Weddingbee Blog

The second most common question people ask you once you get engaged (besides, “Have you set a date yet?”) is “Where are you getting married?”

It really is an important question. As an architecture student, I always had to pay attention to our “site” where we were building and the “context” around it. The reality is that the context of anything, whether it be architecture, an event in history, or an event (like a wedding), plays a huge role in the details of the final product.

The context of a wedding (the wedding date, the wedding location, the season, etc.) should, in my opinion, affect the design of the wedding from day one. We eventually decided on a wedding date early in the spring in Florida. This part of our “context” has allowed us to plan for some parts of the wedding to happen outside. The second part of our wedding context, the venue, has given us rain backup and an awesome ceremony site.

I am continually making choices to fit the wedding I am planning in the venue that we picked. For example, I loved more than one dress, but one was too formal and one had a gorgeous long train…that would be a disaster in an outdoor ceremony. The venue has helped me to determine our color scheme, too. Black and white formal (as much as I love that style) just wouldn’t work there. It’s a more warm, homey, casual kind of venue…so that is the type of wedding we are planning.

So what is our venue?

It’s The Retreat at Bradley’s Pond. It has the outdoor rustic feel that I like with a modern, clean interior space!

This next photo is the indoor reception space—I love how big and neutral it is!

Image via The Retreat at Bradley’s Pond / Photo by Inga Finch Photography

Next is the gorgeous outdoor ceremony site that overlooks a pretty pond.

Image via The Retreat at Bradley’s Pond / Photo by Llore Wedding Photography

And…the awesome front porch that I plan on utilizing as much as possible (cocktails, anyone?)

Image via The Retreat at Bradley’s Pond / Photo by Shutter Pop Photo

So far I’m having a blast planning a wedding for this location. I cannot wait to see how all my inspiration starts to come together!

Are you using your venue as inspiration to help plan your wedding?