Wedding planning / venue advice
What should you look for when choosing a wedding venue?
Choosing a wedding venue can be a blur of lovely rooms. I’d look beyond the first impression and picture how your whole day will work, from getting ready to the dance floor.
I’ve photographed weddings at all sorts of venues across Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and further through Scotland. Beautiful surroundings are lovely, but I pay just as much attention to how the day flows. Where do people gather? Is there room to breathe between the ceremony and dinner? What will it feel like when your family and pals are actually there?
My wedding venue guides show these places with real couples in them. When you’re walking round a possible venue, here’s what I’d ask and what I’d notice.
Choosing a wedding venue for your whole day
Ask to walk the route you’ll take on the day. Where will you get ready, and is there room for the people helping you? How far is it to the ceremony? Where will guests go for drinks while the dining room is set? If there’s travel or a room turnaround, allow proper time for it. A timetable that looks easy on paper can feel rushed once everyone is moving.
At Logie Country House, the house and grounds help the day feel like a gathering at a country home. Maryculter House has the river, courtyard and historic rooms close together. Neither is a better answer; picture which setting suits your plans and your people.
Look at the ceremony room with people in it
Ask to see the ceremony space set for a guest number close to yours. Does it still feel right? Look at the windows, the aisle, where you’ll stand and whether people at the back can see. If you want an outdoor ceremony, ask exactly where the indoor alternative is and when the venue makes the weather call.
The timber and scale of Mar Lodge create a very different ceremony atmosphere from the light and open views at Ballogie House. It’s worth seeing both the room and a full wedding story before you decide what feels like you.
Ask about the rain plan, and the light
We live in Scotland, so ask to see the rain plan, not just hear that there is one. Where will guests have drinks if it pours? Is there a bright indoor spot for family photographs, a covered entrance or a sheltered part of the grounds for the two of you? The indoor option should feel like a place you’d be happy to use.
I know the indoor and outdoor possibilities at places such as Norwood Hall and Glen Tanar. I’ll watch the forecast and the light on your wedding day, and we can move photographs around when it makes sense. Having a venue with good choices gives us that freedom.
Think about time with your guests
Ask how long the venue allows between the ceremony and dinner, and what actually happens in that time. There are congratulations, a drink, family groups and a few photographs of the two of you to fit in. You deserve to enjoy your drinks reception as well. I’ll plan the groups in advance and keep things moving, but the schedule needs a bit of breathing room.
Look beyond dinner too. Is the dance floor in the same room as your guests, or somewhere separate? Where can people chat when the music gets going? A good evening space lets the dancers enjoy themselves and gives everyone else somewhere comfortable to sit.
Choose the feeling, not only the backdrop
Can you imagine arriving here on the morning of your wedding and being happy you chose it? Notice how the team speaks to you. Do they listen to the day you want, or steer you into a fixed plan? Ask what’s included, what you can change and who will be there to help on the day.
You can see how that feels in real weddings at Aswanley, Meldrum House and the other venue guides. Look at the guests, the rooms in use and the photographs made in the weather the couple actually had.
A few practical questions before you book
Before you pay a booking fee, get a clear written breakdown of what your date includes. Is it exclusive use? Are the getting-ready rooms and accommodation included? What are the meal or guest minimums, and what time must music finish? Ask when suppliers can arrive to set up, and when everything has to be collected afterwards.
Think about your guests as well. Is there easy parking, step-free access where it matters, and somewhere for anyone who needs a quiet minute? If guests need to travel between ceremony and reception, work out how they’ll get there and how much time that adds. These aren’t glamorous questions, but answers now make the wedding day much easier.
Found somewhere you love?
If you’re choosing a wedding venue or you’re down to a shortlist, tell me your date and what you’re considering. If I’m free, I’m happy to talk through the light, the timings and the spaces for photographs with you. You can also see more about how I photograph weddings.
