As a celebrant in Scotland, I only really get to experience two major parts of the wedding day, and that’s the venue and the photographer/videographers. The rest is before or after the ceremony part. The location is so important for the ceremony, it’s where you settle in, it’s the backdrop to the magical occasion, it should be somewhere you feel relaxed and happy. I’ve picked up these little hints and tips along the way, so without further ado…

Things to bear in mind when choosing a ceremony Venue:

Rain plan

If you are planning an outdoor ceremony, does your venue have plans for if it’s raining? Is a marquee possible? Or can the whole ceremony be moved indoors? As glorious as outdoor weddings are, we are in Scotland and no matter what time of year it is, it can be a wash out! Some ceremonies have different capacities for inside and outside, so it’s worth bearing this in mind too. For elopements, I always say to my couples that smiling through the rain is an adequate rain plan, but for bigger weddings where chairs might begin to sink and you might have 40+ grumpy faces waiting for the ceremony to end, better to have a Plan B.

Getting Ready

Lots of venues have rooms where the couple and sometimes guests can stay overnight, but others don’t. This means you may have to get ready offsite and arrive in a vehicle. There’s nothing wrong with that, but there are a little more logistics involved. I can’t tell you how many late taxis I’ve seen, and others that just never showed up. Getting ready on site tends to be a little more relaxing, but it’s not the be all end all, just something to bear in mind! Wherever you’re getting ready, please remember to eat - it’s a long day and you’ll need sustenance.

Lighting

If you’re really keen to get magical photos of your day, it’s worth considering the lighting in your chosen venue. For example, some ceremony rooms have a glorious window looking out, but that means that your photographer will need to work extra hard to get photos of you since you’ll be backlit. Other rooms like windowless barns can be a bit dark and so a little harder to work with. No ceremony space is wrong, but if you have photos in your mind, make sure they’re possible in the space you’re in. It’s always worth checking that your chosen photographer knows how to shoot in that kind of environment.

Staffing

Some venues offer a full service, with waiters, chefs, event co-ordinators and everything else you can think of. Others are an empty shell for you to fill and staff yourselves. I would always recommend having someone there to co-ordinate. You can give the job to a member of the wedding party, but you’re better bringing someone in who can get everyone in position, check it’s how you wanted it, press play on music, and liaise with the various vendors so that everyone knows what’s going on.

Vendor Limitations

Some venues can be quite strict about preferred vendors. I think this is on the sneaky side and that you should be able to choose everything that is right for you. Make sure to check that at the very beginning and see if there is room for negotiations.