How To Pick Your Wedding Venue in Central Oregon
Choosing a wedding venue in Central Oregon can at first seem overwhelming. From ballrooms to barns and high desert getaways, there’s truly something for everyone. But, how can you know for sure which venue is right for you?
Today, we want to help you navigate the venue selection process. As wedding planning pros, we know that choosing a venue is one of the most crucial decisions of the entire planning process—and that you’re probably feeling more than a little stressed out about it. That’s why we want to empower you to make the best decision possible. With these five tips, you can ditch anxiety and move forward with planning your special day!
Consider Affordability
Central Oregon wedding venues can be roughly divided into two categories: resorts and DIY venues.
Resorts
Resorts require you to use in-house food and beverage services, and their fee includes a team of staff for set-up, service, bartending, and tear-down. All of the furniture necessary for your ceremony and reception will be provided. In addition, resorts use their own serving equipment, glassware, dishes, silverware, and linen—so no need to rent those things! Resorts with on-site lodging will also require you to book a minimum amount of lodging for the wedding weekend.
One resort venue that we love is Sunriver Resort. It’s a gorgeous mountain venue that offers no fewer than 10(!) ceremony and reception spaces, both indoors and outdoors. So you’ve got your pick to create the wedding day of your dreams!
DIY Venues
DIY venues are quite different from resort venues in that they allow (and often require) you to provide your own catering and bar services, and they’re a “blank slate” without any furniture or decor included. They also don’t provide service staff. These venues typically require you to obtain liability insurance, and it goes without saying that you’ll need a robust team of vendors to pull off all the components of a wedding. Depending on how remote the venue is, you may even need to provide your own portable restrooms and remove your own trash!
For couples who want to give DIY a try, we recommend House on Metolius. Set on two hundred acres of private land with jaw-dropping mountain and river views, this venue has the privacy and natural beauty that so many of our couples are looking for. We love it so much, we even featured it on the blog a while back!
Comparing Expenses
As you can see, there are pros and cons to both options, but the biggest concern is affordability. A resort’s contract will likely represent the majority of your wedding budget since there is so much included. For example, out of a budget of $50k, a resort’s contract might represent $35k. And while a DIY venue may seem like the inexpensive choice at face value (a site fee may fall in the range of $10-$15k), don’t forget that you’re providing absolutely everything. Once you’ve factored in costs for all of the components that are NOT included, the figures will start to add up.
Our advice would be this: before you narrow in on venues that seem affordable at face value, create a detailed budget sheet and consider all of the potential hidden costs. This is something we specialize in, which we offer to our couples during our initial meeting. We’re all about demystifying the wedding industry!
What About Weather?
We LOVE an outdoor wedding. Unfortunately, Mother Nature doesn’t always cooperate, and plans have to change. When researching venues—especially if you’re planning on having a portion of the day outdoors—inquire about their flexibility in the event of unforeseen circumstances. Do they have indoor space available in case of rain or excessive heat? Do you need to bring in a tent? If so, how will it be incorporated into the overall plan? Moreover, weddings here must sometimes be postponed due to wildfire smoke and unhealthy air quality. It’s important to know what kind of policy a venue has in place regarding postponement or cancellation before you sign on the dotted line.
Also, consider the season of your wedding. If you’ve already locked in your date, research local weather patterns to decide what makes the most sense. You may not want to book an entirely outdoor venue for a Central Oregon wedding in March because there’s a chance it will snow! A great choice for a venue with both indoor and outdoor spaces is another one of our favorite resort venues, Brasada Ranch. The sweeping mountain views from the lawn are ideal for an outdoor ceremony, but the rustic-chic barn is just as lovely when a bit of shelter is required.
Find a Good Fit for Guests
When choosing your venue, consider your guest list. If the majority of your loved ones will be road tripping or flying into Central Oregon, you may want to consider a venue’s proximity to ample and affordable lodging. For example, House on Metolius, although remote, is just a short drive from the town of Sisters where multiple options for food and lodging are available. As a courtesy to your guests, it’s also a great idea to research some fun local activities near the venue! Both Brasada Ranch and Sunriver, as resorts, offer plenty to do right on-site, including horseback riding, golf, swimming, biking, and kid-friendly activities.
Another more obvious factor to consider is whether or not a venue can reasonably accommodate your guest count. Some DIY venues have a capacity of 100 or 150 guests, so it’s important to know who you want to invite before locking yourself into a contract that forces you to invite fewer people than you’d hoped. In addition, some venues are somewhat remote. So, it’s important to consider ahead of time how your guests will arrive at and safely depart from the venue. Very few venues in Central Oregon are accessible by Uber or taxi, so if you plan on providing any kind of shuttle transportation, it should be included in your overall budget.
Rules, Rules, Rules
Be sure to dig into the fine print of a venue’s contract. If you’re looking forward to partying all night long, it’s a bad idea to choose a venue with a 10 pm noise ordinance. Or, if you’ve already ordered a flower crown for your fur baby, you aren’t going to want a venue that prohibits dogs on their property. Some venues also have narrow rental periods (like 12 hours) that make it challenging to complete set-up and tear-down on time. These are just a few of the factors that we bring to our couples’ attention in order to make sure that a venue matches their vision.
It’s also a good idea to familiarize yourself with the rules so that you can communicate them to your VIPs. Occasionally, there are rules barring outside alcohol due to the liability of the venue or the bartender’s liquor license. So, if you and your wedding party were planning to get ready on-site with a 6-pack of Truly, just make sure it’s cool with the venue first!
One of our favorite venue rules is when they require couples to have a planner or day-of coordinator! These venues are looking out for your best interest (and their own) to ensure that someone is on-site all day to host the event, manage the vendors, and oversee all of the details for you. One such venue is another DIY favorite of ours, Ranch at the Canyons! Set inside a private residential community with over 1,500 acres of working farmland and wildlife habitat, this Tuscan-inspired venue is one-of-a-kind. The architecture transports you to Southern Italy, while the high desert landscape is unique to Central Oregon.
Matching Your Aesthetic
Last but not least, think about the vision that you and your partner share for your wedding day and find a venue that matches it! We’re blessed with so much variety in Central Oregon, from elegant high desert properties like Brasada to woodsy cabin getaways like House on Metolius. Stay true to yourselves and choose a place that you both really connect with. Maybe you love to go skiing together, so Sunriver speaks to you. Or, maybe the European flair of Ranch at the Canyons reminds you of a vacation together across the pond. No matter what, your wedding venue is bound to become a special location that you revisit time and again, both in person and in treasured photos—so take your time with choosing the right one!
Still unsure of which wedding venue in Central Oregon is right for you? We want to help! Let us in on all of the big-picture details and we’ll get back to you ASAP with ideas, inspiration, and expertise.