Do you want to have a fairytale wedding and get married in a castle? Do you want a church wedding for religious reasons? Or would you rather go for an original wedding location like an old factory with an industrial atmosphere? A wedding venue is an important aspect of your wedding and should be on top of your to-do list as popular venues can have a long waiting list. Besides that, the wedding venue will most likely take up most of your budget.  Couples often choose their wedding date depending on the availability of the venue.

 

How to choose your dream wedding location?

You choose a wedding venue you and your partner feel comfortable with and which, of course, fits within your budget. To help you choose the perfect wedding location, we have compiled a step-by-step plan.

Step 1 | Idea and wishes for a romantic wedding location.

First of all, we recommend that you and your partner discuss your wishes and ideas and draw up a list. Consider the budget, the style, the ambience, and the location. After that, you start your search for wedding venues that meet your wishes and requirements. For an intimate wedding, it is best to choose a wedding location for a smaller group as you want to save money for the rest of the wedding plans. Next, you need to request quotations and make appointments to view the location.  The following steps explain the relevant questions to ask and other aspects you need to know about during the visit.

 

Step 2 | Accessibility of outdoor locations and the premises

The accessibility of the wedding location relates to more than the route to get there as there are other important aspects to consider. For example, is the wedding venue wheelchair friendly? Are there paths and ramps next to the stairs (if needed)? Enquire about parking facilities – is there free parking and how long is the walk from the parking area to the wedding venue. You may also want to check if there is a bike storage and suitable public transport connections.

 

Step 3 | Staying the night at the official wedding location

Some wedding locations have a bridal suite where the bride and groom can stay the night.   It is also important to ask about other accommodation options for your guests who have to travel far.  If you choose a luxury wedding venue, it makes sense to enjoy the location for longer than just the wedding day and stay one or more nights in the bridal suite. If the location has no accommodation options, you can look into nearby hotels. The wedding venue staff generally knows the area well and can recommend a local hotel or another type of accommodation.

 

Step 4 | Renting the wedding location, including lighting and music

Creating the perfect atmosphere and ambience also includes lighting and music. Wedding venues often have additional lighting and sound equipment that you can rent. Don’t forget to ask about the availability of lighting and sound equipment, because it is often cheaper to rent this from the venue having your band or DJ bring in extra equipment.

 

Step 5 | Policies of your favourite wedding location

There are still some other aspects to consider when choosing your wedding venue. For example, how long in advance must you make the reservation final, what is the cancellation policy, when do you need to provide the final number of guests, what are the opening hours, the maximum allowed decibel level, does the venue have an alcohol licence (most official locations do).

Tip! If possible, visit the venue in the evening as well, to get a feel of the atmosphere and lighting capacity in the dark.

 

Getting married at the location

When choosing your wedding venue, you need to consider several options. Do you want to get married at the venue and stay there all day, or will the ceremony and/or the reception be at a different location? The main advantage of having an all-day wedding location is that you and your guests don’t have to travel from one location to the other. It is also good to know that you can now have your official wedding ceremony almost everywhere in the Netherlands, as long as you file your notice of marriage in the municipality where you or your partner live.

 

Marriage officiant at the wedding location

As you now know that you can get married officially at the wedding location, there are three options to choose from when it comes to who will be officiating the marriage.

  • A marriage officiant from the municipality | The municipality appoints an officiant who will marry you.
  • An independent BABS* | A registered and self-employed official (civil registrar), who is specialised in officiating beautiful ceremonies, e.g., with an extensive and more personal speech.
  • Personal BABS* | A person you both know well and who wants to become your BABS just for this day so he/she can marry you.

 

BABS = Buitengewoon Ambtenaar van de Burgerlijke Stand (civil registrar)

 

Wedding location abroad

If you dream of getting married abroad because that's where your family comes from, or for no other reason than that you love the country or scenery, then you can do this too! Still, there are several things to organise before you can get married abroad. Furthermore, there are other considerations to make, such as your guests and the need for them to travel as well.

  • It is crucial to check the marriage regulations of the country in which you wish to have your wedding as each country has its own laws and regulations. You can contact the respective embassy to get informed.
  • Arrange for all the necessary documents.
  • Choose your wedding venue abroad.
  • Arrange transportation for yourself and your guests in time (check if you need a visa).
  • Make sure there are enough options for accommodation near or at the wedding venue.
  • Send your ‘save the date’ plus RSVP cards well in time to make sure that your guests can plan their attendance. This also allows you to get a sound estimation of the number of guests.
  • Visit the location and organise the suppliers you need for your wedding abroad.
  • It may be a good idea to hire a wedding planner. He or she will know the ropes in the country where you want to get married and have a good network of excellent suppliers. If your budget is sufficient, this is highly recommended!
  • Regularly stay in touch with the suppliers and the location to make sure that everything goes to plan. You can do this via Skype, Facetime, or you may prefer to travel to the location beforehand.
  • We also recommend that you plan your travelling a few days ahead of the wedding to familiarise yourself with the location.

 

Unofficial wedding locations

Naturally, you want to get married at one of the most beautiful wedding venues here in the Netherlands, and there are many premium locations, but if you want to go somewhere even more special or spectacular, there are also unofficial options to choose. It is possible to have an unofficial wedding location appointed as an “official” location just for your event. You can do this with the municipality. The advantage of choosing your personal wedding location is that you and your partner can choose a place that means a lot to you. A place you know well and which holds many memories or one particular, dear memory. When you file your notice of marriage, you should file the request for having the location formalised as well so it can be approved in time. Should the location not be approved, then you will still have enough time to find another one.

As inspiration, we list a few unique locations.

 

  1. Fire station: Does the love between you and your partner burn so hot that you want to get married in a fire station? Well, you’re not the only one as several couples already chose a fire station as their wedding location. A fire station can also have a special meaning for you and your partner.
  2. The back garden: Do you have a large and wonderful back garden, or do you know someone who does? Then why don’t you get married in a place you know so well? A garden can be the perfect spot for an outdoor wedding. There are some things to consider, however, such as the number of the guest and the comfort you can offer them in the garden, having enough toilets, etc. There are plenty of options to tackle this, like renting chairs or benches and temporary toilets.
  3. Disneyland Paris: For a real fairytale wedding, there even is the option to get married in Disneyland Paris. You will understand that a wedding in the park comes at a price. 
  4. In a theatre: Getting married on a theatre stage can be a wonderful experience and literally puts the spotlight on you and your partner. Such a location also offers enough seating and a great ambience.
  5. McDonald’s: One of the most unique wedding locations that we know of is a McDonald’s restaurant. This was where the couple had met one another and so they decided that it would be their perfect location to seal their love. It will not be surprising that dinner was not a 5-course menu but hamburgers and fries.

 

Checklist wedding locations

The policies of the weddinglocation:

  1. Does the location have an alcohol licence?
  2. Is the policy or schedule lenient when the reception, ceremony or party ends later than planned?
  3. From which time will they charge extra?
  4. When can the suppliers deliver their products?
  5. When does everything have to be cleaned and picked up?
  6. When do they need a final reservation and what is the cancellation policy?
  7. When or for what will they charge extra?
  8. Will you get a refund or discount if some guests are unable to come but you already paid for them?
  9. What is the maximum allowed decibel level? (E.g., fireworks and music)
  10. What about catering? Does the venue offer catering services, do they work with a specific caterer, or can the couple choose their own caterer?
  11. What is allowed regarding (throwing around) decorations? (think of candles, rice, confetti, flowers, balloons, blowing bubbles, etc.)

 

Features at the weddinglocation:

  1. Is the location easily accessible for guests who have difficulty walking and is it wheelchair friendly?
  2. Is there a dedicated cloakroom?
  3. Does the location offer the option for an outdoor wedding (ceremony)?
  4. Where would you be able to take great wedding photos?
  5. What would be the total rent?
  6. What is the surface area of the location?
  7. What about parking facilities?
  8. What are the opening hours?
  9. Which rooms/spaces do they have and which are available for your wedding?
  10. Does the location host multiple events simultaneously?
  11. Does the location offer accommodationt?

Preparations at the wedding venue:

  1. How well is the location prepared for unexpected weather conditions, like heat, rain or even snow?
  2. Does the location offer additional lighting and sound equipment?
  3.  

If you bring children as bridesmaids and pages:

  1. Can you organise entertainment for the children, like a playground or a safe area where they can run around and play? Perhaps the location can organise something fun for the children.