Beach Wedding California Locations
Wedding Planning- How to Choose a Wedding Site Location
General information
We recommend that if possible, both bride and groom will attend all interviews.
Always carry a note pad and pen to write down important information and questions that may arise during your interview.
Actually, choosing the wedding site location that is just right for you, is a lot of fun.
Before you start looking, you should brainstorm. As you do, take to consideration your wedding budget, your wedding theme, the atmosphere you want at your wedding, your interests, and your guests.
The location is one of the most important aspects of your wedding, so consider carefully what will make yours a special, one-of-a-kind wedding event. You have many option including a do it yourself wedding (friends and family contributing of course.) Following is a list to get you started.
Ideas for wedding sites include:
A Home – do it yourself wedding,
Auditoriums – usually on a rental basis,
Beach – public domain may need permit and or license,
Bed and Breakfast – full service,
Camp Grounds – do it yourself wedding,
Club Houses – do it yourself wedding,
Country Clubs – most offer full service,
Conference Centers- some offer full service, some are on a rental basis,
Convention Centers – some offer full service, some are on a rental basis,
Hotel – Ball Rooms – Grounds or – Gardens. A Gazebo makes a wonderful setting for a wedding ceremony- full service
Houses of Worship – Churches – Synagogues – Temples – Mosques – etc…some offer full service, some are on a rental basis, some can only facilitate the ceremony,
Mansions – full service,
Museums -some museums offer celebration rooms and may even help with special wedding themes, especially historical – usually on a rental basis,
Parks – Great – do it yourself wedding,
Patio – Gardens – do it yourself wedding,
ranches – usually on a rental basis,
Resorts, full service,
Rented Halls – usually on a rental basis,
Stadiums – usually on a rental basis,
Yachts or Cruise Ships – full service,
You can probably come up with some more ideas.
Unless the location is your top priority, choose the dream location and a few alternative sites that will be just right for you, so that if necessary you can be flexible. Some location are natural for weddings and offer all the amanities you need. Others rent the space and leave the rest to you, still others are free but you have to make all the arrangements. So, consider your wedding budget, consider the work involved, consider your guests and choose the site that will afford you your dream wedding. The information you gathered, is actually a wonderful preparation for your interviews.
FULL SERVICE WEDDING SITE and FACILITIES
These are venues that can take care of every little detail regarding your ceremony and reception. You’ll still need to attend to your personal needs. You’ll need to attend to the attire, wedding accessories and wedding gifts for each other, family, and wedding attendants.
SITES AVAILABLE on a RENTAL BASIS
Many wedding sites that are available on a rental basis. Some provide the space, others provide tables and chairs too, while still others provide linens, tableware, flatware and glassware as well. There are also rental based sites that have a working relationship with selected caterers and are familiar with other wedding service providers and vendors.
PUBLIC SITES
Public parks, beaches, gardens etc… make great wedding sites and are perfect for do it yourself weddings. They offer you the opportunity to express yourselves in an unconfined atmosphere. Most are free to use but you’ll need to do the majority of the planning and contracting. Your first step is to find if you need any permits and or licenses. If you do, obtain them.
HOME
Many apartment complexes, condominums, mobil home parke and gated communities have club houses available for residents to use. So whether you choose to have your wedding in a home or a club house, you’ll need to be in charge. Do recruit your family and friends and assign them appropriate tasks. Most will be honored to be asked and excited to be a contributing part of your wedding.
HOW to FIND WEDDING SITES
Once you have chosen the type of wedding site you want for your wedding, do the following:
Ask your family, friends and acqaintances for recommendations.
Attend bridal shows.
search the yellow pages under the appropriate category.
Either call or visit the facility and request a brochure specific to weddings.
You want only the best! Be selective! Before you commit consider the following:
When visiting or calling, were you greeted cordially?
Were you able to obtain the information you requested in a timely manner?
Were the people you spoke with helpful? Too helpful and eager?
Now, check the internet for local wedding sites and go to their websites.
Do you like the look and feel?
Does it provide you with the information you are looking for?
Does it show or tell about unique one-of-a-kind weddings?
Does it offer, Free wedding articles or Free wedding information?
Is the web site helpful?
Did you find a clearly posted name, address, phone and email contact?
If the answer is no to any of these questions, skip it and go to another web site.
Bookmark (favorite) the websites that are agreeable.
Place the brochures from facilities you visited in a folder until you are ready to choose a few favorites.
WHAT to EXPECT of the REPRESENTATIVE of the FACILITY YOU VISIT:
A business card of each person you may work with within the facility,
A brochure that explains what is offered and any exclusions, rules, regulations and options,
References,
A tour of the facility so you may check their amenities.
* If you plan not to include children in your reception, do not alienate guests who’d rather bring children than miss your wedding. You should provide a babysitting service for such guests.
For ideas read the article PLEASE – NO KIDS IN OUR WEDDING
Once you made your choice, you need to receive a written contract signed by the person in charge, and dated. The contract must include all of your responsibilities and all of the responsibilities, warranties and guarantees offered by the facility.
Caveat Emptor – Buyer beware!
Read each contract very carefully, on, under and above the line.
Be sure that you understand it fully and agree with all the terms.
If you have questions, concerns, or are uncertain, contact them for clarification.
Take into consideration that in most parts of the USA you have 3 days to examin the contract and if you need to, cancel with no penalties.
Copyrights © 2007 All Rights Reserved Nily Glaser
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A-wedding Day, A Gan Publishing Company
3638 University Avenue Suite # 203
Riverside, California 92501
About the Author
AUTHOR BY LINE
Nily Glaser who is an educator and a published author, is the CEO of A-wedding Day at: http://www.a-weddingday.com
She writes important articles, and has presented workshops for wedding professionals all over the USA.
Nily Glaser pays special attention to enlighten educators, families and wedding professionals. Her web site is a very popular Wedding Resource and Information Center, and a discount shopping mall for wedding gifts, supplies and bridal accessories including the exclusive line of Wedding Accessories By Nily.
A-wedding day specializes in theme and family weddings and in do it yourself projects. To read more of her articles click here.
Please send us a courtesy copy of your publication and / or the URL and a website link.
Please snail mail a copy of any printed publication using this article to:
A-wedding Day, A Gan Publishing Company
3638 University Avenue Suite # 203
Riverside, California 92501
Where are good beach wedding locations in Northern California?
I’m getting married next September, my fiance and I are having a hard time finding a location for the ceremony (of roughly 150 people). We want somewhere grassy overlooking the beach in Northern California. We are leaning more toward state owned property, that we can get a permit for. The locations we have looked at so far that are restaurants/golf clubs are far too pricey for us. If anyone has any ideas I’d love to hear them, I’m getting desperate!!! Thank you!
There is this place in Jennar (off of Hwy 1) it has a grassy area on a cliff overlooking the ocean. It is a bed and breakfast and just gorgeous! I honeymooned there. If you want, i could e-mail you a picture of it!
There is also a lighthouse down HWY 1 that is gorgeous and has everything you describe also in what you want.
Also, Bodega Bay is a great place, it is beautiful in that area in general.
Good Luck and e-mail me if you want those pictures or the name of the lighthouse, i would have to look up the name.
EDIT: Did you get the pictures? What did you think?
Beach Wedding California Locations