Do you have more property than you know what to do with? With acres and acres of rolling fields, woods, or other breathtaking features? Have you considered that you could be earning major profits by making your property work for you? The wedding industry in the United States is massive. With over 6’000 weddings every day, the industry rakes in a revenue of over 70 billion dollars each year. You could be a part of this! You might think that it’s a difficult industry to break into, but as a venue, the only thing you have to provide is a gorgeous background for the lovely couple’s big day. Here are some tips for how you can make your property perfect for hosting weddings.
Designing a Reception Space
When couples look for their dream wedding venue, one of the biggest things they consider is the reception area. There are so many factors that will decide whether or not it will work for their big day. It’s important that the reception space you provide is large enough to be able to accommodate big weddings, and has enough room for everyone to get dancing! In addition to providing enough space for the entire wedding, it’s a good idea to provide some type of shelter from the elements–that way the lovely couple won’t have to worry about layering sunscreen or making a backup plan if it starts to rain.
You could always just encourage them to rent a tent for the reception and have it set up in a big clearing, but the couple might not be able to see past the additional dollar signs and could end up deciding that they’d have better luck reaching out to other venues. To prevent this, you could cover the cost of a tent rental if rain is predicted as the date draws near, but it would be much more cost-effective–and much more desirable for couples–if you invested in building a permanent outdoor structure to host receptions.
A great, relatively affordable option for providing a reception space is to build a timber frame pavilion. If your property is located near any of the beautiful parks in Silver Spring, Maryland, then a pavilion is a perfect choice, since it’s guaranteed to keep guests dry while they enjoy the gorgeous surrounding views. You can even request that a chimney be added to the plans for your pavilion, that way your guests can stay warm on those chilly summer nights. Another thing you might want to consider talking to builders about adding to your pavilion space is an outdoor kitchen. This will make your venue much more flexible for caterers, or it would even open up the option for couples to host a barbeque-style reception if that’s something they’d like to do.
If you want the wedding guests to be better protected from the elements but still want them to be able to enjoy the natural scenery, then another great, though much less affordable option is to build a greenhouse on your property. Not only is a greenhouse a unique feature that most other venues are not likely to have, but it also provides the perfect lighting for wedding photos–seriously, photographers will rent out greenhouses for professional photoshoots because of the immaculate lighting–which will add to your venue’s list of selling points. If you want to add to the magic of the greenhouse, you could line the beams with lights, making it a gorgeous option for both morning and evening ceremonies. Plus, if you opt to build a heated greenhouse, then you could use it to host ceremonies all year long!
Designing a Fairytale Backdrop
Every couple wants the perfect backdrop for their big day. Your property might have acres of space, but that doesn’t mean that it’s perfect for a wedding. If you want to wow prospective clients, then you need to create a landscape that takes their breath away. The best way to stand out against other venues is to offer unique features. Consider planting a rose garden on your property, or any garden full of beautifully blooming flowers. This will create a romantic space perfect for photographs. If flowers aren’t your style, you could consider planting a hedge maze or topiary garden on your property. Not only will this create unique pictures for the happy couple, but it also entertains any children present at the wedding.
Keep in mind, also, that even the smallest details, like an iron bench or a tree swing, tucked away in the middle of a garden or maze can make for the perfect picture. Couples will appreciate these small, romantic details. Of course, the most important thing to keep in mind is the backdrop that will be available during the ceremony itself. Make sure you designate a space–or multiple spaces if your property is large enough–for ceremonies that will utilize the best views on your property. This is something that couples will look for when selecting a venue.
