Hosting your wedding ceremony and reception at the same venue can save you money and avoid unnecessary travel throughout the day. You’ll have to put a little extra thought into some of the logistics but the benefits far outweigh any challenges.
Here are some advantages to using a single venue, as well as a few tips to help you avoid hiccups in your schedule:
Cost savings extend beyond the venue
There are a couple of ways you’ll find budget relief by booking your ceremony and reception at the same venue. Most ceremony venues will charge a fee to use their space for reciting your vows. Places of worship, chapels, public parks, floral gardens, vineyards, galleries and museums may all come at an additional cost. So, by using the same location for both events, you’ll save on the cost of a second venue. You can also avoid the cost of transportation between venues. No need for the stretch limo or old-fashioned car when everything happens at one location.
Avoid travel between events
In big cities, travel between venues can cause unexpected delays and wreak havoc on your carefully planned schedule. What’s more, by using a single location your out of town guests won’t have to worry about navigating an unfamiliar city and arriving during the second course of dinner. This allows everyone more time to relax between events and, if you’ve planned a cocktail hour while you’re taking photos, your guests can begin the celebration early without the burden of getting behind the wheel.
Make your guests comfortable
If your guest list of people traveling a significant distance to participate in your wedding events, it’s helpful to select a venue that offers overnight accommodations and reserve a block of rooms at a reduced rate. These guests, who may have traveled the day before, or even the morning of your wedding, will appreciate the opportunity to stay on site between events in the comfort of their guest room for a quick nap or chance to freshen up. You too can take advantage of the same privilege, giving you a private place to steal a moment together to savor your newlywed status.
Allow time for a room changeover
If you are using the same event space for the ceremony and the reception, the venue staff will need time to reset the room. Ask the catering manager how long it will take them to transition the room so you know how much time you have to fill within your schedule of events. Many venues have a set time per table for an easy calculation based on your number of guests. Make sure you’ve planned an activity for guests during this transitional time, especially for those guests who are not staying on site. Offer a cocktail hour in the bar area, set up a small buffet of light snacks in a quiet area of the venue or invite guests to join you outdoors for photos (weather permitting).
With careful planning, you can find some budget relief by choosing a single venue for all of your wedding events, and it will minimize your worries and help everyone get the most out of your wedding experience.
