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“I need a wedding venue near me, fast!” The secret to finding the perfect location for your marriage ceremony

Published Thursday, Oct. 13th, 2022


The interior of a barn that has been decorated as a wedding venue, with an aisle lined with planters filled with white flowers, leading to a wedding arch decorated with white fabric and flowers

“I need a wedding venue near me… and fast!” 

 

Sound familiar? 

 

If you’re looking for a nearby wedding venue, you might have noticed that a lot of these businesses book up months and sometimes years in advance. 

 

This can make finding a venue more stressful than it should be, especially if you’re looking for the perfect location at the last minute. 

 

 

The secret is…

 

Your perfect wedding venue might be as close as your own backyard or the neighborhood bar! 

 

Many modern couples are choosing creative locations for their marriage ceremonies, instead of paying for expensive traditional wedding venues. 

 

Popular alternatives to traditional venues to consider include:

 

  • a friend or family member’s backyard
  • a local park or library
  • a favorite neighborhood bar or restaurant
  • or any other location that holds a special significance – such as the restaurant, coffee shop, or bowling alley where you had your first date


Special locations like these create a unique and memorable wedding experience for you and your guests, and are usually more affordable. 

 

And unlike traditional wedding venues, these offbeat alternatives often capture the essence of your relationship, and can even reflect hobbies, interests, and values that you and your partner share. 

 

So if you’re looking for a nearby wedding venue, remember to think outside the box. 

Your perfect venue might be as close as your own backyard! 

 

Good luck, and have a great wedding ceremony 

 

Pro tip: 
Keep in mind that some public locations might require a reservation or a special permit for use as a wedding venue if you plan to set up chairs or tables for guests. Special-use permits will need to be filed in advance, and can be found on city websites, or by calling the appropriate city office, such as your local parks and recreation department. 

 

Newlyweds walk down the aisle during the wedding recession at an outdoor wedding ceremony, they are laughing and smiling at one another, walking arm in arm

 

 

 

Once you’ve found the perfect location, 
It’s time to find the perfect wedding officiant! 

Ask a friend or relative to get ordained online to officiate your wedding ceremony. 

Get ordained online with AMM here

AMM offers free online ordination to make it easy for anyone to officiate for your friends and relatives. 

Becoming an ordained minister through AMM only takes a minute to complete and your ordination is legally recognized in all U.S. states and territories. 

 


Need a sample wedding ceremony script?

 

Visit our free Wedding Ceremony Scripts Library.

 

We know that writing a ceremony from scratch can be a daunting process, especially if your wedding officiant is officiating on short notice. To make things easier, we keep our Sample Script Library well stocked with wedding ceremony templates and sample scripts for you to choose from. These scripts are a great starting point, with sections to add to, leave out, or reorganize, as you personalize a ceremony. 

 

 


 

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Jessica Levey
Jessica Levey

Lead Staff Writer & Illustrator

Jessica loves exploring the history and magic of ritual, the connections between people and places, and sharing true stories about love and commitment. She's an advocate for marriage equality, LGBTQ+ rights, and individuality, and is an ordained Minister with AMM. When she’s not writing or illustrating for AMM, she enjoys city hikes, fantasy novels, comics, and traveling.

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