A non-traditional venue can range from a historical site to a private home and anywhere else there isn’t a designated staff for special events & weddings. Choosing a non-traditional venue definitely has its pros and cons. Pros: freedom to do whatever you want, usually at a lower cost. Cons: having to start from scratch, meaning bringing in all necessary rentals and staff.

We chose a non-traditional venue because having a beachfront venue was high on our priority list. Trying to book a hotel or wedding facility on the beach was going to be quite pricey.  My dream venue was the Hotel Del Coronado.  We discovered the Cabrillo Beach Bathhouse in my hometown of San Pedro, CA and fell in love with it’s Mediterranean architecture and its historical charm.

One huge factor that plays into choosing a non-traditional venue is the catering options.  Some sites will ask you to choose from a list of pre-approved caterers, others let you have complete freedom.  Also take note if there’s an onsite kitchen.  We had our favorite local Peruvian restaurant cater and deliver everything to the venue.  Not only did it save us a ton, but we got to enjoy some of our favorite foods!  Traditional venues and hotels usually have a set menu and don’t allow an alternative caterer at the site.  They are great when you need an all-inclusive type package but not if you need flexibility for your budget.

A few often overlooked factors are electrical capacity (esp. for the DJ), permits, air conditioning/heat and accessibility.  Having a beach or park wedding means applying for permits from the city or county.  Definitely take care of this as soon as you’re ready to book or reserve a venue.  Make sure your guests will be comfortable with either air or heat and ensure that it is working properly.  And if you have any elderly guests or heavy equipment in a two story venue, check for elevators.

If the venue staff aren’t wedding professionals, hire a planner or day-of-coordinator.  Trust me.  You don’t want a bunch of inexperienced people as the only staff at your wedding.  Your caterer or rental company should provide additional staff to help set-up and clean-up.  You can ask a couple of family friends to be volunteers to handle your personal decorations.

Choosing a non-traditional venue definitely adds a lot more items to your to do list.  If you love the venue, it fits your budget and gives the flexibility you need to customize your day then go for it! Stay super organized and get a coordinator.

I’d love to hear if you’r thinking about or had a non-traditional venue for your wedding!