When planning a wedding almost everything can be optional, from having a donut bar instead of a cake, to ditching a dress and wearing a tux instead, but the one thing
you cannot skip out on is a venue! You have to have a place for your friends and family
to come together and celebrate your big day!
Although, finding the perfect venue to fit your needs and price range is not as easy as it
may seem. There is such a wide range of options to choose from, wether it be a
beautiful barn, a huge ballroom, or an elegant restaurant. I have come up with a few tips
for finding your dream venue for your special day.
Talk to your planner first
Before you even start looking at places you should always consult your planner.
Planners are more familiar with the space, dates, and layouts of most venues that you
may be looking into already. Your planner will be able to guide you and help you know if
the venue you are looking into will be able to accommodate to everything you need.
Pick an overall ‘look’ for your venue
Overall you are going to want your wedding day to give out a specific vibe to your
guests. For example, if you want a more small and intimate wedding with just family and
a few friends, you would not pick a huge elegant ballroom as your venue. On the flip
side if you are looking for an elegant and sophisticated venue, having it in your
backyard will not be the way to go. You have to use your vision as a beginning point for
choosing your venue.
Picking your style is a good place to start when choosing a venue. A few examples
would be a traditional wedding, where venues showcase history and legacy, with little
distraction. Traditional weddings are usually held in churches or country clubs. You
might have a more natural style, which gives off a more bohemian vibe, set up in the
outdoors. This could be a wedding on the beach, in a park, or a beautiful garden setting.
If you choose a rustic style you may pick your venue at a farm, barn, or winery.
Whatever style you choose will help narrow down your venue options.
Remember Your Budget
Many people do not realize that it will cost more than just renting the space itself. For
example, most venues that have in-house catering will charge a specific price per plate.
Also, floral and decor add extra costs when picking a venue out. You must keep in mind
how much your overall budget is, and how much your vision for designs will add on to
that overall budget. It is helpful if you break down your budget into categories, while
making certain vendors more of a priority then others. It is important to not have your
mind set on one specific venue. You need to make sure to ask the venue coordinator to breakdown all the costs of having a wedding there. This will help you have a summarized mental picture of if the venue fits your price range.
Think about your guests
Your guest list plays one of the biggest roles when choosing a final venue. This is
because the amount of people that can fit in the venue space determines if you are able
to book that venue. Any wedding that has more than 350 people will not be able to have
an intimate wedding at a church, because your guests might not be able to all fit inside.
Although, if they did fit they would be uncomfortable and miserable. Even though this
day is about YOU your guests being happy should be factored in as well. Plus you want
all your guests to be able to see the ceremony and for your wedding pictures to turn out
perfectly.
Once your guest list is set to a final number make sure you bring that with you when you
tour venues. It would save you time by calling the venue ahead of time to see how many
people they can accommodate before even going there for a tour.
Your guests comfort is very important to consider when picking out a venue. If it is an
outdoor wedding make sure there is shade or fans available, always make sure there is
a backup plan incase of bad weather, and make sure every guest is able to have a good
view of the ceremony. The ceremony is what they are there to see so make sure they
have a good view. Make sure to find a perfect in between of finding your dream venue,
while still accommodating to your guests.
Specific Things to Consider There are a few specific things you will need to keep in mind when touring new venues.
The first being catering, which some venues offer in-house catering, where they will give
you a testing to choose the menu. If you choose against the in-house catering make
sure to ask if they have any restrictions on foods and menus.
Next you need to consider the lighting in the venue you choose. You need to make sure
there is lighting for each spot you are going to have a stage the day of your wedding.
You want to make sure the pictures on your wedding day come out better then you
expected. I also suggest you ask the venue if they are able to provide or rent out lighting
equipment if needed.
Lastly, you should always ask about restrictions the venue has on specific things. These
restrictions are usually on specific vendors. Some places will not allow you to use any
vendor you want and will have a list you have to choose from. Venues will try and get
more money out of you by charging for vendors you choose that our not on their list. So
make sure to always ask about vendors for that specific venue.
Stay True to Your Vision
To sum everything up the most important thing to remember when choosing a venue is
to stay true to YOUR vision. Many couples will choose a venue that they loved from
pinterest, or from someone else's wedding. It is always a top priority to ask each other
what feels right for the both of you and what fits your style. Make sure to pick a space
that represents the two of you as a couple so it can be a special place to remember for
a lifetime. A venue might look beautiful and perfect online but it may not be the right fit
for you, Make sure to pick a venue that fits your vision and stay true to that.