Privacy, Please!

Privacy varies widely from place to place, as does the importance couples place on it. If you’re having a daytime event in a public spot, such as a park or botanical garden, be prepared for strangers to trek past your party. They may even smile, wave, and come by to offer their good wishes. If this is okay with you (the more the merrier!), go for the park. If not, opt for a lovely lawn on a private estate. Or hold the reception at a restaurant or gallery that will post a CLOSED FOR PRIVATE PARTY sign. Be sure to inquire about available security at your site to keep gate-crashers at bay.

In addition, don’t think that just because you’re indoors, you’re safe from uninvited guests. Banquet halls and hotels often hold more than one affair at a time. If there’ll be other events going on simultaneously in rooms close to yours, you may hear karaoke-loving guests singing their hearts out to the sounds of Madonna through the walls or meet them over the hot-air dryers in the bathroom. If this bothers you, try to schedule your wedding when there won’t be another one next door. If this is impossible, visit the site on a dual-party night and see how the sound carries and whether there really are any major people problems — before you make a decision.