Experts Share Important Things to Keep in Mind When Planning a City Wedding

Before you set the date and venue for your upcoming wedding, you first need to decide where it’s going to be held. It’s one of the first wedding planning tasks that you’ll have to tackle as a couple, and where you live, your wedding aesthetic, and proximity to your family members are all factors that need to be taken into account. If you plan to opt for a city wedding—congratulations!— wedding planners share that there are a variety of things you need to keep in mind for this type of celebration.

City weddings are great for those planning their nuptials over a weekend. “If guests are staying in the city for the wedding weekend, there are more walkable attractions and nightlife that can be visited during the weekend or even after the reception, which would eliminate the need for additional transportation,” explains Rachael Vacek, the Event Sales Manager at the Four Seasons Nashville. It’s much easier to carve out a block of rooms, too, since there are so many hotel options available in the city. Another thing to take into consideration is that there are more options for venues and vendors when it comes to hosting your wedding in the city. “Couples can take advantage of the fact that there will be many amazing options to choose from for their event in each vendor category,” explains Deliece Knight, founder and CEO of Dhalia Events LLC. 

However, it’s worth keeping in mind city weddings have drawbacks, too. Prices for city weddings tend to be more expensive than something outside of the city. Plus, if your wedding is during peak season, you may have to share a venue with another special occasion. To help relieve some of the stress that comes with deciding to plan a city wedding, we’ve tapped some of the best city wedding planners in the industry. Here are seven important factors to keep in mind when planning a city wedding, according to experts.

Take Advantage of Vendor and Venue Options

A big city comes with more options for vendors, so you have plenty of options to choose from when planning your wedding. “The larger the city, the wider the option,” explains Knight. “Couples can take advantage of the fact that there will be many amazing options to choose from for their event in each vendor category.”

Know the Parking Options

When planning a city wedding, it’s crucial to ensure that there is some form of parking or an easy-to-access area for ride-shares to drop off and pick up. “More than likely, almost all of the invited wedding guests will attend when it comes to a city wedding,” explains Vacek. “Because of what, it’s always a nice perk to consider adding a rideshare discount code for the weekend for guests to travel around safely.”

Book a Room Block

Booking a room block will provide your guests with somewhere to head to after the wedding. “Even if your guests are local, a room block is something that should be done sooner rather than later so that all guests are taken care of and are prepared in advance for the big day,” explains Vacek. In addition, big cities also tend to have more options for hotels, so hotel accommodations are easier to arrange for guests since there are more options to choose from.

Plan Your Budget

Truthfully, city weddings are far more expensive than those outside of the city, so it’s important to discuss what you plan to spend in advance. “Your budget will need to match your expectations for the event,” explains Knight. “Though large cities will undoubtedly come with a myriad of options to host an event at different price points, event hosts need to be prepared to spend at least one and a half to two times more of the amount than they would have spent outside of a major city for each vendor.”

Consider Indoor Spaces Over Outdoor

While outdoor city spaces can offer spectacular city views, it’s important to consider the noise and level of intimacy that you want at the ceremony. “If the ceremony or reception is in an outdoor space in a downtown city area, there is a potential for an overflow of noise from places nearby,” says Vacek.

Think About Logistics in Advance

City weddings need a bit of extra logistical planning than those outside of the city. “City traffic, parking, and standing rules can significantly impact the time available for vendors to execute their services (not to mention the risk of being ticketed increases tenfold),” says Knight. On that same note, your guests will also have to maneuver through these regulations to attend your wedding.

Prepare for a Shared Venue or Vendors

With the sheer population of the city, you may have to share your venue space if you want a specific venue on a certain date. “This does not mean that your event will happen at the same time, however, it is rare that a venue or vendor will reserve your entire wedding weekend just for you during peak season,” says Knight. “A good way to manage this is to have open conversations with your [venues and vendors] about what else they have planned for your wedding weekend so that you are fully aware of their commitments.” During your research, you can also check out the reviews on the venue or vendor to see what other couples’ experiences were.