One of the first decisions a bride should make while planning a wedding is where the reception will be held. You need to keep in mind the theme of your wedding, the location and your number of guests, not to mention your budget.

“The most important thing is how it relates to the feel of their wedding. A venue is an atmosphere. Make sure your vision for your wedding is reflected in the venue,” said Kyra Jacobsen, of White Willow Events.

Jacobsen said the location of the venue is just as important, if not more so, than its capacity. You do not want your guests to drive too far between the ceremony and the reception. You also want to make sure there is ample parking and that it’s easily accessible.

When choosing a venue, decide if you just want to serve a meal or if you want to include dancing as well. Depending on what you have planned, one room can fit either 100 people or 200 people.

There isn’t necessarily a reason to worry about whether you will be having a D.J. or a band, as they both take up about the same amount of room.

Two event venues available in Ames are Scheman Building at the Iowa State Center and the Hilton Garden Inn of Ames.

The Scheman Building is located right in the heart of Ames close to campus. They have three locations that hold anywhere from 150-300 guests.

Their event staff provides full services from the time they set up the tables to the time they take them down, and catering is available through ISU Dining Services.

“If I coordinate the event, I want it to go great for them so they have a good experience,” said Pat Dennis, Director of Event and Conference Services at Scheman.

Dennis said the even coordinators are there every step of the way, including the night of the event.

Some of the first things Dennis asks for is the date of the event in order to check availability and the number of guests in order to determine which location would be best. There is a $500 deposit, which is non-refundable but does get put toward the final bill.

Once the rental space is secured, the wedding party can start decorating as early as 8 a.m. and the event has to end by midnight. Time is allowed after the event to clean up and take any decorations the couple may want to save.

Another venue in Ames to hold a reception is the Grand Ballroom (2,240 square feet) at the Hilton Garden Inn of Ames, located just off Mortensen Drive and Highway 30 in West Ames.

They, too, have a $500 non-refundable deposit that is put toward the final bill. Services they provide include tables, linens, staff, catering services and table settings. The staff is in charge of setting everything up and taking it all down.