One of the first things that you need to check off your list is deciding on your wedding date and the ceremony/reception site. I found our wedding venue through Google searches and the ceremony/reception site that we will enjoy next year will be the great Maplewood Greens.

This site has a golf course, a restaurant and a ballroom. We love this place! The food is great and the atmosphere represents both our personalities. Towie Bear and I knew from the beginning that we wanted a summer wedding. That’s why we decided on Maplewood Greens because our guests will admire one of the greatest things that the Evergreen state has to offer and that is its verdure.

The following are some pictures of our wedding site. Please note that these images were taken last winter, therefore, Maplewood Greens still had their Christmas decorations displayed.

Guest Table

Lovely Area for Pictures

Ballroom

I am absolutely pleased to know that we will be able to celebrate our ceremony and reception on the same site. This is a feature that not all of the venues offer so you’ll need to keep that in mind. We made this decision because some of our guests will be traveling to WA for our wedding so having the whole event in one site provides flexibility. And we’ll save money too!

Is it possible to spend less money by celebrating your Big Day in the same site? Of course! You can benefit off of this idea by paying less hours of photography and videography time. You can also take advantage of not spending too much in decorations. The flowers that you use in the ceremony can easily be transferred into the reception area.

Once you and your groom decide on where you’ll get married, my suggestion is to:

1. Take pictures
2. Measure the room(s)
3. Ask yourself if you like their food, linens, etc.
4. Ask the venue if they have a decoration policy
5. Is the changeover doable?

If you take pictures, you’ll be able to envision your wedding day. You and your photographer can identify in advance the best areas for pictures. You will also determine if the color palette can be admired inside the venue. Please be aware that some sites may have a strong color scheme around the site that will possibly not go well with your theme.

And finally, ask yourself if the venue is suitable for a changeover. How much time do they need? For example, Maplewood Greens has a patio where guests can enjoy cocktail hour while the changeover is in process. I asked our Special Events Coordinator about their experience with changeovers. She gave us a detailed explanation on how they make it work. This was definitely a deal breaker. We instantly knew that Maplewood Greens was the site for us.

This is the patio that guests may use during the changeover and cocktail hour.

Once you measure the room, you’ll know how many guests the site can handle. You can also ask yourself if the dance floor is big enough. How many staff members will work on your wedding day? Do you like their food, linens, china and furniture? If you do, you’ll save a lot of money in this area too! If you want to do some draping, hang picture frames, posters and/or decorations around the walls, please ask the vendor about the policies they may have in place.

Dance Floor

My suggestion is to gather all of the questions that you want to ask while interviewing and site seeing with your groom. Also, take plenty of pictures and read the contracts. You don’t have to read the whole contract at the meeting; you can ask for a copy and read it in the comfort of your own home.

The task of finding the perfect venue is not an easy one. However, once you check that off your checklist, you’ll feel so much better and accomplished. You can create a priority list that will make it easier on finding out what you want for your Big Day. Good luck and best wishes to you and your groom.