How to Choose an Unusual Place to Get Married

You're ready to say "I do," but the idea of a traditional church wedding doesn't excite you, and your parents' backyard isn't quite right either. What are the alternatives?

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Phone Book
• Travel Services

1. Consider your personalities and common interests. These can be a jumping-off point for coming up with creative locations.
2. Think of any places that have personal meaning for you. Did you meet in a beautiful park? Get engaged on a lovely beach?
3. Flip through brochures of local sites of interest. You may not have considered the zoo or a theme park, but chances are they can accommodate weddings, and they certainly aren't traditional.
4. Look into locations such as wildlife preserves, picturesque cliffs, sailboats, sandbars, forests, golf courses or hot air balloons.
5. Combine your wedding and reception at a location such as a ranch, botanical garden, yacht, ferry, old mansion, beach, winery, museum, theater or historical site.
6. Consider building an entire wedding theme around your location - or choosing a theme and then finding a location to match.
7. Compromise if you have different interests. Say your vows on his favorite ball field, then hold your reception at an aquarium.
8. Remember to accommodate your wedding party and guests. An underwater wedding may be fun for you, but how will you get your nonswimming mother-in-law down there with you?
9. Make sure the person you've chosen to perform the ceremony is available at the location you choose.
10. Remember that you'll need to make reservations well in advance, just as you would for any other wedding location.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure to visit the site in person before you commit to it.
• Not all public sites can accommodate weddings. Make sure to check before you get your heart set on one location.
• Be sure that the site won't remain open to the public during your wedding. You don't want a field trip of third graders wandering through at a serious moment.