Finding your perfect wedding venue/location.
Where to have your wedding is a massive decision and there are so many of factors to consider when choosing your location….
- Budget
- Wedding size
- Theme
- Decor
- Seasons
Are some, but other things to consider are:
- What type of photos do you want?
- How far do you want to travel or make your guests travel?
- Do you intend on decorating a venue pre wedding or can the venue do this for you?
- Will your family be involved with making wedding decisions?
- Timing: Work or family commitments
The list really does go on.
Options
I myself have various lists of options for small weddings, large weddings, BYO weddings and as time goes by my list is growing. I am travelling more and more between Dunedin and Central Otago meeting some amazing couples and checking out beautiful locations. It kind of makes you want to get married every week! (Me, defiantly not the husband)
But by no means should you feel limited to the venues listed online and recommended on Facebook pages.
There are so many hidden gems around Dunedin this is why it pays to get advice from an Event coordinator. We turn up to new venues all the time, walk in and think wow one of my brides would love this place.
Sometime even by mistake, right before I got married a few years ago I had parked in Vogel Street to look at some carpet when I came out I was getting a parking ticket so while I was standing there trying to talk my way out of it i looked behind the lovely parking meter man and came across an semi industrial building that had just been finished. Beautiful staircases, white walls, glass elevator what more could I want for our wedding pictures!
Full Service Venues
Here in Dunedin there are some amazing venues, Grandview Gardens is a full service venue a one stop shop for everything ceremony, photos, reception, personalized planning. There are very few of these places around Dunedin so Grandview is really a great find, Jo is able to do everything for you and because of this here venue can often be very busy so inquire early into your wedding planning. If you are looking for something similar River Ridge Retreat in the beautiful Catlin’s also offers everything you could ask for including accommodation on site for up to 60 people. Adele will work with you to create you perfect day and to suit any budget. You can find both of these venues on Southern Bride wedding planning support and advice.
Venues with some support
There are plenty of venues where they will have staff on hand to help you through the process of setting up and decorating, but this may be just for either the ceremony or the reception still leaving quite a lot of planning and working out the logistics of your chosen locations.
“Blank Canvas Venues” Venues with no support
These venues can include Halls, clubs, Marques, Weddings at home and in Gardens.
These are blank canvas venues where you can do and decorate how you deem fit. You may have more leeway there such as timing before and after the ceremony, there may not be preferred caterers that you have to use and restrictions on Alcohol may be different (stay tuned for my advice on this in the next couple of weeks).
Places like this may tick a lot of your boxes but will create a few boxes you didn’t think of, i.e. who is going do the set up? Be onsite while all the vendors are dropping off everything you have ordered and the caterer is setting up while you and your family are getting ready? The worst of all who is going to clean up the venue after the reception? Do you really want Mum and Dad staying behind once you all leave (because you know your groomsmen and bridesmaids are going to be in no fit state to do so) or leaving the marital bed first thing in the morning to have everything ready for the hire companies to pick up their gear?
Where i can help
This is where a specialist event coordinator is essential. At Encore Event Coordination we currently offer 3 different packages (soon to be 4 with a stylist included) and these can be shaped to work with your budget. We can come in and offer advice on locations or go through what you are looking for and together find the perfect place for you and your husband to be.
We can either work with you right from the start and join you on the whole journey or just turn up on the day. My team will make sure your venue is set up the way you want it and then leave it clean and tidy so no extra fees are incurred.
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