Choosing the Wedding Venue

Register Offices & Destination Weddings

Transport does not become a headache if you hold your wedding at a hotel, and weather also does not become such a worry as everything is indoors. However, hotels that have extensive grounds will let you hold your drinks reception and have your photos taken in the gardens if you prefer.

It’s generally considered that hotel weddings are cheaper than church weddings due to the packages a lot of venues offer now, for example a free room for the bride and groom, and discounted room prices for wedding guests. But they do tend to charge a room hire charge of £250 upwards, plus registrar fees of around £280, so bear this in mind if you have a budget to adhere to.

Register Office Marriages

A register office is probably the simplest type of wedding to have and also the cheapest option, costing around £30 per person, and then a cost of around £180 to £200 for the registrar’s fees. This type of wedding and venue is simple to arrange, and can often be done at the last minute as it is much less formal, and by law you only need two witnesses to attend if you do not want any guests.

The down side of a register office wedding is that the venue itself can be very plain and drab compared to a church or hotel, and there is not the opportunity to dress up the room with flowers. They can also be restrictions on the amount of guests you would like to attend. However, register offices are much less intimidating than larger venues, so nerves can be calmed more easily.

Weddings Abroad

Surprisingly enough, weddings abroad, or destination weddings, tend to work out the cheapest. It is similar to a hotel wedding in this country, as many tour companies now offer wedding packages. They will arrange everything for you from the hotel, flowers, service, meals, wedding cake, and rooms, to even the transportation of your wedding dress making sure it arrives undamaged. There are some beautiful settings around the world where you can now get married, whether it is on the beach or in a quaint rustic chapel. Most hotels also include your honeymoon in the package so you can relax after all the guests have left.

However, do check with whichever venue you choose about their terms for weddings, such as will yours be the only wedding to be held that day, and will you be able to have a private ceremony. Unfortunately you will not have as much control over your day as you would if it were to be in the United Kingdom.

With a lot of weddings which take place overseas, it means that some of the wedding party’s friends and families are not able to attend due to various reasons, but a lot of couples hold a second reception party when they return home for those who couldn’t make it, and it’s also a good chance to show off your tan! The most important thing is that you and your prospective husband have the wedding you want and are comfortable with, as half the fun is in the planning!

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