Marking the Venue

bahamabride2015

We are having out wedding at a private residence and I am looking for some way to make the location stand out as guests drive up the street so that it is easy to find. Balloons automatically come to mind but my first concern with that is does it seem too much like what our mothers did when we were having a birthday party? Any suggestions would be most appreciated. Thanks!

Maggie0829

Does this residence have any trees in the front?  You could always wrap lights around the trunks of the trees.

Are you offering valet services?  If so then the valets standing out front and also a sign that reads "Bahamabride and Bahamabride's SO's Wedding"  would help as well.

bahamabride2015

Oh valet service, never thought of that! It's actually street parking where it's going to be but since a lot of our out of town guests are going to come on the shuttle we hired, there won't be a ton of cars and the street is quiet so it won't be an issue.  Wrapping the trees in lights is a great idea but since people will be arriving at 5pm when it is still light out, I would worry that they wouldn't be able to see the lights.

Here is a photo of the house from the front if that helps you vizualize at all.

emmyg65

We just had a sign out front that said HisLast HerLast Wedding.

jenijoyk

Will you have ushers? You could have them stand out front.

Haha but then people might think they are the valets.

Maybe some sort of pretty fabric draped around that lovely archway entrance?

jenijoyk

Potted floral arrangements at each of those white pillars on the porch?

bahamabride2015

LOVE the fabric draping idea! Yes we will have ushers (FI has 7 groomsmen and there are a couple of additional helpers who have offered to help get people seated)

I was more thinking something by the road since the house sits back a bit.  Maybe I'm not giving people enough credit in assuming that adults can't locate an address...

theartistformerlyknownas

Is it relatively local for you? Put it into your phone's GPS and see if it gets them right there rather than half a mile down the road like mine does sometimes. That'll help you figure out how much signage you need. If it's not exact or you really can't see the house very well from the road, I'd put a sign. No balloons though. That place looks too swanky for balloons.

bahamabride2015

Just tried, it gets it right on as far as I can tell. I will do light decor and draping in the font and leave it at that. At some point I guess I just have to trust that people are adults and not as terrible at navigating as me

MandyMost

I would put a sandwich board type sign out on the curb. Here's a super rustic one. I'm sure you could find one that will fit your theme and also stand out from the background so it's noticeable. 

atlastmrsg

You could also do a simple sign with a monogram.  I'm all for understated.  If you don't want to get a yard sign printed, a board on an easel may be more simple than a sandwich board.  You may already have an easel from a presentation or meeting, or one at your office you could use for the weekend.  There's definitely not a sandwich board in my office I could take home for a few days.

Jen4948

Maybe a banner around that window over the door?

weddingcactus

Flowers, lights, and/or a sign would help me identify the location of a wedding. Balloons would be visible, but I agree that they sort of scream "child's birthday party" not "wedding". 

canadianhearts

Pretty venue!

What about a white fabric bow around the tree? If not a bow, maybe just a spiraling white fabric wrap.

esstee33

lolo883 said:

Is it relatively local for you? Put it into your phone's GPS and see if it gets them right there rather than half a mile down the road like mine does sometimes. That'll help you figure out how much signage you need. If it's not exact or you really can't see the house very well from the road, I'd put a sign. No balloons though. That place looks too swanky for balloons.

Definitely a swanky place, but I know the party places around me have some pretty fancy-looking balloons, too. Gold metallic ones, even. Combined with some white lights, it could look really pretty.