When it comes time to pick your wedding/reception venue, we all know the choices, right? Church, hotel, charming country inn, someone’s backyard, the beach at Aruba, the local VFW hall… yeah, same old, same old. But have you ever considered your local zoo?

On a recent episode of Four Brides, one of the couples in the competition held their wedding and reception at the zoo. I was struck immediately by how charming a spot it was for celebrating. When guests arrived, they got to play at the zoo for a while before heading to the ceremony location. Once the couple had been pronounced legally spliced, the guests took a scenic tram ride to the reception area, where a giraffe peered over the wall into the festivities as if to request its own slice of wedding cake. All in all, it looked like a fun time. In fact, that’s the couple that won the honeymoon prize. I feel sure it was in significant part because of their fabulous location.
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An oh so familiar backdrop

Oh, sure, I know the wedding at home isn’t for everyone. And I’m not even talking about backyard weddings, but rather weddings that take place inside. Your house. Or maybe your parents’ house if you’re still living in a triple-decker in a town where parking is all but impossible. Why have your wedding at home? Here are seven reasons that might just push you over the edge if you’re considering having your wedding at home:

1. A small wedding that takes place right in the place where you live can be easy to plan and execute – if you have the space, that is. One thing to consider is that you may need to rent amenities – seating, linens, etc. – if you even suspect you won’t have enough to go around.

2. Getting married at home can save you a lot of money. First, there’s the fact that venue rental tends to eat up a ton of the standard wedding budget. And second, getting married at home often means a less complicated spread of refreshments, perhaps even provided by loved ones instead of a professional caterer.

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Forget ballrooms or catering halls and museums and art galleries – at least if you happen to be planning a wedding in Miami. The new hot space in which to say your vows in that corner of Florida is a really surprising one. Because it is a parking garage. Sure, it’s a seriously nice parking garage designed by the Swiss firm Herzog & de Meuron (designers of both the Tate Modern and Beijing’s Olympic Stadium)… and it did cost $65 million.

Actually, even though it usually plays host to more high end automobiles than people, it’s not a bad choice if you’re looking for an unusual wedding venue. On top of 360-degree views and sky-high ceilings, it features embedded artwork and a grand staircase just right for making dramatic entrances and picturesque exits. Plus, wedding guests are guaranteed a place to park – since they’ll be stashing their cars one floor below the ceremony and reception space.

I have to say, I like it. It’s unusual, most certainly, but definitely a striking choice for the less-than-ordinary couple. What do you think? Could you get over the fact that this wedding venue is a garage by day?

Now, your eyes do not deceive you. What you see above is an inflatable church.

You know, last month some neighbors of ours held a birthday party for their son who was turning ten. They had a bouncy castle on the front lawn. Several of us adults discussed how cool it would be to have a bouncy castle rated for adult weights… and then I discovered Airy Architecture.

Okay, I probably wouldn’t have a bouncing ceremony, but if you’ve got a sizable plot of land to put it in and a sense of humor, this might not be a bad idea.

Not wild about the church version? That’s okay, they have other options available. I’m loving this inflatable pavilion called the Air Forest:

Okay, so it’s not for everybody, but there’s a little piece of me that’s in love with adult bouncy castles, and it’s making me smile to think someone is doing this.

If you’re anything like me, you have probably not given much though to the lighting design of your wedding beyond “Is there light?” and “Do we need to add more light?” But apparently arranging the lighting for your reception site is now an important part of the process. The wedding planning process, that is.

I’ll admit that it never even occurred to me to hire a professional lighting designer for my wedding, being that it was outdoors in the daytime, so I got all the light I needed from old Mr. Sun. But for an indoor affair, especially in a space with lighting options limited to ON and OFF, I can definitely see the allure of colored lighting (aka color washing), pin lighting, camouflage lighting, and even monogram, fireworks, or other projected effects.

Yes, it means there’s yet another wedding vendor to hire and another line item to add to your wedding budget, but if you have the funds – anywhere from $750 to more than $5,000 – professional wedding lighting can be a fun way to add ambiance, cover up venue imperfections, play up the best features of your venue, or turn an otherwise plain reception space into something a bit more grand without having to buy a lot of stuff.

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Need some inspiration to blow away the Tuesday blahs? As if the rolling hills in the background of this outdoor wedding space were not enough, this bride and groom pair was married in a unique and fascinating open air wooden chapel. The couple said their vows in the bride’s parents’ backyard, and it was the bride’s brother who built the structure complete with pretty windows and doors and a striking yellow altar.

The chandelier is one of the details that really make this ceremony space a success. And how about that amazing dresser? The whole color scheme is so pretty and rustic without being too country.

The chapel looks like it was open enough to retain an outdoor wedding feel while also giving wedding guests the impression of being in a cozy, private, and intimate space. It’s the best of both worlds!

(Images: Green Wedding Shoes; Photographer: Stephanie Fay)