Choosing the right wedding venue is the first thing on your wedding planning agenda (or it puts up fierce competition with your wedding gown for top priority). The wedding venue will form the foundation for the rest of your wedding plans, provide the inimitable backdrop for an unforgettable occasion, and also set the scene for a fantastic reception and party.

Choosing the right venue is an important decision, so here are some of the factors to consider before you decide:

Full-service venue: Many wedding venues don’t just provide you with a chapel and a reception hall and you do the rest yourself – they provide a full wedding planning service, using the vendors of their choice and convenience to make your wedding day complete without you having to fuss over too much of the detail. The upside is that most of the hassle of wedding planning is taken care of, so this works well for busy brides-to-be. The downsides are that a full-service venue will be very expensive, plus you won’t have as much control over who does your flowers, photographs, décor, and catering, etc.

Your wedding theme and the venue: Whether you plan to have a large, formal wedding in a traditional dress or opt for a simpler, smaller wedding with a unique and fun theme, the style of your wedding will affect your choice of venue. For example, a vintage wedding with a horse and carriage arrival and you dressed in a short-sleeved, off-white gown will not work well at a slick, city venue. Similarly, a very formal wedding cannot be conducted at the beach.

Think very carefully about what the “tone” of your wedding will be in order to shortlist the venues that will suit your theme. If you need help with this, the best person to ask is an experienced wedding photographer who’s probably seen it all and knows what works and what doesn’t.

What are you doing to help you decide on your wedding venue? Is it working? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!