What are the Best Wedding Venues? There are plenty of big decisions to make when planning a wedding, such as the guest list, dress, date, venue, bridesmaids, best men, and many more.
However, some decisions are more critical than others. The wedding venue you pick determines how successful your wedding occasion will be, which means you must be very keen. Indeed, a perfect wedding venue provides a lovely time to celebrate with your friends, guests, family members, and others, so you can’t underestimate the need to pick a decent wedding venue before anything else.
So here are the Best Wedding Venues for you to consider when planning your wedding. Remember, the location you settle upon is among the most influential parts of the wedding, a beautiful backdrop for your colorful wedding photographs, and the natural place to create lifetime memories.
Tips for choosing the best wedding venues today
Choosing a perfect wedding location is not easy, and you might need some assistance. Below are 25 fantastic wedding venues you can choose from to make your entire wedding process not only successfully enjoyable but also create long-lasting memories.
Unique wedding venues you better know before you plan for your wedding. Historic Estates. Beach Pavilions. Traditional banquet halls. Industrial lofts, to name a few. Indeed, the number and types of wedding places existing today are so huge that choosing the perfect venue for your actual day becomes a challenge. Indeed, some platforms won’t match your style from the word go. For instance, if you prefer the expensive platform, I recommend skipping the crystal chandeliers and banquet halls.
Moreover, some places may fall under the “Maybe” list, while a few will be in the “just right” venue list. Explore some of the proposed traditional, new, and unusual wedding place types to make your choices a bit narrow to avoid wasting your precious time and energy. This way, you get a piece of clear information about the place you will be visiting before making the final selection.
Traditional wedding venues options
1. Stand-alone banquet hall
Banquet halls are mainly designed for hosting intimate or large-scale celebrations. These hall venues are self-contained, with fully equipped kitchens and stylish interiors. Today, most banquet halls have readily available catering teams with readymade menus, although some are now accepting outside catering services. A Stand-alone banquet hall will offer a fantastic wedding experience mainly due to its convenience.
2. Bed & Breakfast Mini Inn/ Inn
Whether you fall for an Inn by the beach or a medium boutique hotel in a neighboring city, your choices are unlimited with B&B bridal place. The venues are known for their intimate, charming nature, extending to a fantastic wedding place. Get a package deal with amble overnight rooms to host your wedding party and accommodate your far-away guests.
3. Resort or Hotel
Most of these venues are popular due to the professional and experienced staff offering first-class catering services. Besides, their polished facilities ensure your wedding is done within beautiful surroundings. It’s even more impressive if the venue is near a vacation resort. However, nothing gives resorts and hotels an upper hand over the other wedding places other than their unmatched convenience. The incredible thing about hosting your wedding ceremony in motels or hotels is that you accommodate the reception, tradition, and far-away guests under one roof.
This way, you eliminate the logistical issues associated with ferrying people to and from the different locales.
4. House of worship
If you’re looking forward to hosting a traditional religious marriage ceremony, then a house of worship venue is a great option, mainly because they are affordable. However, it’s imperative to note that some places of worship do not have adequate spaces or pieces of equipment necessary for receptions. For instance, their kitchen may be partially equipped or even empty, so you will have to bring in your outside catering and set up a buffet. We highly recommend visiting the place before you make final payments to decide whether to go with that option or move on to a better one.
5. Country club
Country clubs are usually located on scenic public or private golf courses. They often have panoramic scenery for taking spectacular photos. Besides, they have elegant interiors, not to mention the white-glove catering services from their professional staff. However, the only issue with some privately owned golf clubs is that you require only members or sponsorship from a member to get the green light for booking events.
Research all the requirements needed to book an event before committing to a private facility.
6. Historical site, Mansion, or Home venues
Hosting a wedding at a popular historic venue is one of the best ways to create long-lasting memories, especially from the hint of the past events coming live during the marriage. Just imagine how amazing it is to have a wedding in a building with gorgeous architectural styles such as Colonial, Romantic, Victorian, or Distinctive interiors. Besides, most historic homes feature awe-inspiring gardens and grounds that offer a perfect site for photo shooting or hosting ceremonies. For instance, the San Francisco Mint, which has been in operation since 1974, provides an ideal wedding backdrop mainly due to its sleek granite interiors, Greek Revival façade, and elegant bridal suite.
7. Vacation rental
Have you ever considered holding your wedding in an independent vacation rental such as Vrbo or AirBnB? Although these venues are relatively small, they offer an intimate wedding location. Yes, be assured these are an excellent option for a DIY marriage ceremony. Besides, you can still rent the adjacent rooms or the whole property, including the internal reception, to avoid disturbances from outsiders. Certainly, Vacation rentals are a perfect destination for hosting a small wedding ceremony. Consider vacation rentals such as the Santa Fe ranch or Cape Cod Beach and see how unique the wedding could be. However, you must be very candid about yourself! What are the real reasons for renting a vocational rental, the number of people you anticipate attending, and the cleanup services once your ceremony is over? Besides, some rental agencies or owners may decline to clear you if you don’t leave the property spotlessly clean and ready for the next client.
8. Museum
Getting wedded in a museum must be one of the unique decisions you make in your lifetime. For instance, consider weddings in famous museums such as the spectacular Tacoma Museum of Glass, Santa Fe, Whimsical Museum of International Folk Art, and Washington Museum; these great places offer great wedding venues. They feature a stunning backdrop and unique décor, thus making your wedding event colorful and memorable. However, it is essential to research if the museum you pick as your favorite for hosting the wedding has features similar to your wedding style. Besides, consider if the museum has vibrant, sophisticated, quirky, and modern architecture.
9. Restaurant
Are you looking forward to having a romantic dinner and laid-back meals with your beloved? Then, why don’t you consider renting a restaurant to host your small-scale reception and wedding party? The good thing about renting a restaurant is that you can book the entire property for one or two days to ensure maximum convenience during the event. Depending on the terms and conditions of renting the restaurant, this can save much of your money since most restaurants don’t charge a service fee or additional facility fee.
Restaurants are an excellent venue for holding a party because you can estimate the number of guests to invite. A large number means booking ample space or even the entire property or increasing reservations for the extra-large tables. Most restaurants’ fantastic thing is that their rooms are designed to accommodate large and small groups, so nothing to feel insecure about. Suppose you don’t mind spending your money on a lifetime event. In that case, booking the entire venue allows you to decorate it according to your wedding theme and even include a few activities and games, although some games may be limited since this is private property. You can still make a few wedding invitations to your VIP guests, especially if you resolve to reserve their tables at a different place.
One of the advantages of choosing a restaurant as your wedding venue is that you can request the restaurant management to help you with the most table decoration that will match your wedding theme and style. Besides, you can still request drinks and food from the restaurant chefs since this will save the hassle of booking outside catering services. You will finalize by setting up a table for presents, wedding cake, souvenirs, and pictures for the couple during their early dating days. It must be a fantastic venue.
10. Urban loft
Urban loft venues are excellent for hosting your wedding mainly due to their open and large concept spaces. Besides, the Urban loft has unique decorations and features that infuse your wedding style with exciting energy and elegant city style. Urban lofts are available in various sizes, either expansive, intimate, or small enough to host a small wedding event. Most urban lofts include balconies, floor-to-ceiling windows, and rooftops for easier skyline viewing.
Unique Outdoor wedding venues
11. Beach or waterfront
Overlooking a water body such as a lake, an ocean, or a river brings inner peace and a sense of spiritual connection. Yes, one of the wedding goals is to have a peaceful and romantic event, and a wedding venue near water bodies can mean a great deal for your wedding. The most amazing about most waterside venues is that they include a dedicated setup featuring gazebos and arches that you can further decorate to match your wedding theme and style. A large tent, a pavilion, or an indoor space can function as the reception space. Besides, an open outdoor platform can also serve the same purpose.
12. Vineyard or Winery
Why not choose a unique wedding destination where you, your beloved, and guests can enjoy to the fullest. A wedding in a wine country surrounded by rolling hills can offer a fantastic scene for photo shooting and incredible memory creation. Rest assured of exceptional food prepared by professional and prize-winning chefs. Certainly, Vineyards have an elegant ambiance that gives a chilling environment besides the plenty of outstanding wine. Some of the great winery venues in the USA include Sonoma, Napa Valley, and Californian Paso Robles, Oregon Willamette Valley, to name a few.
13. Barn or farm
If you and your loved one love dancing, then a wedding at a Barn venue can greatly benefit you. Indeed, vaulted timer ceilings, Verdant fields, and wood-plank floors offer a perfect space for dancing to your fullest. Once you book a farm or a barn venue, a rustic style is made to ensure your wedding is done in a colorful venue.
Other items included in the farm venue are fairy lights, mismatched vintage, and blanket-cased hay bales to make seating platforms. Be assured barn or farm wedding venues have an exceptional homespun charm. Don’t forget about the white-washed furnishers, velvet accents, and chandeliers that offer a stylish venue with a rustic twist for your wedding.
14. Mountain lodge
Mountainside resorts and Ski lodges have some of the stagiest ridgeline backdrops for hosting your wedding celebrations at any given time in the year. Besides, they are an ideal venue for adventures, particularly for couples who love snow hiking and other snow sports. Make the after-wedding moments great as you welcome the honeymoon period once your guests have left after the wedding party.
15. Botanical garden
Most botanical gardens have multi-purpose spaces for hosting weddings, such as secret rose gardens, outdoor pavilions, and greenhouses, with some having a beautiful floral wedding theme.
Remember, a floral theme gives your wedding a natural fit, although most theme styles within a botanical garden setting should match your theme. For instance, a country chic, an old-world elegance, and a contemporary piece can help create lasting memory scenes with beautiful backdrop scenes for photo taking. If you are looking forward to a lower-cost garden option, it’s better to consider booking a local garden venue under the administration of the local community groups or municipalities.
16. National, State, or Local Park
Let you and your lover choose a favorite national or local park. Typically, parks have a relaxed barbecue catering to your wedding’s needs. Besides, reserving a beautiful picnic area is more accessible and cheaper once you get the permit to receive your wedding event in the park. Moreover, you can decide to enjoy your glamorous wedding event on the outside terrace at a nearby hotel within the park since most parks include well-equipped hotels with price-winning chefs. Depending on your budget, passion, and choice, getting wedded in a garden can create long-lasting memories and make your wedding enjoyable. Moreover, a park wedding is a more affordable option that will undoubtedly help you save money for a remarkable honeymoon in the future.
17. Treehouse
Why not make your wedding a unique, creative, and countryside event with charming activities in the trees? Although Treehouses are ideal for hosting small weddings and other small ceremonies, be assured you can host the ceremony within a treehouse if it doesn’t involve many people. However, for a medium-sized wedding, the ceremony can occur in a nearby pavilion or an outside decorated clearing, mainly in the woods. For instance, one famous Treehouse is the Treehouse Village, located in Kentucky in the US. This treehouse has a rustic outdoor kitchen, not forgetting the log cabin, which is a perfect reception area. Note we don’t recommend hosting a large-scale wedding in a treehouse venue mainly because of the limited space.
18. Boat or yacht
Although many people think hosting a wedding event on a yacht or a boat can be an expensive task, that is not always the case. Hosting your reception and the main wedding ceremony on the deck of a reserved sailboat, charter boat, or even a luxury yacht means enjoying your wedding days and nights on the water; how beautiful. Indeed, my sister got wedded on a luxurious Elite yacht last year, and let me say it must be one of the most colorful wedding parties I have ever attended. There are several advantages of choosing to wed on a boat, such as having a chance at all-inclusive services besides the spectacular view that colors the entire event. Suppose you’re looking forward to hosting your wedding in a venue that gives you a chance to get a breathtaking perspective on the famous skyline. In that case, the Elite Private Yachts, especially in New York City, can mean everything you need at your wedding. Larger yachts have larger rooms that can host you and your VIP guests at night as you celebrate your transition to an officially married person.
Distinctive wedding venues types
These are unique wedding venue types. The great part about these particular wedding venue types is that they feature exceptional decorative features that will make your wedding an unforgettable event. Some of these venues are;
19. Vintage or Antique store
Do you and your loved one enjoy holding sweet talks in a kitschy retro environment or a vintage décor-themed venue? Then consider being wedded in an antique warehouse or a vintage shop. Gather some information from your regular haunts before visiting the antique store to ask if they host wedding parties. Assure them you are a responsible person and that you have great respect for their terms and conditions of offering the store and a general insurance cover for your wedding.
20. Craft or Art gallery
Several galleries exhibit various artwork from independent, present, and upcoming artists, and these sites make some of the most beautiful wedding places. Just figure out you and your loved one surrounded with beautiful artwork of your choice, whether large-scale fashionable sculptures, American folk art designs, the old black and white photography, among other memorable arcades. The Whitebox Art Center in New York City is one of the most popular non-profit art venues where you can host your wedding in a double gallery space.
21. Distillery or Craft Brewery
Do the majority of your guests prefer spirits and beer over wine? Then why don’t you hold your wedding in a vineyard venue where your guests will have a memorable day in their life. Yes, give them access to an unending beer supply while parting on the on-site restaurant catering to all your wedding affairs. Besides, you can hire an additional local food truck to your site for an outdoor courtyard to make your day a unique one. Be assured of a rustic and hip industrial vibe that triggers happy moments. Some Craft gallery features banquet tables where your entire guest can feast comfortably between polished wooden casks.
22. Sports Facility/ Gym
Do you and your to-be spouse love sports and would like your wedding to happen in a sport-themed venue to create long-lasting memories? Then holding your wedding in a Sporty wedding venue can be the answer to your desires. For instance, a large yoga studio or a basketball court can help create a great sense of intimacy with the gauzy drapes and decorations surrounding the space. However, don’t forget to hire caretakers and vendors for regular service delivery but be assured of prominent floor space for all sorts of dancing activities and gaming like the pick-up games.
23. At Home
Although tens of fantastic wedding venues are available today, you can still beat all the odds and hold a 100% traditional wedding celebration at your home. A wedding celebration done at the new couple’s home brings a great sense of comfort to the quest and intimacy to the lovers. Besides the comfort and calmness at your home, holding a wedding party at home minimizes chances of distraction from uninvited people or noises from other related ceremonies from public gatherings. Moreover, you won’t incur a penny to rent the space, logistics issues, and other hidden expenses associated with holding a party outside your home. However, one of the shortcomings of hosting your wedding at home is that you will be left with many clean-up tasks after the inevitable party mess-ups.
24. Castle or Chateau
Bring a great sense of fairytale romance into your wedding event in a chateau venue. Most Castles feature wood-panned walls, Ballrooms, chandeliers, and grand marble staircases that bring great elegance to your wedding place. Besides, the outside may feature manicured lawns, tower parapets, terraces, and rose gardens for taking memorable pictures. The endless lovely backdrop is indeed what you for your wedding party photos.
25. A Tea Room venue
If you love calmer and a whimsical environment, then a tea room venue can be a great deal for your wedding celebration. Think about spending your afternoon in a cozy atmosphere in a local tea room. One of the most fantastic things about tea rooms is that they often create a great sense of privacy, intimacy, and quietness, thus giving your guests a chance to interact and enjoy talks as they sip a glass of delicious tea from exceptional chefs. It is chic to hold your wedding in a modern tea room as the whole place includes elegant decorations and fine china décor. Besides, you can still add your personalized decoration and wedding-themed cakes, which is fine. Bearing that tea rooms have amble spaces, why not organize gaming activities for your guests? Yes, be creative enough, and provide wish-writing material that matches the wedding theme. To develop a suitable tea theme, you can visit your local coffee brewery and get the various tea themes for a newly wedded couple.
26. Community center
Both private and public community centers such as junior league, Lions Club, and Kiwanis Club, among others, are pretty affordable wedding places, especially for DIY wedding ceremonies.
However, you must ensure the center’s décor matches your wedding style since the variation between these two décor can be wide. One of the most significant advantages of holding your event in community centers is that they often have fully equipped kitchens and A/V equipment and ample space for games and other activities.
Other cheap wedding venue ideas you can consider.
27. At a Warehouse
Although many couples have been shying from holding their wedding at a warehouse, today’s warehouse weddings are becoming very popular, particularly with city dwellers. Indeed, couples will call them urban barn weddings due to their industrial-chic vibe and the high ceilings associated with the warehouse. The exposed brick walls are said to make the wedding venue unique and adapt to the wedding style’s beauty.
28. Rental Tent
Suppose you know a set of locations featuring an ideal natural setting and beautiful outdoor views. In that case, you should consider establishing a temporary shade and a “roofing” for hosting your wedding. Renting a tent is affordable and a great way of hosting a wedding since you have the entire space for any outdoor activities and games. You can easily customize the various tent aspects, such as decorations to match your wedding style, and rent an open-sided tent if the weather is favorable; otherwise, a closed tent will better serve your purpose. Often, rental companies provide other critical necessities such as tables, chairs, and tablecloths, to name a few, which can save you the additional cost of hiring them from different companies. Ideally, a table can accommodate about eight persons, so you can do your math and determine the number of tables and chairs you need. Once your tent is set, the only major thing remaining is decorations and how you will cater for food and drinks.
29. At a Park
Whether your wedding guests will be large or small, holding a wedding ceremony at an outdoor venue such as in local, state, or national parks is not only trendy, and charming but also relaxing.
However, holding an event at an outdoor location such as a park can only be ideal in spring or summer; otherwise, the weather might not be conducive for an outdoor event. Besides, hiring an event agency means freeing yourself from activities involving drinks, food, and after-party clean-up.
30. Civic or Government buildings
These may include city hall weddings, 10-minute receptions, and ceremony halls in a civic building or grand entrance halls. Most historic government buildings have strict limitations for the vendors and décor, so ensure to abide by the rules set. Some popular facilities include the Hennepin Courthouse, which hosts courts offices, and the Landmark Minneapolis City Hall.
31. Library
If you and your to-be partner are having great fun reading various tops and the library is your favorite place, then why not hold your wedding in a landmark library. For instance, Boston Public Library and New York City Library have reserved venues for wedding parties. To your surprise, they have an incredibly charming courtyard to host various activities and games.
32. Planetarium or zoo
Holding your wedding ceremony in a Zoo is one of the best ways of maximizing your guest’s happiness as they celebrate your lifetime achievement. It allows them to enjoy a universe tour from the entry point to the ceremony space. The ample space also means that your guests can engage in various outdoor activities, so be assured a Zoo wedding venue should be a priority when planning your wedding venue selection.
Final thought
Besides avoiding a cleanup circumstance, the concept of picking the right wedding venue can help you focus on making your day not only memorable but also unique. It’s incredible to know these fantastic wedding venue options available today so that your event isn’t the most expensive and flashiest that would otherwise leave you financially drained. Whether you want to incur as little as possible and still throw a colorful wedding event, any venue option can offer the much-needed ambiance you need. When it comes to deciding which wedding site to settle upon, it becomes a challenge, especially for the amateurs in selecting an ideal wedding location. Choose any of the above 32 wedding venues to hold your wedding without hassle.