Couples who choose to get married in a house of worship or in an outdoor ceremony generally have to choose a second venue to host their reception. Some couples even choose multiple venues because they want to have their ceremony in a specific location, but they need a larger space to host the party that follows.
Whatever your reason for booking two venues for your wedding day, there are a lot of extra planning details you need to keep in mind.
Keep the time between the ceremony and reception short
While you want to leave your guests plenty of time to make their way from your ceremony venue to your reception, you don’t want to have too much lag time between the two events. If your two venues are relatively close together, try to keep the time between the end of your ceremony and the beginning of your reception to less than an hour. If there is more time in between the two events, your guests who don’t live in the area will have to find ways to kill time in an unfamiliar place—or they will hang around your reception venue and be bored waiting for the fun to start.
Take older guests into consideration
Moving from one location to another can be more of a challenge for older guests or guests with mobility issues. Be sure to keep these guests in mind if you plan to have your ceremony and reception at two different venues. You may want to provide transportation assistance to ensure everyone can easily get from one location to the next. Otherwise, some of your loved ones may have to RSVP that they won’t be able to attend your big day.
Be sure to keep everyone informed
The best way to ensure your guests are happy and enjoy your wedding day as much as you is to keep everyone in the loop. If a large gap between your ceremony and reception is unavoidable, provide a list of recommendations for things your guests can do in town to pass the time: favorite sights to see or shops to visit. Post the information on your wedding website, so everyone can check in and be aware of the schedule for your big day. While not everyone may have access to your wedding website, those who do can pass on the information to other guests.
Try to keep your décor cohesive
While your ceremony and reception may be in different locations, they are still both part of your wedding day. A great way to keep the same feel going for both events is to use similar colors and décor throughout both venues. This way, your two separate venues will feel connected and the aesthetic will blend throughout the whole wedding day.
If you choose to have two different venues for your ceremony and reception, just keep in mind that it will take more planning on your part. This is where hiring a professional wedding planner and coordinator can definitely come in handy!