For your dream wedding, the venue becomes a very important part of the day. Choose a location with plenty of room, great lighting, and ideal backgrounds for wedding portraits. Here are seven of the most popular wedding venues.

Bed & Breakfasts and Inns

Inns and bed and breakfasts are exceptional locations for weddings. As most establishments have established gardens, picturesque settings for wedding photos are easy to find. Hosts often have connections to caterers and tent companies. This eliminates the hassle of finding services that match your needs. Plus, wedding party members and guests have a place to stay after the wedding reception, so there are no worries of drinking and driving.

Photo Credit: BnB Finder

Beachfront Destination Weddings

Beachfront destination weddings in tropical locations take a lot of the hassle out of wedding planning. Enjoy a romantic wedding on the beach of your choice. These weddings are usually smaller due to the expense of traveling to another destination. Many resorts offer discounts on wedding packages that provide you with accommodations for your guests, honeymoon accommodations for you and your spouse, a personal wedding planner, preparation of the wedding documents and a wedding cake.

Photo Credit: Modern Destination Weddings

Places of Worship

Places of worship are still popular choices for wedding venues. The cost is minimal, especially if you are a regular member of that church. Most churches have on-site parking making it easy for your guests to park near the venue. One other thing to consider is alcohol consumption. Some churches have strict rules about alcohol within the premise, so you might have to choose non-alcoholic beverages for the evening or find another venue for the reception.

College Grounds

If you met your spouse at college, a wedding at your alma mater is a great idea. There are courtyards for outdoor weddings, meeting houses and even ballrooms for lavish weddings. There are many campuses nationwide with very beautiful grounds, so there will be plenty of gorgeous photo opportunities. Most colleges and universities extend discounts to current and former students, so you’ll pay less and have a wedding where there is plenty of parking.

Family Home

Your own home, a family member’s home or a friend’s home is also an ideal wedding setting. If you plan to have lots of guests and there is plenty of space, you can put up tents in case of rain. If the home is large enough, you can have the entire reception and ceremony inside. You avoid rental fees, and that alone saves hundreds or thousands of dollars. The only things to consider are parking and noise. If your wedding reception is going to extend into the night, you may be restricted by town or city ordinances. You’ll also want to be respectful to your neighbors and let them know ahead of time that you plan to have your wedding in your backyard.

Photo Credit: My Wedding

Historic Sites

Historic sites don’t always make it to a couple’s short list. There are many historic sites worth considering, however. A wedding at a historic plantation or mansion creates a romantic setting you will not forget. You’ll find suitable properties in every state making it easy to have a wedding close to home, or you can choose a site in another state as a destination wedding location. As an added benefit, many historic plantations or estates have rose gardens and beautiful grounds that are perfect for outdoor ceremonies. Older estates also tend to have large dining halls, ballrooms and patios.

Wineries

The size of most wineries accommodates large weddings, so put them at the top of your list. Winery owners work with you to find suitable catering, if they do not have their own on-site restaurant or catering team. They also have wines available, so providing wine or champagne for toasts is easy. The country settings provide great backgrounds for photos, and there is usually lots of parking for your guests. Some wineries also have inns on the property, so guests and your wedding party don’t have to worry about a long drive home at the end of the night.

Photo Credit: Indu Huynh