Choosing the perfect setting for your wedding ceremony
Picking a venue is very important and should be done as soon as possible (ie. right after the engagement and after/in conjunction with picking a date).
I held my ceremony outside in a park next to the river and held my reception at a hall. The setting may not be the same for everyone, some of the things to consider will be.
The best advice I can offer is to be openminded and flexible! If you have had your mind set on getting married in a certain church since you were a little girl, be prepared to wait. However, if you are willing to check out all of the churches in your city you will have a lot more options.
The size of your wedding with strongly influence your venue so you have to decide which is more important. Are you willing to limit your guest list so everyone can fit in your dream venue?
Check and see if your venue requires a permit. For example, in my particular case, the City of Calgary requires that you apply through the city when holding a ceremony in a city park. Each park has it's own application process and a permit will be issued after application. Fines for not completing these steps may be hefty!
If your ceremony will not be located in the same venue as your reception, I encourage you to place them within close proximity to each other, for the convenience of your guests. Most people coming from out of town won't be super comfortable driving all over the city on such an already hectic day. I know my mother was in tears trying to get from one location to the other.