Now that your engaged, the first thing on your mind will be “Where do we want to get Married?”

Choosing the right wedding ceremony, and reception venue can make a big difference on the look, feel, and budget of your wedding.

First look at your preliminary guest list. Chose a venue that will be able to host your number of guests without making them feel too cramped inside the room, or lost inside a room that is too large. Most venues will have a room diagram of what the capacity is for each ballroom.

Once you know your guest count, take a look at the overall budget for the wedding. Tabulate everyone that is contributing, and figure close to 50% will go to your reception budget for Food and Beverage. Keep in mind that when looking at price menus, there may or may not be a Food and Beverage minimum for a Friday-Sunday wedding reception. You must equal that minimum no matter what your guest count is. If your guest count exceeds the minimum then you also need to take into account that a service charge and California state tax will be added to the final tally. Don’t be surprised that the state tax is added AFTER the service charge.

If your on a tighter budget, chose a Venue that can host both your ceremony and reception. This will cut down on Transportation, Photographers time, and allow an easier transition from ceremony to reception for you and your guests. Keep in mind that ceremony site fees may be double to what you pay for in a church.

If you want to learn more about San Diego Reception and Ceremony locations, attend my free Open House held every Wednesday night at my Chula Vista Showroom. Please call to RSVP at 619 723-0674. or fill out the contact form on the website.

Happy Planning!

Sharon