public places are now actually charging large sums of money strictly to wedding parties, for the use of the area, including beaches, parks, lighthouses, and other public lands.  This is the case even in places where other groups or persons are not charged at all.  It’s very sad that greed is taking over.

What can be done instead?  There is little that can be done to use a place that may be near your heart if you are trying to control your wedding budget, but sometimes if you schedule your ceremony for the “off” season, or during the week, you may be able to negotiate a special rate. Or perhaps the concern is more for cleanliness and if you offer to clean the area of debris, you may be allowed special consideration. 

Another option is to have your ceremony in your back yard or at the home of someone who has land and space which is scenic and lovely.  Friends and relatives can be helpful in many ways, but if they are willing to provide the venue, whether they have property near a beach, or on a farm or just have a very spacious garden, it can help to reduce your budget.  And they might be willing to provide you with the space in lieu of a wedding gift.

The main thing is to remain open-minded as to what location you have your ceremony.  You can still have a lovely wedding in the temple of the outdoors without spending a small fortune.