Want a destination wedding but can't afford to travel to an exotic locale? No problem. The ideal spot might be a lot closer and more affordable than you think.
The Great Outdoors
Search the website of your local state parks for stunning locales. Or write or call your state's parks and recreation department. Chances are they have a list of lovely locations that have been used for weddings and parties.
Vice-Versa
If you live in the country, consider a cosmopolitan wedding in a nearby urban area. If you're a city dweller, look for quaint bed and breakfasts in the country. Farms or ranches add a new meaning to bridal path.
Locate a small town that prides itself on its Victorian charm for a turn-of-the-20th century wedding. Or go bohemian by selecting an artist's colony for a matrimonial masterpiece.
Scouting for a Space
Don't know how to find a lovely locale? Go to a store that sells tourist attraction postcards. Photographers love to capture scenic spots that are reproduced as postcards. And don't forget that libraries are the perfect way to study your state or those nearby.
Expand Your Horizons
For more inspiration, don't forget vineyards, museums, aquariums, zoos, restorated villages, seaport villages, theme parks, or botanical gardens. Many universities have historical buildings that would be ideal. In fact, if you met in college, how about your alma mater?
Mother Nature's Splendor
What are your state's most picturesque settings and the best time to see them? A fall wedding in the woods or at a sky lodge or mountain retreat would make a spectacular autumnal setting. Perhaps you'd prefer a wedding on a waterway in which you swim or sail. Canoeing to the ideal spot is a romantic way to arrive as well.
Select a spot and the time of year that is at its most beautiful for a breathtaking wedding.
Raise Your Sights on Sites
A rooftop ceremony on a skyscraper would be breathtaking in more ways than one. Or a hot air balloon ride with the setting or rising sun. Charter a private plane or small jet for a truly heavenly setting. The sky's the limit when you raise your sights on sites.
Still Stumped for a Site?
Contact your convention and visitor's bureau or department of tourism for site suggestions. If you're near the border, don't forget adjoining states as a source for sites as well.
Remember, a slight change of your state's scenery may be all the change you need to go from done-to-death ceremony site to a stunning setting.
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