We Americans are lucky when it comes to weddings. Not only do we get
to pick and choose from a variety of traditions in our cultural melting
pot, the United States itself is so big and varied that we have some
amazing options when it comes to venues, too. Imagine standing ankle
deep in the surf on Maui while exchanging vows, the skirts of your informal
beach wedding dress swirling around you. You can do the same in Martha's
Vineyard, on Galveston Island, at Palm Beach, in Malibu…why, the
alternatives are all but endless, and that's just the tip of the iceberg,
even when it comes to nautical themes. Now, can we interest you in some
picturesque fishing boats and a lighthouse or two…?
Here are just a few of the other unique places Americans love to get
married:
- Amusement parks (whee!)
- Aquariums (the big public kind, not the kind in the corner of the
living room)
- Art galleries
- Barns (cows optional)
- Botanical gardens
- Castles (there are more than you might expect in the US)
- Historic buildings
- Large metropolitan parks (think Central Park in NYC)
- Movie studios (lights, camera, action indeed!)
- Museums
- Orchards
- Planetariums
- Sports stadiums (go team go!)
- Wineries (a bonus when it comes to the open bar)
- Yachts
- Zoos
Want to go even further afield? Well, you can always get married in
a redwood forest in California. National parks love it when people choose
them as wedding venues, and the folks at Redwood National Forest will
be happy to accommodate you, assuming you're careful to plan far ahead
and are flexible with the dates. The fees are reasonable, too. However,
there's no in-house wedding planner, so you'll have to arrange the catering
and besides you can find one of those great
online jewelry stores on your own.
If you and your beloved are scuba divers, here's a once-in-lifetime
opportunity for you: get married underwater! While it may limit the size
of the actual wedding party (unless of course you come from a clan of
scuba divers), there are officiants who will happily don their wetsuits
to marry you under the sea at Key West or Pensacola, Florida, and other
stunningly beautiful places (Hawaii!) where sea meets shore around the
United States. All it takes is a cheap
wedding dress and the willingness to get wet. Or you can dispense
with the dress altogether, and make do with your dive suit -- or even,
in some cases, your skin. Mind the coral, though.
All that said, the most popular, slightly unconventional way to get
married is in your own backyard, or that of a friend or family member.
It adds a distinct touch of the familiar to your special day, and you'll
never be able to pass that spot where you stood together and exchanged
yours vows without feel a distinct rush of emotion. Most officiants will
be happy to marry you wherever you choose, and in this case, the savings
on wedding venues will be enormous. Why, imagine how much more you can
spend on your wedding rings, wedding dress, or the honeymoon if you don't
have to pay a king's ransom to rent a church or reception hall!
