| The Perfect Location |
| By Christina
Friedrichsen, Author of Intimate Weddings: Planning
a Small Wedding that Fits Your Budget and Style,
www.intimate-weddings.com |
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| When
Darin and I starting tossing around ideas for our wedding,
we had quite a list of "maybes." Although we knew for
certain that we wanted an intimate wedding, the location
was a question mark. |
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Photo by
Demetri Productions |
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| Our
first idea was Scotland. I fantasized about finding
a castle in the Highlands and saying "I do" with only
a minister and our parents in attendance. That possibility
didn't fly: The more we thought about it, the more we
wanted the rest of our family and friends to be present |
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| We
finally decided to have our wedding ceremony at a small church
and our reception at our home on the shore of Lake Erie. After
all, our home was the place where we felt most comfortable
and that we most enjoyed. Why not make it the backdrop for
our special day? Preparing for the event ended up being more
work than we could have possibly imagined, but with the help
of friends and relatives we pulled it off. |
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| When
it comes to choosing a location for your intimate wedding,
the possibilities are limited only by your imagination and,
of course, your pocketbook. Perhaps you consider a home yours
or a friend's or a relative's the perfect spot for your big
day. Maybe you have picked out a unique location - a vineyard,
a museum, or the side of a mountain. Maybe the idea of a castle
wedding is truly what makes your heart sing. |
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| Some
locations are not suitable for a small wedding. Having your
ceremony in a massive church, for instance, will take away
from the intimate experience and dwarf you and your guests.
Likewise, having your reception in a large banquet hall, ballroom,
or country club might leave you with too much empty space.
Other venues, such as a favorite restaurant or inn, can offer
a more intimate feel. If you get stuck for location ideas,
call a few nondenominational ministers in your area. They've
probably conducted weddings at all sorts of places you haven't
thought of. |
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Six
Questions to Help You Choose a Location
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1.
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Is it important
for you to have your friends and relatives witness the
event, or are you perfectly content to just have the
two of you and maybe a couple of relatives and friends
there? If the latter is true, a destination wedding
can be ideal.
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2.
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Is an outdoor
wedding what you want, and are you prepared to deal
with the added stress of worrying about the weather
and handle the extra planning and work involved?
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3.
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How much
can you afford to spend, and is it enough to cover your
ideal location?
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4.
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Does the
location you're considering have special meaning to
you?
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5.
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Is the
location you're considering a practical one? Getting
married on the side of a mountain might sound romantic,
but Grandma might have trouble getting up there.
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6.
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Does the
site you're looking at have noise and/or alcohol restrictions?
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| A few options: |
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Home-yours
or that of a friend or relative
Favorite vacation spot
Bed-and-breakfast
Hotel or inn
Restaurant
Skyscraper
Museum
Historic mansion
Theater
Art gallery
Lodge or resort |
Country
club
Mountaintop
Forest
Park
Amusement park or water park
Famous landmark
Island
Castle
Ranch or farm
Beach
Hot-air balloon |
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