All wedding venues are on a register somewhere right?
No! Wedding myth busting 101(UK only). I'm going to let you into one of the biggest secrets around. You can be married pretty much where ever you want! Now, I'm sure that HRH Queen Elizabeth would not be happy for most of us to marry at Windsor Castle, but aside from the obvious restrictions and checks with private landowners etc, you have options as far as the eye can see. There are legal restrictions as to where you register your marriage, but this is often confused with the wedding ceremony. The two can be combined, and in a more traditional wedding they may still be, but they most certainty do not have to be. How liberating is that! On a recent family holiday to the beautiful Cumbrian Lake District, I was struck once more, by the richness of our beautiful country. Both its natural beauty, but also its rich architectural history. I just had to get this blog out there so that those of you planning the most special of wedding days, know that you are free to have it in a place that it is special to the both of you. As a couple you are unique, have a unique wedding.
Outdoor Weddings
I thought I'd share the holiday snaps that got me all inspired. Let’s see what options these few pictures give us. Secret garden wedding, fairy hollow wedding, magical wedding venues, woodland wedding, lake wedding, forest wedding, rustic wedding and I could go on and on (but I won’t as you are probably busy planning your wedding or helping a lovely couple plan theirs). These venues are also perfect for elopements and micro weddings. Grab your fiancé, stick them in the car or on a train and just spend some time together looking at what is around you. If you love it, add it to the wedding venue short list. Don't discount local farms or estates. Many will have hosted weddings before and may well even have an events team to help you coordinate your day. They know how to get the best out of their stunning venue and will make sure that you have an amazing day.
No events team? No problem. Professional wedding planners can be commissioned to help you every step of the way from wedding flowers, wedding decorations, catering, music, tipi’s etc. For those of you wanting to express your creative flair, you could always take full artistic ownership over your wedding and design the whole thing yourself. Why not rope in family and friends and make it a real collaboration! This is just what the lovely Mr and Mrs Heath did recently at their farm wedding.
So what about indoors then? Can this be unique?
Absolutely. There are some amazing urban venues, historic venues, stately homes, bars, restaurants and bars for example. In the UK we are spoilt beyond belief. Some of these will be licenced by the local authority to register weddings but many may not be. What if you want to be married in one of them? Well, go ahead and ask! It may be the venue of your dreams, but the owner has never considerd hosting a wedding ceremony before. Not necessarily a problem. At True to You Celebrancy I am constantly approaching beautiful and unique establishments and suggesting to them that they could consider offering their fabulous space as an unlicensed wedding venue. You never know until you ask. You can just imagine how frustrating this is for my family on a day out or a holiday. They love me anyway. Just go to the contact me page if you want more information on this.
I hope that this has been a helpful and inspiring little blog. Below my top 10 tips for searching your perfect venue.
Brain storm! Sit down as a couple and make a list of all the places you love to visit, to socialise in, to holiday at and that are just special to you both.
Agree a theme for your day and think about what venue fits with your theme.
Go scouting your local area. In your busy wedding planning lives, have a slow day. Just drive. Point the car and go or get on the bus/train. What’s around you? What grabs your attention?
Do search wedding venues and use Pinterest or a wedding mood board to start building an idea of what you want. The perfect wedding venue may already be there for you!
Stick to your ground and don’t be swayed if friends and family think that your chosen venue is a ‘bit far out there’. It’s your day and it should reflect who you are as a couple.
If you choose an outdoor setting, consider a Tipi/Teepee or Yurt as a shady or dry area. The Great British weather is famously unpredictable.
Go create! If you are artistic, design your own wedding decorations. Pinterest, Pinterest and Pinterest.
Go to a ‘wedfest’ wedding fair, or one that brings together suppliers more suited to bespoke and alternative weddings.
Contact suppliers and ask them what venues they would be willing to cover. They may know of venues that you have never heard of and which may not come up when googling wedding venues.
Remember, above all else #yourdayyourway.
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