Finding the perfect Houston wedding venue can be a very time consuming and exhaustive process. With so many options for ceremonies and receptions, a bride and groom may begin to feel overwhelmed. You can get married on a golf course, where you say your vows on the putting green and have an elegant reception in a country club. A water front wedding gives couples the option of saying I do at sunset while the waves lap against the shore. A traditional bride might want a more intimate ceremony inside a beautiful chapel. A garden wedding provides lush trees and flowers giving a charming setting that doesn’t need a lot of work. Backyard weddings offer a blank canvas, perfect for artistic brides to create the wedding of their dreams. These are just some of the many different types of venues available to couples. When beginning the search for the perfect romantic spot to tie the knot there are a few things to keep in mind to help narrow down the many choices.
Decide on the style and theme of your wedding
You want to pick a venue that will display the type of style and or theme you want for your wedding. If you are wanting a tropical or beach ambiance, picking a venue with water will complete your tropical theme. A classic winter wedding could be done in a resort up in the mountains surrounded by bare tree branches, snowflakes and crystal accents. If a religious wedding is what you want, a church is a great setting to portray that style. Wooden pews and gorgeous stained glass windows complete the traditional chapel look.
Geographic location
If you have your heart set on a destination wedding, picking the country or city will help narrow down the choices. You already know the style of your wedding, now select a place that will help show that style. If you know you want to get married in the city or town that you live in picking a venue might be easier since you are already familiar with the area. Selecting places that will show off your already chosen style will make the decision that much easier.
Look at Your Guest List
You also want to consider how many people you are expecting at your wedding. If you know your guest list is going to be quite large, you will need a venue that will support that many people. There is no point in looking at a venue that will not hold as many guests as you want. If you are having a smaller wedding you won’t need as much space, so looking at smaller venues will be helpful in narrowing down the options.
Budget
When looking at Houston wedding venues, the final thing to think about is budget. Couples should talk about how much they want to spend on the location. The amount of money you want to spend on your wedding will determine where you will be getting married. Brides that are working within a smaller budget might love the idea of a backyard wedding where a lot of the details can be “Do It Yourself.” Brides with a larger budget might enjoy an extravagant wedding at a country club or resort. Regardless of how much or how little you want to spend there is a wide range of wedding sites that can fit any budget.
As you begin your search for the perfect Houston wedding venue remember that this is meant to be a special time for the bride and groom. Knowing what you want will make the quest for the perfect spot even more enjoyable. Congratulations on your engagement and best of luck to you.
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Are you a plus size bride who is looking for the perfect wedding dress? Don’t miss the Enzoani Trunk Show at Ventura’s Bridal on October 21-23 located at 102 N. Loop @ Yale, Houston, TX 77008. Please call to make an appointment 713-880-2364 or check out their website at www.venturasbridal.com
With a budget, you'll enjoy your wedding stress-free!
Brides, as you start your Houston wedding planning, one of your first goals is to create a budget. Since weddings allow you to celebrate in style, you’ll need to decide what that is going to look like before you start making purchases. Brides, now you can plan ahead, play it smart, and decide what’s realistically doable for you and your groom. Best of all, a wedding budget keeps you and your fiancé debt-free as you enter your marriage, and that’s truly something to celebrate!
To make the most of your money, follow these wedding budget tips. Then watch your wedding dreams come true for a price that’s worth the payment. Continue reading
What will your wedding say about you?
Houston brides, your wedding day is all about you and your groom. Your personalities will be reflected in the tone of the event. Your style will be evident in the décor. Your taste buds will be catered to with food and drinks. Your favorite songs will be played. And all your friends and family will be in attendance to celebrate your special day with you. As you make decisions throughout the wedding planning process, also take a moment to consider incorporating another important element of you: your culture.
Today, we’ll take a look at several brides’ and grooms’ experiences with cultural inclusions, spiritual beliefs, and family traditions. As they share their wedding stories, take encouragement to embrace this element of you and your groom for your own love story.
“Both of my brothers are very in tune with nature. One of their brides went barefoot down the aisle. The other set held their wedding outdoors with a woman shaman/spiritual leader.” ~ Kristin C.
“My fiancé and I are excited to have our Christian pastor marry us. We plan on starting our ceremony with a prayer.” ~ Jessica T.
“We did first communion as husband and wife. It was really cool. A very close moment, and kind of a sealing of the covenant between the three of us: my Lord, Jesus; my wife; and myself.” ~ James F.
“I walked down the aisle to a traditional Celtic wedding march.” ~ Amanda S.
“Our DJ was awesome! He did a great job incorporating all of the music that Jonathan and I grew up on. Salsa, meringue, Motown music, and he was able to incorporate dance music (top 40′s) as well.” ~ Stephanie B.
“My wife wore an American wedding dress for our ceremony. Then she changed into a traditional Korean dress for our reception. It was great!” ~ Richard F.
Houston Wedding Showcase, our city’s premiere bridal showcase, is this weekend! Brides, prepare to experience an all-new level of wedding planning as you speak to wedding vendors, learn the latest fashions, gather décor inspiration, and discover discounts for high-quality products and professional services. In one day, you’ll accomplish more wedding planning than you ever imagined possible. To make the most of your experience, review these three top bridal show tips before you go.
Plan your special day with Houston Wedding Showcase!
Create a separate e-mail account: At the bridal show, you’ll find exhibitors who understand your vision and display your wedding style. But while you’d love to learn more information and receive discounts online, you’d rather not have your personal e-mail account spammed daily. Before you attend the bridal show, create a new email account to distribute to interested vendors. Then you can still receive their information, but you can review it on your schedule.
Print adhesive mailing labels: As you stop by various booths, you’ll likely trade contact information with wedding professionals and enter to win free prize packages. However, writing your information down at every other booth can take time and cramp your hand. Instead, print mailing labels at home with this information:
Discover all your wedding planning needs, down to the details.
• bride’s name,
• groom’s name,
• mailing address (optional),
• phone number,
• e-mail address (create a new account for wedding planning tasks), and
• expected wedding date.
Since this method allows you to easily place your information onto an exhibitor’s contact sheet, you’ll have time to meet more vendors. Plus, you’ll spare yourself from carpal tunnel syndrome. 
Choose a system to take notes: You’ll want to remember what you liked. Develop a note-taking system that fits your personality. Not sure what to do? Try these ideas:
• Take pictures: Bring a camera or use your cell phone to snap pictures of displays that inspire you. Just be sure to ask an exhibitor’s permission.
• Collect cards: Collect information packets and business cards from exhibitors. Then, once you leave the booth, rate your likelihood to hire this professional. Write “Yes,” “No,” or “Maybe” on the info packet.
• Write your thoughts: Bring a pen and paper to take notes the classic way. Write what you like most in your words. As you’re inspired, record details that most catch your attention.
Now, brides, take these tips to heart when you attend Houston Wedding Showcase on August 27, 2011, at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Exhibit Hall E. Invite your groom, bridesmaids, and even Mom to join you at the show. Together, this Saturday, you’ll experience the excitement of this effective and enjoyable way to plan your Houston weddings!
Written by Allyson Siwajian © 2011
Photograph by Allyson Siwajian © 2011
Houston Wedding Showcase logo used by permission.
For my groom and me, learning choreography for our “first dance” wasn’t only about our hope to spare wedding guests from boredom. We also wanted to learn something new together, and a choreographed swing dance to an upbeat song was just our style. Now that’s saying something, Houston brides. I hadn’t seen my groom dance prior to his selfless commitment to join me in our first dance pursuit. But he put his best foot forward for our special day, much to my delight. While I was expecting to learn a dance we could always cherish as ours, it was what I didn’t expect that most impacted our relationship. You see, brides, our first dance also taught us essentials for our marriage.
Embrace a new level of communication and intimacy through your first dance.
When my groom and I began working on our first dance, we functioned as two individuals with different ways of operating. We had to learn to communicate constantly and in a language we both understood. As we progressed, I learned to rely on my groom and he learned to lead. Soon, I learned to have the courage to support his decision and follow. Likewise, he had to learn to take risks to try steps he knew would thrill me and romance me, without my needing to ask for them. Throughout the process, I had to respect my groom, have patience, and allow myself to trust him with no inhibitions.
By our wedding reception, we worked together with an unspoken understanding. So much so that we left the structure of our rehearsed routine behind and performed our steps on-the-fly. We had a blast! Together, we functioned as one unit, moving across the floor in sync and hand-in-hand. From this first dance, our first moments as husband and wife, we were connected.
Invite a Houston dance instructor and wedding DJ to help you create your first dance experience.
Brides, while you have that connection to cultivate, you may find it helpful to start at the foundations of a first dance. If you’d like to try a choreographed dance, visit a local ballroom dance studio in your area. Make a consultation, view a performance, and decide which teacher best fits your learning styles.
Once you’ve chosen a dance studio, provide your instructor with your selected song and let them help you find a dance style that matches your groom’s and your personalities. With a professional to guide the process, you and your fiancé will soon discover your own method of communicating through your first dance experience. Then at the end of this journey, you’ll have essential skills to carry into your marriage as well as know steps to the perfect dance to share your love and entertain your wedding guests!
Lastly, to complete your first dance dreams, don’t forget to find the ideal Houston disc jockey whose style you love. With a reputable and professional DJ available on your wedding day, your first dance will enjoy the right atmosphere to further create the environment for making memories to last a lifetime of marriage.
Happy dancing, brides and grooms!
Written by Allyson Siwajian © 2011
Photograph by Jamison Frady of Quiet Art Photography © 2010 (Image used by permission.)
Congratulations on your engagement, brides and grooms! You’ve decided to tie the knot and you’re ready to begin your Houston wedding planning. But where do you start? If you’re recently engaged, take a look at these tips to start the planning process and skip the stress.
Congratulations, Houston brides!
To learn more details or to buy tickets to Houston’s premiere bridal show, please visit our website for Houston Wedding Showcase. Choose a date and location that best fits you. Then save the date, grab your groom, and later enjoy a full day of successful wedding planning!
Want more wedding planning tips? Continue to visit Houston Wedding Showcase’s Blog for more up-to-date planning tips and professional advice. As a premiere bridal show, we’ll consistently bring you what you need to create the wedding day of your dreams. This is where weddings begin, and we want you to enjoy every moment of your experience!
Written by Allyson Siwajian © 2011
Photograph provided by Houston Wedding Showcase
