Why You Should Say 'I Do' to An On-site Wedding Ceremony

One of the very first questions you should ask your wedding venue of choice is whether or not they have the capability of holding an on-site ceremony. Learning this will immediately tell you if you need to book a house of worship so that your guests can witness you and your partner reciting your vows or if you can conveniently stage your ceremony steps away from where the reception will take place. 

If you’ve chosen wisely, the Long Island wedding venue you’ve picked does indeed have the space needed to hold a ceremony. Having an on-site ceremony is beneficial for many reasons, but the piece of mind it gives you is perhaps its greatest asset.

Without having to worry about the distance between the church, temple, synagogue, etc. and the reception hall, you are free to focus your energy—and anxiety—on other areas of concern on your wedding checklist. Along with the advantage of an on-site boutique hotel, the Fox Hollow provides ceremony services to its soon-be-wedded couples. 

The Fox Hollow includes decorations in its chapel package, which encompasses six fresh flower pedestals lining the aisle, an archway with flowers, and an aisle runner. You can even decide for yourself to hold the ceremony indoors or outdoors up to two hours prior to the event. 

Now that you know the option is there, let’s examine a few reasons why you should choose an on-site ceremony as the setting for your “I Do’s.”

It’s A Cost-Saving Decision
As an engaged couple fully ensconced in the wedding planning process, there’s a good chance you are constantly on the lookout for ways to save money without anyone noticing. When your wedding ceremony and reception are held on different sites, that often means you will have to rent equipment for both locations. And if you are holding the ceremony at a house of worship, you will probably have to pay a few hundred dollars to rent the space or, at the very least, make a charitable donation to the institution. Either way, it’s yet another cost piled onto the already growing stack of cash required to pull off a truly memorable wedding. 

It’s Your Wedding Day
As impossible as it might seem, it’s more than likely that you are not the only person in the world getting married on your particular wedding day. And when your ceremony is being staged in a church, for example, there’s a good chance you are one of many couples who will be reciting their vows in that very location that day. What’s more, houses of worship often hold other religious ceremonies the same day—both factors work against your efforts to make the wedding completely personalized, unique, and the center of everyone's attention.

Keep Travel At A Minimum 
You know all about the possible sources of stress associated with your wedding day, and adding a second location to the day’s events only serves to intensify the pressure. Remember, holding your wedding ceremony somewhere other than the site of your reception means that you’ll have another place to worry about getting to on time—and you also have to worry about your guests not only arriving on time, but also being exactly where they need to be when it comes time for photos. Then there’s the possibility that switching locations can sap the momentum from your guests and wedding party. When your ceremony is held at your reception hall, the conclusion of the ceremony feels more like the beginning of the party than the end of the nuptials. 

The Photography Factor
Having a consistent thread running through your wedding photos can add a lot to the look and feel of your wedding album. But when the location changes, the consistency can get lost. Meanwhile, a separate reception location can make the photographer’s job that much more difficult. When the wedding party isn’t traveling from one place to another, your photographer will have an easier time wrangling everyone when the time comes to snap photos. This leads to a more natural, less stressful, photo session—and that means a much higher quality collection of photographic keepsakes. 

Weather Becomes Less Of A Factor
Think about this nightmare: Your makeup has been professionally applied and your hair is staying perfectly intact. You look amazing and just as beautiful as you’ve always imagined you would on your wedding day. Then, while you’re at the altar tying the knot, the weather outside takes a turn for the worse. Now you have to make the mad dash from your ceremony to your reception in the rain without needing a massive hair and makeup overhaul when it comes time for your grand entrance at the reception. If the worst case scenario happens and the weather becomes less-than-ideal, having your ceremony and reception in the same place will keep you high and dry—in a good way!

Takeaway
Keep the flow of your wedding a positive experience and choose to combine the ceremony and reception into one magnificent day and location of your dreams!