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VSChoosing a venue is one of the first things a couple does when planning their wedding, but the options can be overwhelming. Even once you think you’ve found the perfect venue, you need to decide whether to host both your ceremony and reception there.
How to choose ? Pittsburgh-based wedding and special event planner Jessica Transue of Jessica Elyse Events says there are a few important points every couple should consider.
“It really depends on their values and interests as a couple,” says Transue. “But when I choose a space, I always try to take into account the distance and travel time, the accommodations and their flexibility, and if they have any support for your ceremony if they are outside.”
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Leah Klocke and Tatiana Pomerantz decided to have their entire wedding celebration in one location, Point Breezeway in Point Breeze. They were married on August 21.
“[Holding both the ceremony and reception there] was part of the wedding package with Point Breezeway which was really cool, ”says Leah,“ especially since we had so many people coming from out of town.
Leah believes this made her wedding schedule a lot more flexible, allowing her and Tatiana to spend more time having fun.
“It was less logistics without trying to get everyone to move around and orient and everything,” Leah says. “What was also really good was that we were able to spend the whole afternoon and early evening with people. … We liked being able to spend time with our guests rather than transporting ourselves and all of our staff between different locations.
Transue says it’s one of the biggest advantages of having your ceremony and reception in one place.
“There is no jet lag, so everything is pretty transparent from the guests’ point of view,” she says. “Most of the time, more people will be there because it’s more convenient. “
Madison Donovan and Tyler Davidson, however, decided to opt for two locations for their ceremony and reception on March 13. They held their ceremony at the BF Jones Memorial Library in Aliquippa.
“It really is the most breathtaking place,” says Madison. “It has the biggest windows I’ve ever seen, and the books and the marble, and everything else, were just beautiful.”
They learned that their family also had a personal connection to the library, which reinforced their decision to hold the ceremony there.
“After the fact, we realized that it had been built with money from a steel company that Ty’s grandfather had moved here,” says Madison. “His grandfather passed away before we met, and he’s always been so, so close to his Pap. He was almost like a father to him, so it was cool to be a part of it. “
The Davidson’s reception was the first to take place at Shermichael Woods’ new outdoor wedding space in Aliquippa. The couple wanted an outdoor location for their reception as they planned to invite more guests than they had at the ceremony due to COVID-19.
“I really didn’t feel comfortable having a lot of elderly relatives out there who I knew wouldn’t miss,” Madison said.
Transue says it can be nice for customers to experience multiple spaces.
“It changes the scenery, especially if you have a lot of guests from out of town or people who don’t know the area,” she says.
It can also offer couples and their photographers a more flexible schedule.
“If a couple wants to attend their aperitif [with one venue] that probably won’t happen because you only have about an hour to take all of those photos, ”says Transue. “[Two locations] would hopefully give them enough time to cool off and attend their cocktail party if they wanted to too, which would allow them to cut down on the time they have to greet guests at the reception … and they can actually enjoy dancing after dinner.
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Rachael Dudzic and Steve Troglio have chosen two locations for their wedding on August 14, 2020 for this reason. Their ceremony at the West End Overlook gave guests a view of the city skyline, and their small reception dinner at an AirBNB in the Southside Flats gave them the opportunity to talk to everyone.
“There were very pretty landscapes [at the West End Overlook]. It was also quite accessible, ”says Rachael. “And at our dinner my brothers got to sit down and talk to my step dad, which probably wouldn’t have happened if we had this great wedding, so just being able to sit together and enjoy a meal. and really spending that time together was special.
The Troglios originally wanted to have a big wedding on New Years Eve, but changed their plans after the pandemic. Rachael wants other couples to know that even obstacles like COVID-19 can’t ruin their special day, no matter where they choose.
“When planning your wedding, in general, really focus on what you and your future partner want out of your day, and remember it’s about you and your partner,” says Rachael. “It’s important to be flexible and remember what the day really is.
“I was, of course, disappointed that we weren’t able to have the big New Years Eve wedding we originally planned, but at the end of the day we had this beautiful and unique special day that we would not have had if COVID had not happened. … And I wouldn’t trade that.
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