The Venue That Felt Most Like Us

Sometimes the best venue is the one that already feels like home.

One of the first questions people asked after we got engaged was, “Where are you getting married?” When we told them it would be in my parents’ backyard, the response was almost always the same.

“Really?” Not because people didn’t love the idea, but because it wasn’t what they expected.

In a world of destination weddings, estates, and beautiful venues, choosing your childhood home feels a little unconventional. For us, though, it felt like the most obvious decision we made. My parents have lived in the same house for 30 years. It’s the home I grew up in—the one where every birthday was celebrated, every Christmas morning began, and where some of my favorite memories were made. Like any family home, it isn’t perfect. The hardwood floors are worn from years of life. The carpet has seen decades of kids, dogs, and celebrations. Inside one of the upstairs closets, my parents marked our height every birthday growing up, little pencil lines documenting another year gone by. It’s a house that’s been lived in, and that’s exactly what makes it so special.

When we started touring wedding venues, they were all beautiful. Gorgeous gardens, incredible ballrooms, sweeping views. But none of them gave us the feeling we get when we pull into my parents’ driveway. Home has a way of doing that.