Most weddings, especially Christian weddings are performed in a church. When I was a young girl, every wedding I attended was in a church so I always pictured myself getting married in a church. Naturally, I had a church wedding because that is what seemed right and it was what I wanted. We got married in El Paso in a church and then had the reception in the church fellowship hall. Our guests did not have to travel across town to go to the reception so it was very convenient. Also, if you have your reception in church, it takes care of the problem of whether or not to serve alcohol. It is not allowed in most churches. This saves the couple a lot of money!

Since then, I have attended weddings in a lot of different places. It is important to know that you have options for great wedding ceremony venues. As long as a couple is married by a church official, they are wed in the eyes of God.

If you are set on a church wedding, consider having the reception at your home or backyard, a beach, or in a park. You may need a special license if you marry at a beach or in a park so check with your city licensing department. You may also need special permission to reserve a section for the wedding. Sometimes you will have to pay a fee.

If you love the outdoors, why not get married there? You can get married in a park, or in your own backyard. You can have the wedding ceremony in the grass, on your deck, or in a rented tent in your backyard to shield guests from heat, bugs, rain, or cold.

Or maybe you would like to be married inside your home. This is a wonderful idea, especially if you have a larger home.

My son recently got married in front of an outdoor fountain at the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio. It was a beautiful wedding.Then they had the reception at an Italian restaurant in a private room as well as on the patio that the room opened on to. The reception went very well.

Some couples marry inside museums, theaters, schools, colleges, hospital chapels, libraries, restaurants, and even malls and stores. I have attended weddings in all of these places. My husband once performed a wedding outside on the lawn of the customer service company he worked for during his lunch break in San Antonio. (He is a former pastor.)

One of the most popular outdoor wedding ceremony venues is a beach wedding. Just think of the gorgeous blue ocean water lightly slapping the sparkling sand as you exchange vows. What a beautiful backdrop the Pacific Ocean makes on the beach in San Diego. Or how about the perfect mountain setting, such as up on Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs?

If you have a lot of money to spend on your wedding, consider a hotel ballroom wedding. You can have the ceremony and the reception all in one place for a set fee. The convenience is that the hotel will decorate according to your specifications and cater the food. Usually, they will also bake and set up the wedding cake. They will arrange just about everything for you. Of course, you will pay for this convenience, but it sure is nice not to have to worry about anything.

Another good place, if you have the money, is at a country club. Again, they will take care of just about everything for you.

The important thing is for the bride and groom to sit down together and discuss what each one would like. Brainstorm and bounce ideas off of each other for wedding ceremony venues. Talk about what you both like and how much money you have to spend. Then decide together where you would like to get married. Your wedding does not have to be a cookie cutter wedding, just like everyone else's. You can have a unique and memorable wedding with a little imagination and creativity.

I wish you the very best as you discuss possible wedding ceremony venues together and as you plan your wedding.