Have you ever imagined your wedding and thought of it NOT being at a church? I thought the same thing. I wanted my faith to play a part in my ceremony, but that didn’t mean I had to get married in a church. Here’s some ways to find alternative wedding venues.
1. Look at photos of past weddings in your area. Each wedding has a different vibe, so looking at several weddings held at the same venue will help you get a feel for what it is actually like. It can also help you figure out what kinds of decorations will work for that location.
*This has an added bonus of helping you find a wedding photographer.
2. Think of places that are special to you and your fiancé.
- Did you meet at a bowling alley? Why not have your reception there?
- Do you always go to the newest show at your theater? The theater seating will give every guest a perfect view as you say your vows.
- Is coffee your absolute favorite thing? A coffee shop is the perfect place for an intimate wedding.
3. Actually visit venues. I know this sounds obvious, but it’s important. If you are interested in a venue, make sure you go see it in person. The venue I chose was my last choice based on the photos from their website. Once I saw it in person I fell in love. You can’t get the entire feel of a venue until you’ve actually visited it.
4. Keep an open mind. Anything can be considered a wedding venue. It might just take a little creativity to work it out. Here’s some great examples of unique wedding locations.
- Theater wedding photographed by Manchik Photography from Ruffled Blog
- Coffee shop wedding photographed by Mango Studios from 2 Life blog
- Tennis court wedding photographed by Carmen and Ingo Photography from Burnetts Boards
- Art museum wedding photographed by Angela Gaspar from Swooned
- Treehouse wedding photographed by Brookelyn Photography from Green Wedding Shoes
- Baseball wedding photographed by Barnyard Photograhpy from Capitol Romance
- Aquarium wedding photographed by Summer Street Photography from Modernly Wed
- Cave wedding photographed by Love is a Big Deal from Green Wedding Shoes
- Train station wedding photographed by Jodi Miller Photography from A Realistic Wedding
- Zoo wedding photographed by Carretto Studio from Fab You Bliss
Swivel & Swank 
Great post! My fiance and I have decided to do a theater ceremony and rooftop reception, an idea we pulled from our song actually (it’s called “Rooftops”). You can find inspiration anywhere!