Your Ceremony can be as individual as you are. You can have your ceremony outdoors, indoors, in a church, in a chapel, wherever you want. If you are not sure about where to hold your ceremony, these tips can help guide you down the isle. Here are some helpful tips & questions to ask when choosing your perfect Ceremony site.

1. If you go to church & would like a traditional church wedding there, contact your officiant at your church for more information about getting married at your church.
2. You can save money (and time) by having your Ceremony & Reception at the same location. Many sites have package deals that can save you a bundle.
3. Ask first off if your wedding date is available. There is no sense in getting attached to a place if you cannot change your wedding date.
4. What kind of Ceremony do you want? Do your dreams include 200 people or 30? How big your congregation will be can eliminate potential sites that are too large or too small for your guests.
5. Make sure you get all arrangements made in writing. You want no surprises or unplanned for fees to spring up at the last minute.
6. You'll need to have a good idea of the formality of the occasion. Is your wedding going to be ultra formal, formal, semi formal or casual? This usually depends on the time of day your ceremony is. See our Formality Guidelines for more information.
7. What other events will be held here on my day? If you are touring resorts & hotels & such venues that may have more than one event held during your day, it's a good idea to find out what other kinds of events are planned on that day.
8. Is there a place for the bridal party to change & get ready for the Ceremony? It's often easier to change at the site of the wedding.
9. Does the site have enough space for everyone (including your wedding party)?
10. Are there any restrictions or prohibitions of any kind at this site? Find out in advance what kinds of restrictions there are.
11. Are Candles allowed? If you have your heart set on having candles, make sure you know the site's policies on them.
12. Find out about the packages available, and what is included in each. There is a wide variety in what can be included or not, and you'll want to go over the list carefully to see if it meets your needs.
13. Ask about any pre-marital requirements the site may have. For example, at some churches, the officiant requires the couple to go to couples counseling at that church for a period of time, and attend/become a member of the church for at minimum amount of time as well.
14. Consider having a good friend/relative become a Deputy Marriage Commissioner for a day by your State to perform your wedding (California has a program to do this - it's easy to do!)
15. What musical instruments can be provided (piano, organ).
16. Are there any soloists, musicians available?
17. What about parking? How much is the parking fee? Where would my guests park? If you are interested in purchasing the parking for your guests, ask how much it would be. Many sites have a discount if you are willing to pay for your guests.
18. What restrictions do you have on decorations, Photography or Videography? Make sure you let your Florist, Photographer & Videographer know about the restrictions so they can work within them.
19. What are the restrictions & requirements of Throwing of rice/birdseed?
20. What are the cleanup requirements? Be sure you let your vendors know as well.
21. Are there music restrictions & requirements?
22. Are there any videography restrictions & requirements?
23. Are there any photography restrictions & requirements?.
24. Is seating provided?
25. What are the restrictions & requirements on rented equipment?
26. What fees are charged?
27. Is there an arch provided?
28. Is there a deposit required to hold the site?
29. What time would my vendors be allowed in to setup before the Ceremony?
30. Can we hold our rehearsal here too?
31. Are there any additional fees for holding the rehearsal here?
32. What are the decorating restrictions & requirements?
33. Does the site provide an isle runner?
34. Does the site provide candlebra's?
35. Are kneeling benches provided?
36. Is there a canopy available?
37. Is there any restrictions as to how long the Ceremony can be?
38. Is there a coordinator or personal contact that will help take care of things? It's a good idea to get more than one number for the coordinator or personal contact just in case.
39. After you have chosen the site for your Ceremony, make sure to reserve the site & confirm it asap.
40. You'll need to sign an agreement as to what they will provide, etc., and most likely pay a deposit to hold the site.