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There are so many options available for wedding reception venues if you open your eyes to the possibilities. While plenty of towns have designated event halls that are used exclusively for weddings and other special occasions, there are a myriad of other spaces that can be transformed into a gorgeous reception venue, such as mansions, parks, restaurants and museums.
Unfortunately, when you're on a budget, it can be harder to find a reception venue that not only satisfies your requirements in terms of space and aesthetics, but is also affordable. By following a few tips when you're looking for a venue, you can find something affordable and beautiful.
o Look at events owned by the city or town. Whether it's a city park or a recreation center, venues owned by a municipal government tend to be drastically cheaper than, say, a hotel ballroom. Along the same line, universities have a multitude of beautiful places to get married – some colleges have art museums on campus, gardens, or spectacular libraries. Many schools also have on-campus chapels for the ceremony. If you're an alumni, you might be eligible for a discount.
o Look for a site where you can bring in your own caterer. Many reception venues require you to use their own in-house caterer. If you find a place where you just rent the venue and can shop around for caterers, you'll not only most likely save money, you have greater options in terms of cuisine.
o Live in a big city? Look outside the limits. It's just a fact of geographic location that venues inside a big city such as New York, Philadelphia or Los Angeles will be more expensive simply because of the address. If you check out venues 30 minutes away, you'll probably find something much more affordable.
o Get married at an unexpected time. Your dream wedding venue may be way out of your budget on a Saturday night, but completely affordable on a Friday night or Sunday morning. This is because the venue is probably sitting empty during those times, so they would rather rent it out for less than not at all. The idea of an off-peak wedding is non-traditional, but can be just as much fun – a Friday night wedding held after 7 pm can be a great cocktail party, while an 11 am wedding on a Sunday can be a brunch spectacular. You may also be able to negotiate a lower price during the less-popular wedding months.
o Hold the ceremony and reception at the same site. A church or synagogue that has a reception hall attached is usually willing to rent it to members at a very low rate. Just check with the officials to make sure you will not be breaking any rules by bringing in alcohol or the likes.
o Have it at home. This can get tricky – the cost of renting everything you need to host a traditional wedding reception can be very expensive. Tables, chairs, servers, decorations, a sound system – it adds up pretty quickly! There is a possibility that you still might come out ahead financially, so do the math and see if it works for you.
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Source by Gail Vince
