How to Plan a Wedding - Part Seven - Location, Location, Location (Reception)

Hopefully you have an idea of where you would like to have your ceremony and now it is time to think about reception.

Here are a few things that went through my head when I was brainstorming for ideas.

1. How far away from the ceremony should I go?
2. What is the maximum and minimum number of guests?
3. What is the food and drink like?
4. Is it children friendly?
5. Are there any local hotels in the vicinity for guests to stay?
6. Is there adequate parking?

When you are answering these questions, think about the guests you are likely to invite.  It maybe your big day but considering the needs of your guest will make all the difference in how your wedding will be remembered.

Choosing a remote reception where the guests have to drive 20 minutes before trekking another 20 minutes may give you a unique reception but leaving your guest high and dry in the middle of nowhere and with little to eat or drink will not go down well.

This is far too remote!

I remember my mother complaining about one wedding where she really wanted a cup of tea but when she asked for one the staff didn't give her one because the bride and groom didn't think about refreshments after the wedding breakfast.  She does not have a positive memory of this wedding.

How to Plan a Wedding - Part Six - Location, Location, Location (again)

So we talked about registry offices but if you are planning a non-religious wedding then that is not your only choice.  You can also get married at "Approved Premises" as they are called.

Approved Premises are places that have been granted a licence by the council to hold a marriage ceremony.  Normally these premises are stately homes, hotels or restaurants and most of the time the local council will have a list of such premises.

Here is the list for Southend on Sea

http://www.southend.gov.uk/info/317/marriage-arrangement_and_ceremonies/612/marriages/5

and this one is for Solihull.

http://www.solihull.gov.uk/community/21397.htm

As you can see the council website ends up being your friend here.

Then last but not least there are the religious ceremony.

If both of you wish to get married in a place of worship then you probably already have an idea of where you would like to get married.  However if you are like my friend who was a Catholic, she found two Catholic churches she would like to get married in and it was only after a conversation with the Father that she finally made her choice.

When it comes to getting married at a place of worship, it is best to contact the person in charge of marriages at the religious building to see what needs to be done.  The reason for this is that not all places of worship have a licence to hold a marriage and if the place has a licence then they may not have an incumbent (or official) who is able to register the marriage.  For the latter, this is normally resolved by booking a registrar and they will attend your marriage which will be conducted by the minster.

For certain Asian marriages, they would go to the registry office to get their marriage recognise by law and then hold a separate religious ceremony at the place of worship so that their marriage is recognise by their religion.

Remember if you don't understand something.  Don't be afraid to ask or it could end in heart ache.

Tomorrow we will look at receptions!

How to Plan a Wedding - Part Five - Location, Location, Location.

Now it is time to consider your location.

Do you have an idea of where you would like to get married?

Are you going to have your ceremony and reception in different places or are you opting to have them in the same place?

Now for us we wanted the ceremony and reception at the same place because we didn't like the idea of up-heaving 55 people from one place to another.  Therefore it was logically sound to have them in the same place.  Not to mention the registry office wasn't the most photogenic place to have photos taken and although we had the whole of Essex to choose from, it seemed only appropriate to get married in Southend on Sea because that is where most of our family live.

However that isn't to say all registry offices are ugly.  Here are some example of registry office that will give you the perfect setting for your wedding.

Weybridge Register Office

Langtons Register Office

Dunoon’s Registry Office

I actually can't believe how stunning Dunoon Registry Office looks but this one is in Scotland so I would expect some amazing buildings and landscape.

The most easiest way to find a list of registry offices is to search the Directgov site here.

http://maps.direct.gov.uk/LDGRedirect/MapAction.do?ref=grolight

It not the best but it is a good starting point.

However registry offices are not the only places to get married which you will find out tomorrow!