Sponsored by Hazeltine National Golf Club
Every couple is different, and there are as many kinds of venues as there are styles of weddings, but combine the beauty of nature and the versatility of a banquet facility and you’ll start to understand why more and more couples are opting for golf course weddings. Whether you love the game or not, golf courses have a lot to offer. Here are six reasons that will make you say "I do" to a golf course wedding.
1. A Beautiful Setting
Golf courses aren’t exactly in the middle of downtown, though they’re not always out in the countryside either. There’s a bit of a happy medium with golf courses and the beautiful settings they offer — almost a local version of a destination wedding! A golf course is a beautiful, intimate place, and provides the feeling of “getting away” without actually leaving town. Many private golf clubs have an exclusive, upscale quality to them. Plus, unlike big hotels, most golf courses do not have multiple ballrooms, so your wedding is sure to be the only one happening that night.
2. Picture Perfect Wedding Photos
What better backdrop for wedding photos than green fairways as far as the eye can see? Whether your photos are when the leaves are changing, when there is fluffy white snow on the fairways, or on the walk towards our stone farmhouse in any season, it’s tough to beat the setting that wedding photographers will have to create your beautiful, lasting keepsakes of the big day. Couples sometimes spend time on their wedding day traveling around to other locations on the grounds for wedding photos. With a golf course wedding, you already have a gorgeous backdrop right at your reception site.
Photo by Brian Bossany Photos
3. All the Perks with No Membership Necessary
Upscale, private clubs come with a membership price tag attached, but not for your weddings and events. Non-members are more than welcome to host events at club venues. Hazeltine is one of the few clubs that does not require membership (or even sponsorship) to schedule a wedding. You get the country club atmosphere without needing a membership. The team at Hazeltine encourages you to reach out about availability to see if your date is open.
Photo by Kelly Brown Weddings
4. More Bang for Your Buck
Instead of booking the venue and multiple vendors separately, a golf course wedding provides the opportunity to book everything at once. They offer on-site catering, your own wedding planner, helpful staff for the big day, and much more. Some clubs even have special arrangements and partnerships with local vendors providing even more value to you. Everything from flowers to wedding cakes can be checked off the list with ease. Culinary experts are often also on-site to prepare and customize whatever the happy couple desires for their wedding feast.
Again, it’s just one more thing the club offers, so you don’t have to hire it out separately. All of the event spaces at Hazeltine have reasonably priced Facility Charges that are comparable to other wedding venues. Golf courses can offer you the very best in wedding venue service, food, and drink at surprisingly competitive prices. Hazeltine’s banquet packages are structured to suit everything from the most casual of weddings to an elegant black-tie event, and everything in between. The Facility Charge covers all the essentials such as tables, linens, silverware, and so on.
Photo by Janelle Elise Photography
5. A One-Stop Shop: Indoor Ceremony + Reception
With a lot of weddings, there’s an intermission when everyone must go from the ceremony site to the reception site. With a golf course wedding, there’s no need to travel because the ceremony and reception can take place at the same venue. Golf course venues make great choices for larger weddings, with ballrooms that can accommodate hundreds of guests for the reception. Hazeltine’s elegant ballroom has room for more than 350 of your family and friends and while parking probably may not be the most fun wedding detail to plan, it’s definitely something to consider. A golf course wedding will offer less parking hassles for guests, plus many venues offer valet parking to make getting in and out of the reception a breeze.
Photo by Chris and Kristy Photography
6. Host More than Just the Wedding
Hazeltine also can help with all your events surrounding the wedding. Golf course venues like Hazeltine would be happy to host and help plan your bridal showers, rehearsal dinners, and gift openings. It’s convenient because guests can become familiar with the same place. Plus, it’s downright impossible to get tired of the wonderful views, great food, and professional staff!
Photo by Janelle Elise Photography
