Unusual Wedding Venues

Unusual Wedding Venues:

Couples planning a wedding can make their celebration particularly memorable by considering unusual wedding venues. Anyone can have a beautiful ceremony and reception in a catering hall or hotel - unusual wedding venues like historical buildings, funky restaurants or out-of-the-way country inns will be remembered by celebrants and guests long after the "I do's" have been said.

Unusual Wedding Venues - a few options!

When couples share a hobby or interest, that activity can sometimes provide inspiration and ideas for unusual wedding venues. If they're both runners, they can ask for permission to use the track at the local high school - but don't expect the bride to be running laps in her wedding gown! Vows have been exchanged underwater by scuba enthusiasts, while sky diving and in hot air balloons. (These unusual wedding venues aren't just a modern-day discovery: the first hot-air balloon wedding took place in 1874, when a couple exchanged their vows while drifting in the sky above Cincinnati, Ohio.) Of course, some of these more unusual wedding venues limit the number of guests who can be there for the ceremony, but everyone can join in the celebration afterwards.

Most couples take a more down-to-earth approach, even when opting for unusual wedding venues. The spot where the bride and groom met or had their first date always has special significance for the couple and sometimes can be turned into an unusual wedding venue, particularly if it's an accessible place like a restaurant, library, sports arena or other public spot. And couples who met at college might want to go back to school to get married - college and university campuses often have lovely chapels and other buildings that are available to alumni.

Zoos and amusement parks are popular choices for unusual wedding venues. The location can become part of the event if, for example, the couple exchanges their vows at the top of the roller coaster. Other unusual wedding venues that take advantage of outdoor settings are racetracks (which often have indoor dining facilities), boardwalks and fairgrounds.

Older movie theaters and other performance spaces can "act" as unusual wedding venues. Check around for local theaters that are between productions or available for rental on dark nights when there's no performance. These unusual wedding venues sometimes have several spaces that can be adapted for private events. Before-ceremony cocktails can be served in the lobby, and, depending on the size of the theater, the stage might be big enough for both the ceremony and reception.

Many museums have garden spaces or interior halls that can be hired as unusual wedding venues, and after-hours access to exhibits and galleries is often available for wedding guests. Private tours for guests can sometimes be an added bonus. Choosing museums as unusual wedding venues can have added meaning if a nearby museum reflects a personal interest of the bride or groom, such as cars or crafts or a specific ethnic culture. If museum rental is out of a couple's price range, local art galleries can often be booked for private events and are another good choice for unusual wedding venues.