Planning a wedding is such a stressful process for all the right reasons. Watching friends and family squint over minute details like having to choose between red velvet or French vanilla for the guests complimentary cut-ups or organizing sitting charts just the right way so as to avoid a third World War has caused me to reach that conclusion. So I’m here to give you a simple guide on how to keep your sanity while planning your dream wedding.
FINDING A VENUE
Amongst all the perplexities of wedding planning, one of the biggest and first concerns is the location. Where is the wedding going to be? It is very easy to get carried away with the aesthetics of a place but so much more should be taken into consideration.
- Location:
The most important thing about a venue is, of course, the location. Location is enough to ruin your big day. Imagine half of your guests getting lost because of your reception venue was three hours away from the church in a water-locked place. Other than obvious factors like bad roads, your location has to be easily accessible. If you plan on flying in guest for your ceremony, it is convenient for them if there was an accommodation close by. It should be easily accessible too, preferably by road.
- Cost:
Your budget is an important part of your decision-making process. As much as we all want that lovely destination wedding, it is important to cut your veil/gown according to your cloth! Look for venues within your budget. And read the fine print on your contract very carefully because some venues have extra “emergency” charges. You don’t want to have a stack of unexplainable bills after your wedding.
- Logistics/ Convenience:
It is important to consider the logistics of the place. How large is the parking lot? How many bathrooms are there? How many power outlets are there? Does the venue have the electrical capacity for the kind of equipment you are planning to use? If you are expecting any disabled guests, is it handicap accessible? These are the kinds of questions you need to be asking.
At the end of the day, it all boils down to what you want. So far we have considered the vital things you need to look out for. But your wedding venue has an important role to play in creating an ambiance for your event. You want to choose carefully while having fun at it. Remember that it is your special day and your guests are there to celebrate you irrespective of where they do it.
By Okim-Orake Nyambi Akpet
Tobi September 11, 2019 - 1:02pm
Great content!