In two weeks, you’re getting married. You grab your cell phone and in a few minutes check both your weather apps. And all you can think about at the moment is, “is it going to rain at my wedding”? We have a solution. One way where you don’t have to worry about whether or not your wedding will soaking wet: choose a wedding venue that offers fine outdoor and indoor wedding options. Then you have to worry a lot less about bad weather.
Choosing an indoor wedding venue: what should you look for?
When are you guys actually getting married? In the summer? Then, of course, there is a pretty good chance of nice weather. If you want, you can choose to go for a beautiful outdoor location where your indoor option is just a little less. It’s a gamble and you know yourself if you want to take it or not. After all, no one wants to get married in the rain. But if you have a winter wedding or a fall wedding, it’s helpful to think a little extra hard about where you want to get married.
It’s actually pretty simple: what feeling do you get when you walk into the ceremony hall? Does it feel spacious? Does it feel light? If all the wedding guests were to sit here for half an hour to an hour, would they fit or would some people have to stand? Is there enough “breathing room” between where you two will sit, the wedding officiant and the guests? Or is everyone on top of each other? In terms of any styling here, can you make it what you want it to be?
What else do you need to consider?
Is it a location that is very flexible? For example, can the venue prepare two wedding settings so that you can really decide last-minute whether to get married outside or inside? Or what is the deadline for you guys to determine if it will be indoors or outdoors? Some venues want to be sure a few days in advance, while others can really make that decision ad hoc. For example, we experienced that there were literally 2 wedding settings ready to go: both inside and outside.
As a photographer, why do you think this is so important?
We really only want 1 thing, or maybe 2 things: to take beautiful photos that make you happy. And then if we have nice light it’s a lot easier in the end to get you all relaxed. For example, think about not having to use flash, having both of you in the same light, and having all the colors come out beautifully. And we don’t just want beautiful photos of the two of you, we’d love to photograph your family and friends as well. Especially those people sitting in the front rows. Preferably while they are interacting with you and/or the wedding officiant.
Rain: 7 beautiful wedding venues for all types of weather
We hereby present a nice overview of some wedding venues where you can get married both outdoors and indoors. In each case, we give a description of the day, show an overview photo of the indoor location (where you can get married) and post a link to where we have more photos of this location. Above all, take advantage of it! And if you know of any beautiful indoor wedding venues, please share it in the comments at the bottom of this page.
1. Getting married at The Hazelhof
Surely this indoor wedding venue is the one we like to mention first. Why? Well very simple: the gardens are beautiful, but that greenhouse in the middle: wow! Anne Floor, from Heerlijk & Hecht, is a hostess at this wedding venue and, along with the venue owners, has thoughtfully considered the perfect conditions for a stormy wedding. The ceremony area inside is so bright that it actually looks like you are standing outside. We photographed a wedding setting at De Hazelhof this fall.
2. Romantic Domaine Heerstaayen
Another very romantic place we have been to several times is Domaine Heerstaayen. The kind of location that makes you think you are in the south of France, but with the advantage of being “close to Brabant”. The outdoor ceremony site is beautiful, of course, but inside you have beautiful soft “white” light. You sit next to the fireplace which you may or may not have lit. So get married in the winter or late spring: go for atmosphere!
3. Getting married at the Rijk van de Keizer
The Rijk van de Keizer, near Amsterdam, is also another beautiful place. Totally different from the venues above, but you can have great food and the location has an atmosphere all its own. One of those places you see in those hip magazines, with an outdoor arena and multiple indoor spots. For example, you have the kitchen, where you can also get married, but you also have a beautiful room where you can have dinner and probably also have the ceremony. We have been to this location twice now and can’t wait for the next time because it is such a colorful and versatile wedding venue.
4. Emerging wedding venue Zijlstroom
At Zijlstroom you have a kind of greenhouse or gazebo in the garden. A super cute place where with a very little bit of styling (in this case by Oh Happy Day) you can completely create your own dream wedding. Because there is a lot of glass, you quickly have a light atmosphere. In addition, the combination with wood creates a nice feeling. Combine this with beautiful styling and voila: a perfect location to get married when it rains.
5. Getting married chicly at Kasteel de Hooge Vuursche in Baarn
An indoor wedding venue that is probably already known to a few more people is Kasteel de Hooge Vuursche in Baarn. A castle with lots of hotel rooms, so you can have a complete party. We come there almost every year and notice that, although you can have a beautiful outdoor wedding, most couples already choose the indoor wedding hall. Maybe because of those beautiful gold chairs, because of the beautiful ceiling or just the fact that getting married inside sometimes feels just a little more luxurious. If you want to see more photos of this location check out our page about De Hooge Vuursche.
6. Great place to get married: Fort Resort Beemster
6. Great place to get married: Fort Resort BeemsterLast summer we also attended a wedding at Fort Resort Beemster. A lovely luxury venue with a beautiful light-filled wedding hall. Perhaps not as bright as The Hazelhof, but much more northerly and thus perhaps an easy option if you want to get married in the Randstad area. It was actually intended for this couple to get married outside as well, but it was so windy that day that it was more convenient to stay inside. So the stylist, White Weddings, had built the decorations inside and what a beautiful result it turned out huh?
7. Kastreel Maurick: classical, light and varied
One last location. A place we were last summer. Again, the intention was to get married in the garden of the castle, but you know how it can go with the Dutch weather and so it was decided to get married inside anyway. But that turned out not to be a problem at all, because look at this: what a bright indoor location! So it’s worth taking a look at more photos of this indoor wedding at Maurick Castle.
