ceremony space

Making Space

 in Ceremony / Wedding Ceremony / Wedding planning  tagged ceremony planning / ceremony space / wedding ceremony / wedding planning by

Making space at your ceremony venue for all ceremony activities is an important part of your wedding planning. If you are having an outdoor ceremony, or an indoor ceremony where the front of the space is not well defined, you’ll want to plan for how much space you’ll need.

You want space at the front of your ceremony venue to gracefully accommodate you, your celebrant, and your wedding party. But you also need to allocate space for your reader to stand. You may also need a table for any ritual props. Don’t forget to save space for anyone else who is participating in the ceremony. This could be children helping with a family ritual, or parents (or others) helping with a handfasting or other ritual. If you are having floral arrangements, arches, or other decor, space will need to be planned for that, too.

As you consider all this, you’ll realize there may be a lot of people and things that need to be in the ceremony space. If you don’t have enough space you increase the chances of people tripping, dresses being crushed, or decor being tipped. And your photos of the ceremony may show cramped wedding parties or awkward positioning.

Make sure you place the chairs for your guests far enough back to provide the space you need. But don’t let them drift so far back that they feel disconnected from what’s happening. This is where a rehearsal can be very helpful. When you get your entire wedding party, you two, and your celebrant up in front, you’ll get a real feel for the space. At that time you can consider placement for your decor, ceremony props and guest chairs. Walking through the ceremony at rehearsal allows you to choose where a reader stands, where to place a ritual table, and how everyone will move in the space. Making space for everything and everyone becomes more real at a rehearsal and will help the actual ceremony run smoothly.

New Wedding Venues Discovered

 in Ceremony / Venue / Weddings  tagged ceremony space / wedding ceremonies / wedding venues / weddings by

Discovering new wedding venues is part of the fun of each wedding season. New wedding venues in southeastern Minnesota mean more options for couples planning weddings – always a good thing. This year I had the pleasure of performing ceremonies at three new venues (or at least new to me), and thought I would share them. Each venue offers both indoor and outdoor ceremony spaces, a requirement for our variable weather.

River Run Event Center, Mantorville, MN: This venue is located on the grounds of the Zumbro Valley Golf Course in nearby Mantorville. The space is managed by Victoria’s Ristorante in Rochester and offers patio space for outdoor ceremonies and a good sized indoor room for indoor ceremonies and receptions.
River Run Event Center

The Gardens of Castle Rock, Northfield, MN: This is a lovely venue on the grounds of a garden center outside of Northfield. There are multiple outdoor venues to choose from, but the only “indoor” space is a large, fully enclosed tent used for receptions. There is a large plaza area for social hour that includes outdoor fireplaces, seating groups, and bar areas. Nearby green space is available for outdoor games, too.
Gardens of Castle Rock

Cedar Creek Barn, Winona, MN: This property is fairly new as a wedding venue, and is still enhancing the property and amenities. The inside of the barn has been whitewashed to provide bright, clean walls, and the cement floor remains. No heat or air conditioning is available, but large doors at each end of the barn allow for air flow. A newly added pavilion increases usable space, but is not fully covered, so is less useful in case of inclement weather.
Cedar Creek Barn

Each of these new wedding venues has its own personality, amenities and charms and is worth your consideration as you search for the one that matches your vision for your wedding day. Refer to my earlier post on evaluating venues for tips on how to decide which might be best for you.

Taking Your Ceremony Space Up a Notch

 in Ceremony / Decor / Weddings  tagged ceremony decor / ceremony space by

Taking your ceremony space up a notch doesn’t have to be difficult or pricey. With a little thought, planning and creativity you can make your ceremony venue especially memorable. It can be a bit of a challenge to create a special ceremony space in an open area outdoors. You want to focus attention on the space without overwhelming the natural beauty that likely led you to choose the venue in the first place.

Here are some simple, relatively inexpensive ways to define and focus your outdoor venue:
1. If you don’t have a natural “wall” of greenery, stone or other natural material backing the ceremony space, consider creating the illusion by hanging fabric or picture frames from a tree branch. Then position your wedding party in front and you’re ready to go.

Picture frames and simple greenery decorate outdoor ceremony space

2. Inexpensive decor options that define space include satin ribbons or gauzy fabric tied to guest chairs, or ribbons hanging from trees or positioned in a simple large frame. Simple baby’s breath or greenery gathered with a ribbon, raffia or burlap can also be tied to chairs at a fraction of the cost of floral arrangements.

3. Another flexible idea is to use a freestanding door at either the back or front of the ceremony space. Positioned at the back, it can create an impressive entrance for the wedding party. Used at the front, it can frame the ceremony action.

Doors can define the front or back of your ceremony space

4. In a large area, consider signposts to direct your guests from parking to the ceremony space. A large sign or chalkboard with the order of the ceremony can be an attractive focal point at the back of the ceremony space and eliminate the need for ceremony programs.

And finally, there are a couple of things I see at ceremonies that can probably be eliminated altogether: bubbles and bells. These props are supposed to be used to celebrate the couple as they leave at the end of the ceremony, but are usually forgotten, ignored, or intentionally avoided. I suggest you save your money on those items and use it elsewhere in your wedding budget.