Whoever said that weddings, particularly wedding locations, should cost an arm, a leg, and a ring finger? If a church wedding sounds pricey, why not go the path less traveled, go for an alternative location, and make that day more special by celebrating it somewhere unique?

As a rule of thumb, it would be less expensive if the ceremony and the reception are held in the same or in proximate places. As for the celebration of the sacrament of matrimony itself, nothing beats the practicality of a civil ceremony.

If a church celebration is in order, go for one which has its own reception hall. That way, the celebrants and the guests would not need to travel to another location for the dinner. In usual cases though, arrangements and payments for the use of the two require separate transactions. To be sure, contact the parish and inquire its plans.

Another suggestion is to have the wedding in a restaurant, a clubhouse, or in a hall. The spacious area could accommodate both the ceremony and the reception. Additional budget might be needed depending on the logistics of the location.

Location weddings like garden and beach weddings are still novel concepts. With a big area, the garden wedding could do double duty as a party place later on. On the other hand, beach weddings work if the couple and the guests leave somewhere nearby, else, expenses double due to travel and logistics. The reception can be held in a seaside restaurant within the immediate area.