A Guide to Planning Golf Course Weddings
Many couples get married in gorgeous outdoor locations. From great photo opportunities to being married in the sunshine, there are lots of great reasons for this.
Outdoor locations can feel high-stakes, though. What if it rains, or what if it's too cold or hot? Any one of these things can ruin a wedding.
That's why golf course weddings are increasingly popular. With manicured lawns, beautiful flowers, and a snazzy clubhouse to host dinner and dancing, couples have the best of both worlds.
That's why we've assembled a brief guide full of golf course wedding tips for the event of your dreams!
Start Consolidating Now
Weddings are composed of thousands of moving parts. Any single hitch when planning a wedding can throw the entire day off. No wonder many brides and grooms are so stressed before the big day!
One of the biggest stressors is ceremony vs. reception. Sometimes, the ceremony takes place in one location. Then, all the guests are shuttled to a new location for the reception.
This doubles the work, cost, moving parts, and logistics that must be dealt with. That's why golf course wedding venues are a great idea.
You can hold the ceremony and reception in the same spot. Instead of bringing in a separate catering team, the golf course staff can cater. If you're lucky, the golf course will have lodging on-site or nearby for out-of-town guests.
Pick the Right Course
Most golf courses will allow you to host a wedding on their grounds. However, some courses are specially tailored to accommodate wedding events.
This includes a chapel-style building on the grounds and an on-staff wedding planner. This reduces the number of companies you'll have to deal with since it's all included in the resort package already.
With an on-staff planner, they are very familiar with the area's offerings already. They can give great tips for ordering a cake, renting tables, finding the perfect DJ, and more.
Plan In Advance
Unless you're eloping, this advice is the holy grail for all types of weddings. It can be tempting to push off all the gnarly details for another day.
When this happens, though, it's a recipe for panic before the wedding. You may find that the venue of your dreams is booked, caterers refuse to do a rush job for such a big event, and more.
Post-pandemic, calendars for the 2021 and 2022 wedding seasons look fuller than ever. Even if you plan two years in advance, you may not get the cream of the crop, depending on where you live.
Consider planning a gift for your future self. That way, stress is reduced, and you can get as much as you want. This is also a gift to the caterers, cooks, and staff members you work with.
If they know what they're up against, they can do a much better job of fulfilling your wishes to the letter.
Work from Top to Bottom
If you're a bride or groom that has been dreaming of their wedding since childhood, you might be in luck! Maybe you already know what cake you'd like or what engagement ring you clipped out of a magazine in 4th grade.
This can make your planning much easier. But when in doubt, knock out the big details first.
Have you found your dress? Have you found the right golf course for your ceremony and reception? What does the finalized version of the guest list look like?
Once those things are accomplished, you can debate the virtues of chocolate cake versus German chocolate for your wedding.
Plan a Golfing Event
It would be a shame if guests traveled so far to reach a golf course—and never actually got to golf! If there are avid golfers on your guest list, take the time to schedule some time for them to partake.
This could mean penciling some free time into the day before the wedding. Or, it could be a fantastic time for both families to bond over the game.
This is a great way to make the most of the venue where the wedding is being held and give your guests some fun in return!
Plan Your Photography
Acres of manicured green lawn, beautiful flowers, panoramic bridges ... a golf course is a great place to get timeless wedding photos. Most golf courses will be able to recommend photographers who have worked at the venue before.
This means they'll be familiar with the best spots to take wedding photos and will know how to work the venue's scenery to their advantage.
If the golf course doesn't have recommendations, try to make sure the photographer sees the venue before the big day. This will allow them to plan their shots and make sure the lighting and scenery are right for all the photo ops they have in mind.
Watch Your Budget
Golf course wedding ideas are plentiful. A quick search on Pinterest or Instagram can yield some fantastic inspiration. With that in mind, though, golf courses can save you money.
As mentioned above, you can consolidate the ceremony and reception into a single venue. You can also utilize the golf course staff and their recommendations rather than outside companies.
However, it's important to note that many golf courses have a minimum fee for food and beverages. Be sure to ask in advance, particularly if the budget is a concern for you at this point in your planning.
Planning Golf Course Weddings
Congratulations on the upcoming wedding! A golf course is a great place to prioritize convenience and beauty for both you and your guests.
When planning golf course weddings, remember to take advantage of all the perks offered to you. From top-notch staff to great photo opportunities, it's all waiting for you.
If you'd like to start planning your golf course wedding today, contact us! We're excited to hear from you.