Weddings are a massive industry in the United States. As the ultimate celebration of love between two people, many couples across the country love to go all out with the festivities celebrating their big day.
One of the most exciting steps in the wedding planning process is picking a beautiful venue. Couples love trying to visualize what a location might look like for photos of this happy memory and how that location can accommodate all their guests.
If you are an outdoor venue owner, then booking weddings can be one of your most profitable ventures. However, convincing couples to check out your venue is challenging. There are a lot of places where they could choose to get married, so how can you make yours stand out? Here are a few ideas for building the perfect outdoor wedding venue that is sure to attract couples to your location.
Take Advantage of the Barn Trend
Many property owners that have barns are seeing the benefits of this wedding trend. As outdoor venues go, barns are often located on expansive properties. They also feature a ton of space inside and are usually cheaper to use than a traditional indoor venue. You can attract many clients by either building a barn structure or repurposing a current barn. If building a new one, you may consider finding metal pole barn trusses for sale. These will allow for even more space in the venue to accommodate decorations and unique lighting fixtures that are easily hung from the trusses to create a warm ambience.
Focus on Landscaping
Since your event venue is focused on the outdoors, you better make sure the outdoors are aesthetically appealing. The exteriors of buildings will have a big impact, but so too will the landscaping choices you make. What features can wedding guests enjoy that highlight the feeling of being outside? Is there a small pond with a pavilion that is the perfect spot for pictures? How will you choose the right plants for your property so that color is added to the environment and garden maintenance won’t overwhelm you? Can other features like fences, pergolas, or stone walls increase the privacy of the space so that guests feel more comfortable? Is the grass green and healthy? Improved landscaping will elevate your venue above the competition when attracting couples.
Lighting is Crucial
Indoor venues are easily lit, but if you want guests at your outdoor location to have the best possible experience, you need to invest in ample lighting. It is much harder to light up an outdoor area when the sun goes down than an interior. Some ideas for lighting include solar lights along pathways, string lights hanging above communal areas, and floodlights on building exteriors. Together, these three fixtures can improve artificial lighting outside for evening events that will allow guests to still see each other when the sun goes down.
Gathering Spaces
Most couples want their wedding guests to have a fun time at the event. Whether or not that happens will often depend on the socializing opportunities. Your venue can play a big role in setting those opportunities up. People should have multiple spaces in which to gather and connect, whether it is during hors d’oeuvres or the dancing stage. Some simple ideas include picnic benches, clumps of outdoor furniture, patios, firepits, and open lawns. Taking care of these spaces with lighting and decor will ensure that people find them and use them to connect with each other throughout the afternoon or evening. Moreover, don’t forget to arrange a mobile restroom that can ensure your guests’ comfort throughout the event, allowing them to enjoy the wedding party without any inconveniences.
Entertainment
Another ingredient for guests to have fun is entertainment. While weddings are busy and have plenty of times when everyone is participating in one thing like eating or watching the first dance, there are other times when they might need something to do, like during cocktail hour or when waiting for the meal to start. For a relatively low cost, you can set up some simple entertainment options. Yard games are very popular for guests to kill time, so you could set up an area for games like horseshoes, ladder ball, kanjam, croquet, cornhole, or even bocce ball. Maybe there is a unique feature of the property like a small hedge maze or a playset for kids. These elements could make the difference between booking a wedding every weekend day or having gaps in the calendar.
Know Your Target Audience
The best way to build a perfect wedding venue is to understand your target audience through and through. While most couples getting married may be on the younger side, don’t neglect those clients that are more advanced in age. People get married at various ages, so your venue should be able to cater to multiple generations. Additionally, most weddings include guests of many ages, so this principle makes sense even if all your clients are in their 20s and 30s.
Stay current on modern wedding trends to understand what people are expecting from their wedding venues. Make sure you have a strong marketing plan to get the message out for your location. Invest in professional photos so that the first impression of your venue is always positive. By following these steps and investing in the ideas listed above, you will create the perfect outdoor wedding venue.
Meg is an author at Cinnamon Hollow. She writes on a variety of topics sharing tips and ideas for daily life.