Strategies for Choosing the Perfect Wedding Location!!
Shoot Thinning the Grapevines!!!
Shoot Thinning grapevines is a technique used in the grape growing process for clipping, and pruning extraneous leaves and vines to enhance growth and produce the perfect grape cluster for wine! If this is not done, the grapes will grow in an uncontrollable fashion yielding inconsistent, mediocre fruit quality!
The first “growing technique” in Planning a Special Wedding Day is finding the perfect location for YOU!!
Factors to evaluate:
-Your Dream
-Ambiance
-Time of year
-Travel time/distance for guests
-Ease of logistics and setup
-Rules/regulations/restrictions
-Flexibility
-Customer Service
-Cost/value relationship
YOUR DREAM
REALITY CHECK! If you want to marry on the moon, then the earth will not do!!! The most important decision is to decide if your “dream” is achievable based on finances and realism. Take a hard introspective look at yourself, and decide if anything will make you happy! This is the First hurdle to overcome before even looking for a location! Readjust and focus your thinking to understand that the wedding day is the First Step in creating many lifelong experiences and memories! If this cannot be worked through, the wedding process will not be a special experience for you, your soul mate, your friends and family.
AMBIANCE
The look of the site is very important to achieving your dream! If you are an urban girl then do not go to the mountains!!! Find a beautiful Hotel or Private Club/restaurant to host your wedding event. If you love nature and the “natural” then go outside the city environment! A room with 4 walls will need to be enhanced with labor, setup time, and monies to create the look you desire! If you love to create a perfect “set” or fantasy, this is the venue for you! A ballroom, hotel or private club room can be the perfect place.
If you desire a natural look, think of the beach, the mountains, a garden, a vineyard, or golf resort to have the feel you desire. With choosing a preset look, you can save time, effort and monies since you know what to expect. This can ease the planning of accessories and services (dresses and attire, flowers, food, cake, photography, music) much easier.
Always keep in mind, this is your wedding, and create the desired feeling you want to have on that special day!!!
TIME OF YEAR
Getting married in the Spring was traditonally the perfect time for a wedding! Now, life gets in the way of most events! Birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, business trips, other friend’s weddings, and holidays are just a few factors that weigh into this decision! You must decide how important these become for planning the date of your wedding.
Spring is a beautiful time in nature. There are many flowers and vistas that only exist this time of year! As beautiful as it is, it is also a time of allergies for many!! Also, the oceans and waters can be cold and very boisterous! Rain may also be a factor in many parts of the country (rain is good luck on your wedding day—they say!!!)
Summer is a more predictable time for many locations. The trees and greenery are in full bloom, the waters are calmer, and the temperatures are warmer. Consider shade (tree-lined areas), tenting, or an indoor option if the temperature is too warm in certain locations!! Also take into consideration the time of day for the wedding (morning, lunch, or evening)! Pricing can be a factor based on the time of day for the event! This can work to your advantage if you are flexible!
Fall is a very unique beautiful time if you like fall colors, changing of seasons and the scents of fall!!! It is also harvest and a very special time in Wine Country areas. The days/evenings are cooler and getting shorter by November 1 (daylight saving time ends!)
Winter is considered off-season for most wedding venues except for mountain resorts! The days are short, the weather less predictable, and you have key national holidays (not being religious) such as Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years to work around!!! That being said, you can realize some wonderful values if you choose a date in this timeframe at many locations!
TRAVEL TIME/GUESTS
The wedding must go on! It is time for the ceremony but 50% of the guests are not there!! Yikes! What to do! Make sure you think through the start time of the wedding based on specific factors of the location! If you get married during rush hour in the city, there will be consequences! Early Friday evening in a drive time environment will also cause delays! Solutions: Opt for a later start time for the ceremony; or plan a pre-ceremony cocktail or social gathering to insure there is time for the guests to arrive.
If you have a destination wedding, most guests will plan in advance to take off early, or have travelled to reach the location. However, you may be adding extra costs for guests such as airfare, hotel, car rental… If there are challenging issues with family on size of wedding, choosing a destination wedding might be an easy way to keep the guest list under control!!! Having a wedding in Hong Kong will probably shorten the guest list!
LOGISTICS—EASE AND SETUP
A bride may want to get married on a mountain top; however, what about chairs!! Thinking through all details of a wedding ceremony and reception is key to a less stressful event! If you like adventure then yes, go for the mountain top; and let the winds blow as they may!! If you are a naturally care free person, then this will not be a worry. If you are very detailed and a perfectionist, stop now!!! There are many, many details involved in planning a wedding, and you will need to surround yourself with professionals who know what has to be done! Choose a location with experience and staffing to assist! Remember, you want to make this a “fun” day for you!
RULES, REGULATIONS, RESTRICTIONS
Ignorance is not bliss!!! Ask lots of questions at every location you consider. There are many regulations that you may not know! Ask each location to define these for you. These normally relate to event timeframes, end times, noise restrictions, legal permits, licenses, liability insurance, security, food rules, liquor laws, use of sparklers(fire), outside vendors, smoking etc. Each location will be different so feel comfortable with the management you are working with so that there are No surprises!
FLEXIBILITY
This is so crucial to having a positive experience at any location. When you first visit a property, listen closely to the person you are meeting with to see if he/she is flexible and open, or if there is any give and take in the discussions. Most likely this will be the attitude that prevails throughout the entire event process. First impressions are normally true!
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Read as much as possible about the property, ask friends who may have had an event there, check testimonials, and any online information to understand the strategy for the location! You need to determine what level of service you desire, and what that is cost is worth to you.
COST/VALUE RELATIONSHIP
There is No Free Lunch!!! You do get what you pay for! However, in these economic times, there are some fabulous values to be realized if you know how to look and ask! Ask each location what discounts are possible based on prime season versus off-season timing, day of the week, time of day, length of event, and the location of the event on the property! Also, ask about different menu options (one chicken entrée versus 2 choices), buffet versus sit-down service, appetizers only, and the different Bar Packages—what is the best value for you so you have no surprises at the end! Discuss in detail what is included in the proposal. Better yet, ask what is NOT INCLUDED in the proposal!!! Finally, if you are a confident bride, a close in booking will yield you great financial benefit. Dates that are not booked within several months of the wedding are fabulous values. Just make sure you are working with a location with a good reputation, a preferred vendor list, and professional experienced personnel!
Happy Shoot Thinning!
Loretta Falkner is co-owner of Falkner Winery in the Temecula Wine Country in Southern California. They have hosted over 100 Temecula winery weddings each year since 2000.
Tags: Temecula wedding, Temecula winery wedding, winery wedding
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