By Loretta Falkner

The first Key Step in Planning is finding the perfect location for YOU!!

Brides Personal Factors to evaluate:
-Your Dream
-Ambiance
-Time of year
-Travel time/distance for guests

YOUR DREAM

REALITY CHECK! If you want to marry on the moon, then the earth will not do!!! The most important decision is to decide if your “dream” is achievable based on finances and realism. Take a hard introspective look at yourself, and decide if anything will make you happy! This is the First hurdle to overcome before even looking for a location! Readjust and focus your thinking to understand that the wedding day is the First Step in creating many lifelong experiences and memories! If this cannot be worked through, the wedding process will not be a special experience for you, your soul mate, your friends and family.

AMBIANCE

The look of the site is very important to achieving your dream! If you are an urban girl then do not go to the mountains!!! Find a beautiful Hotel or Private Club/restaurant to host your wedding event.  If you love nature and the “natural” then go outside the city environment!  A room with 4 walls will need to be enhanced with labor, setup time, and monies to create the look you desire! If you love to create a perfect “set” or fantasy, this is the venue for you!  A ballroom, hotel or private club room can be the perfect place.
If you desire a natural look, think of the beach, the mountains, a garden, a winery wedding such as Temecula Winery Weddings, or a  golf resort  to have the feel you desire. With choosing a preset look, you can save time, effort and monies since you know what to expect. This can ease the planning of accessories and services (dresses and attire, flowers, food, cake, photography, music) much easier.
Always keep in mind, this is your wedding, and create the desired feeling you want to have on that special day!!!

TIME OF YEAR

Getting married in the Spring was traditionally the perfect time for a wedding!  Now, life gets in the way of most events! Birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, business trips, other friend’s weddings, and holidays are just a few factors that weigh into this decision! You must decide how important these become for planning the date of your wedding.
Spring is a beautiful time in nature. There are many flowers and vistas that only exist this time of year!  As beautiful as it is, it is also a time of allergies for many!!  Also, the oceans and waters can be cold and very boisterous! Rain may also be a factor in many parts of the country (rain is good luck on your wedding day—they say!!!)
Summer is a more predictable time for many locations. The trees and greenery are in full bloom, the waters are calmer, and the temperatures are warmer. Consider shade (tree-lined areas), tenting, or an indoor option if the temperature is too warm in certain locations!! Also take into consideration the time of day for the wedding (morning, lunch, or evening)! Pricing can be a factor based on the time of day for the event! This can work to your advantage if you are flexible!
Fall is a very unique beautiful time if you like fall colors, changing of seasons and the scents of fall!!! It is also harvest and a very special time in Wine Country areas—Temecula Winery Weddings are especially scenic! The days/evenings are cooler and getting shorter by November 1 (daylight saving time ends!)
Winter is considered off-season for most wedding venues except for mountain resorts!  The days are short, the weather less predictable, and you have key national holidays (not being religious) such as Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years to work around!!! That being said, you can realize some wonderful values if you choose a date in this timeframe at many locations!

TRAVEL TIME/GUESTS

The wedding must go on! It is time for the ceremony but 50% of the guests are not there!! Yikes! What to do! Make sure you think through the start time of the wedding based on specific factors of the location! If you get married during rush hour in the city, there will be consequences! Early Friday evening in a drive time environment will also cause delays! Solutions: Opt for a later start time for the ceremony; or plan a pre-ceremony cocktail or social gathering to insure there is time for the guests to arrive. Consider a Temecula Winery wedding for they are quiet, have lots of hotels ,  bed-and-breakfasts, and private home options! Also this area is centrally located between LA, Palm Springs and San Diego!
If you have a destination wedding, most guests will plan in advance to take off early, or have travelled to reach the location. However, you may be adding extra costs for guests such as airfare, hotel, car rental…  If there are challenging issues with family on size of wedding, choosing a destination wedding might be an easy way to keep the guest list under control!!! Having a wedding in Hong Kong will probably shorten the guest list!

Happy Location Hunting!

Loretta Falkner is co-owner of Falkner Winery in the Temecula Wine Country in Southern California. They have hosted over 100 Temecula winery weddings each year since 2000.