3 Key Considerations When Choosing a SoCal Wedding Venue
Your wedding venue is the single most important element of your big day – it’s where you’ll say “I Do,” it’s the backdrop for all of your photos, and it’s where your loved ones will gather to celebrate your love. While you may be after the most Insta-worthy wedding venue, that’s not the only thing to consider. You must also be mindful of your guests’ experience!
It’s crucial to ensure you and your guests are comfortable from the moment they arrive to their late-night exit after an evening full of drinks and dancing. To do so, there are several factors to consider for a memorable guest experience.
Indoor vs. Outdoor
Whether you choose an indoor or outdoor wedding venue depends on your ideal wedding date/season. If you’re tying the knot in the winter, most outdoor locales wouldn’t be a fit (although you can get lucky in beautiful Southern California!).
If you have your dream outdoor venue in mind, you might consider planning your wedding in a month with seasonable weather. Season aside, you also have to be mindful of rain. (Sorry, Mother Nature doesn’t stop for anyone!) Indoor venues are always a safe choice, but if you opt for an outdoor venue, be sure to create a contingency plan with your coordinator. You don’t want to leave your guests out in the heat, cold, or rain.
Fortunately, there are solutions for everything! Using a tent to protect from rain, bringing out heaters for the cold, or fans for heat are easy fixes. If you want to be extra safe, opt for a wedding venue with both indoor and outdoor venues. That way, you don’t have to choose! You can have your ceremony and cocktail hour outside and your reception inside – have your cake and eat it too. Lucky for you, Los Willows has both indoor and outdoor spaces available!
Accessibility
Parking and venue layout fall under the accessibility umbrella. Many couples have guests that are elderly or disabled, so be mindful of how they can comfortably move around the property. There are several questions to consider, but here are a few to get you started:
- How far is it from the parking lot to the ceremony/reception space?
- Is the venue equipped with wheelchair ramps?
- Are there accessible bathrooms?
Consider all of your guests to ensure everyone will be comfortable. Los Willows has a guest parking lot with attendants and chauffeured transport between the parking lot and event space, so we are fully accessible.. It can’t get easier than that!
It’s important to consider that all the “must-haves” are present and accounted for, including guests!
Accommodations
It’s essential to consider the proximity between your wedding venue and your guests’ accommodations. How far is it? Do they need a rental car if they fly in, or will you need to book transportation?
Some hotels offer shuttle services within a certain distance, so be sure to check with them! Another option is to book a venue with onsite accommodations like Los Willows. A bonus to booking an all-inclusive venue is that you won’t have to worry about going far at the end of the night — talk about a win-win!
So, although we want you to have the most Instagram-worthy venue, we also want to make sure your venue checks every box for everyone! These are just a few things to keep top of mind when shopping for your venue. Happy hunting!
