Skip to main content

Location, Location, Location

Looking for the right venue to have a special event can be overwhelming. Details about the site's amenities such as capacity, fees, the size of the parking lot, accessibility and other specifics you may not have even thought of. Who has the time to call and check on availability; whether or not the location is even what you are looking for?



Carolyn Burke can give great advice for a variety of wedding ceremony or reception locations. Mostly small and intimate, but large and extravagant too. 

Looking for ways to save on wedding expenses is an increasingly common scenario for young couples, faced with hefty student loans, credit card debt, a tough job market, and ever-increasing living expenses. Many couples are choosing lower-cost locations and planning smaller weddings close to home for family and their closest friends. 

To plan an event, your first impression is the first step along with the costs involved. The style or theme of the event as well as restrictions on space, privacy, and entertainment all have to fall in place. Once the location is decided, the next step is deciding who will officiate, the type and style of music to be played, and who is going to coordinate the event.

Popular posts from this blog

Missouri Marriage License

What Happens  Once You Get Your Marriage License in Missouri? Once you receive your marriage license from the Recorder of Deeds Office, you must use the license within 30 days, it expires after the 30th day. If you do not use the license it must be returned to the Recorder of Deeds Office. Usually there are two papers for the Wedding Officiant to fill out : the Marriage License and the Marriage Certificate. The first paper is the valid marriage license which is the legal document that an officiant fills out before the ceremony with 1) The official name of person who performs the ceremony.  2) City where the wedding takes place.  3) County where the wedding takes place. 4) Day, month and year of wedding. 5) Official signature, title and sometimes their address. St Louis City Marriage Certificate and Marriage License The second paper is the invalid marriage certificate that is given to you for keepsake purposes. In most cases, you will not be able to use the cer...

15 Unique Ceremony Ideas

Here are a few unconventional ceremony ideas to take you down the aisle with a twist. 1. Let your guests mingle over cocktails before the ceremony. 2. The couple greets the guests as they arrive at the ceremony site. 3. Face the guests when you recite your wedding vows. 4. Have your guests sit or stand in a circle around you during the ceremony. Ceremony in the Round 5. Have both parents walk you down the aisle. Dad - Bride - Mom 6. Have your husband-to-be escort you to the altar. 7. Don’t have bridesmaids or groomsmen - just the two of you. 8. Have an uneven number of attendants.     (Maybe you just want a maid of honor, but he wants three groomsmen.) 9. Have a “man of honor” instead of a maid of honor. (Your brother? A good male friend?) 10. Have the groom choose a “best woman.” (His sister? A good female friend?) 11. Don’t wear a veil. 12. Have bridesmaids carry candles instead of bouquets as they walk down the aisle. Bridesmaids H...

County Parks Wedding Sites

The St Louis County Parks and Recreation department has a wedding website. Their parks are great locations for wedding ceremonies and you cannot beat the price! Some locations come with electricity and restrooms, while others are simple for short, sweet and simple ceremonies. I have performed ceremonies as a Wedding Officiant  and I love the versatility that they can provide. Couples need to have nerves of steel as there is usually not a PLAN B or contingency plan in case of bad weather.  Nonetheless, they remain very popular. Below are my favorite photographs that show off the space.  You must contact the County Parks to book the location. Call me if you want my personal opinion on any of these locations as I am an Event Location Specialist. Bee Tree Mansion Garden Bee Tree Park Overlook Bissell Rose Garden Faust Park Jefferson Barracks Laborers House Patio Jefferson Barracks Museum Patio Queeny Park Courtyard Garden St Louis Cou...