The wedding reception is that part of the wedding that your guests will look forward to. Not just for the eating and drinking, but because they will have the opportunity to mingle with others as well. Also, the reception is the very first party that you will be hosting as a married couple. Your desire is to have the perfect location for your perfect marriage ceremony.

In order to decide on a great place for the reception, you should think about this:

Would you like your reception to be inside or out? If you want to have a garden reception, you have to think of the weather. It is best to have a garden wedding during the spring or summer, when rain is scarce. You could also try renting a roof deck area that can accomodate everyone. Just think of the lovely view everyone will have. If you plan to have an indoor reception instead, there are lots of options to choose from. Almost all hotels and country clubs offer banquet halls and function rooms for wedding receptions, although you have to book early for this.

If budget is an issue, you can simply hold your wedding reception at your home, or your fiance’s, if it is spacious and presentable enough. You might also consider relatives at this point, who may be willing to let you use their houses for your reception. Imagine the savings that you will have by not having to pay for the venue. Another way to remedy financial concerns is to decide what is more important to you and balance things accordingly. For example, there’s nothing wrong with opting to spend more money on the location of your wedding by spending less on other things. In this spirit, there are many gorgeous yet cheap wedding dresses, cheap tuxedos, and cheap wedding shoes that you can choose from.

How formal is your wedding? The majority of formal weddings opt for having their receptions in the banquet halls of great hotels or private clubs. Black tie will probably work best indoors. The beach is always a great choice if you are open to having somewhat of a less formal ceremony. The relaxed, island vibe to be had on the sand will do better with a casual wedding reception.

Where will your guests come from? If many of them will be coming in from out of town, it will make it more convenient for them if you book a location that is in a hotel where they can stay before and after the event. And as tempting as it is to hold your wedding in some dreamy castle in Italy, it won’t work if most of your guests will come from the US and will have to spend a fortune in air travel just to get to your ceremony.

What is your budget? Some couples go so overboard with planning for the dresses and the wedding proper, and neglect to opt for a quality cheap plus size wedding gown or inexpensive bouquet instead, that they forget to provide enough of a budget for the reception. Certain venues feature package deals that include the food and drink, entertainment and decor; and others have you take care of that on your own. To find somewhere that makes you happy, scout the area for places, look through magazines, or do research on the net. There are lots of wedding sites that offer comprehensive listings of venues and restaurants that can host your reception.

Choose unusual locations. Instead of booking the usual banquet halls, you can hold your reception in a local aquarium, inside a museum or planetarium. If you are okay with doing a bit of extra legwork, you will be shocked at the places that agree to host your reception, and delighted by the unique aspect of it all.