Of all the choices for a Bali wedding that you’ll be making, picking the right venue will probably be one of the hardest. It is something your guests will notice first and sets of the theme and feel of your big day. 

What makes it a challenge is because the venue is not located in your home country. So you’re only judging by its pictures on Instagram, on its website, and from mouth to mouth rumors. Although couples would generally fly to Bali a few months earlier before their wedding day to check on their shortlisted villas for the final verdict, some cannot do so for various reasons.

Here are some points you should consider when choosing a villa for your private wedding in Bali.

Location

The villa’s location is probably the first thing that comes into your mind when choosing the right wedding villa. Which kind of paradise do you want? The beachside? Beside the rice fields? Or in the lush green jungle?

Beachside Villa 

Beachside weddings let you immerse in Bali‘s natural ocean breeze in a wide-open space with the view of the world’s best sunset descending right in front of you. For this reason, the beachside wedding is by far the most popular in Bali. 

However, unless you come from a place where lovely beaches aren’t on the radar, there are a couple of things to consider when choosing the right beachside venue for your wedding.

The main spots such as Sanur, Canggu, Kuta, and Seminyak don’t exactly have crystal clear waters, and due to their popularity, the beaches are overcrowded with people, dogs, merchant sellers, and sadly, rubbish lying everywhere. Then, there’s the sand. The popular beachsides such as Sanur are often brownish-yellow colors to black in the further north.

By no means are we against beach weddings, as it is likely our first choice as well. We are just pointing out some things to consider. 

Weddings in Bali’s beachside villas will give you all the ambiance and view. With the soothing sound of crashing waves and the smell of the tropical air, and what better way to say I do than in front of the endless horizon view. 

Rice Paddy Villa

How about a villa wedding next to the rice fields? For you who are in for some iconic Bali feels, then this location might be for you. After all, while you’re getting married in Bali, why not include aspects that show you’re actually there?

Take note of the seasonal rice harvest, as different farmers might own each field. A field might be green and pretty while the other already harvested and dried up. Better confirm this with the villa manager as they’ll let you know which cycle the farmers are in. A wedding in the rice field also gives you the best photo results texturally and color-wise.

Jungle or Garden Villa

Jungle weddings are increasingly popular throughout these recent years as couples ask for overflowing greenery, like an emerald wonderland.

Decorating these are a real treat, and with the help of some proper lighting, the garden’s natural colors come to life and shine throughout the ceremony. Take into consideration that the jungle and garden venues may be a source of mosquitoes! And the worst thing that could happen is them swarming you and your guests, especially during the night. This is an easy fix as a request for fogging the night before should get rid of them for the following night. 

Villa preferences

Once you’ve made up your mind on the location of where you’ll be tying the knot, you still need to break down your ideal search for the perfect villa according to these three points.

Size

Find an ideal villa for your guest list’s size, which means don’t go looking out for the biggest villa you can find. Instead, go for a slightly smaller one. You don’t want your big day to look empty even when everyone has arrived. 

Sure, you can always fill in the empty spaces to prevent that from happening, but if you know there will be spaces to spare, then it’s not convenient. One more thing to make sure is the size of the pool. Will it take up half of the villa size? If it does, then it’s a big no. 

Layout

Once you seem like you’ve found the perfect villa, everything might seem perfect. From the rooms looking like Balinese royalty, the bathrooms look like a god’s bathing place, and the pool looking like a mini day club. You can picture it, and nothing will seem to go wrong.

Before you say yes to the villa, remember you are looking for a venue for your wedding. NOT a place you’ll be living in. Pinning down all the villa locations from around the island is a real challenge. Focus on the purpose of what you are searching for. Is there enough space for chairs and dining? Is it safe for those with children? Will there be an area big enough for the vendors to set up their services? 

Keep in mind that it’s going to be a place for your wedding, not a place for you to sleep in but will somehow fit in your wedding. 

Price

The affordability of your wedding will probably require the most planning. Most villas generally have a minimum night stay of 2-3 nights. Plus, the added event fee, which is usually equivalent to the night stay and a Banjar fee, is a kind of council fee for the neighborhood.

The event fee takes care of any incidents or damage that may occur and in case you need some maintenance job due to the number of people coming to the villa. 

The Banjar fee is paid to the local council to let the residents in the area know about your event and prevent any complaints happening due to the expected noise. They usually help with your site’s safety and clear the traffic to your wedding, making way for both your guests and vendors. 

It would be best to spend a quarter of your total budget on the villa with the rest spent on the wedding. This includes the bar, catering, furniture, and photography. You wouldn’t want to leave out anything you want! 

However, if you happen to find a villa that perfectly suits you but may cost more than a quarter of your total budget, then take it and check out what you can let go in other areas. When you seem to find the villa of your dreams, then some more straightforward lighting and cheaper snacks might be enough.  

All villas in Bali are beautiful in their own way. Remember that the most important thing is that both of you are happy, regardless of the wedding villa choice you make, and that everyone important to you is there to celebrate your love story.