Location, Location, Location

Picking the right wedding reception location is important but the ceremony choice is even more important! You have to first decide what type of ceremony you would like to have:

First Baptist Church | Photo by Rising Star

• Traditional Church?

• Garden?

• Outdoor location like a roof top or deck?

• Hotel Room?

• Museum?

• Chapel?

The list can truly go on and on, but it ultimately depends on what you and your fiancé want to do for your ceremony. Were you both raised in religious families and your church home is where you always imagined your ceremony? Are you having a small, intimate wedding with 75 people or less and you and your fiancé have different religious backgrounds? If that's the case maybe an outdoor location or museum may be ideal. Are you having a large group of guests (150+) in a city that neither of you are from and will utilize the hotel space for the ceremony and reception because most guests are staying at the hotel? There are so many options and choosing one should be a joint effort!

Here are some pro’s and con’s to some of the most popular ceremony location options:

Church:

Mount Zion Church in Warrensville Heights, Ohio | Photo by JazzyMae Photography

Pentecostal Church of Christ | Photo by Dion Harris

Pros:

Beautiful Buildings

Budget Friendly (if you’re a member)

There is usually a routine in place for weddings

Flexible start times (you can have ceremony earlier in the day and reception later)

Cons:

Typically need to be part of that particular faith

Clergy is usually assigned

Restrictions on thinking too far out the box

Here is video to a beautiful wedding held at Our Lady of Peace Church!

Outdoor Locations:

Ariel International Cleveland, Ohio | Photography by JazzyMae Photography

Wedgewood Golf Club in Las Vegas | Photo by Stephen Midgett

Pros:

No routines

You can bring in your own clergy/officiant

Few restrictions on what you want to do in your ceremony

Outdoor surrounding can lend itself to decorating

Flexible start time

Cons:

Expenses – chairs, tables, back drops and decorations

Timing – items usually can’t setup and stay out over night

Tear down – items need to be picked up after the ceremony Inclement Weather

Hotel / Conference Center

Tudor Arms at DoubleTree, Cleveland, Ohio | Photo by JazzyMae Photography

Marriott at Key Center, Cleveland, Ohio | Photo by Justin Ketchem

Pros:

Everything in one place (ceremony and reception

Freedom to create whatever ceremony you would like

No required religious ceremony

Reduced costs on transportation, invitation stationery (no separate reception card necessary)

Cons:

Often times a room flip is required (changing the ceremony room to the reception room)

Costs associated with flipping the room

Timing (factoring in pictures, room flipping times and reception start time)