How To Choose Your Wedding Venue

You’re engaged! Congratulations! Your wedding day will soon be here! It’s time to start all of the fun planning, which can be a daunting task if you don’t do it right! There are so many elements that go into putting a wedding together especially when you have a specific budget or vision in mind. One of the most important tasks is how to choose your wedding venue.

One of the first decisions that must be made besides your cake and photographer is choosing where you will say I do. Are you getting married in the spring, do you want to get married outside, do you want your ceremony in a church? These are all questions you and your fiancé need to discuss before deciding where your wedding and/or reception will take place. Selecting a venue also depends on your actual wedding date as well.

It can be overwhelming trying to choose a venue, but don’t let it be stressful! If hiring a wedding planner is in your budget, then it’s a good idea to talk to him or her since they most likely have worked at local venues in your area. They can tell you how many guests a venue will hold, if they have both indoor and outdoor locations on the property, and if they are all inclusive and provide linens and chairs in the rental price. Be flexible in your budget! You definitely want to set a certain amount on how much to spend on the venue, but have a cushion so if you end up spending more money, you won’t be shocked by the price.

If you need some help on how to choose a wedding venue, here are some helpful tips to guide you!

Stay Organized!

It is always a good idea to be organized! When I became engaged and began planning my wedding, I kept a “wedding notebook” that held all of my information on bakeries, dress ideas, the guest list, and venues. Start by making a spreadsheet of all your preferred venues based on your budget. Then as you research, fill in the different aspects of each venue narrowing down where you want to have your wedding.

Create an Extensive Search

Searching the internet for venues based on your interests. If you are getting married in another city other than where you currently live or are getting married locally, look extensively at venue websites. Most venues will list information about their property such as how many guests their space will accommodate, if you are required to bring in an outside caterer, or if you have to hire a valet to park cars.

Look at Everything!

See what is included in the cost of renting a venue. Sometimes all-inclusive places are the way to go. Hiring a caterer, buying alcohol if you are planning on having this for your guests, and renting tables and chairs can really escalate. Renting a venue that has all of this included is a good idea!

Keep Your Guests in Mind

Think about your guests! You want to make sure they can easily find your venue. It’s always a good idea to keep your ceremony and reception in close proximity to each other but keep in mind the wedding and reception do not have to be same. Unless you are in a very rural area, don’t have your wedding and your reception location 45 minutes from each other.

Ask All The Questions

After you have filled in your spreadsheet, begin calling venues to see if your date is available. Also, ask any questions not listed from a venue’s website. Once you have several venues from which to choose, make an appointment to go visit those places if possible. Getting married in another city will make this difficult, so try to glean every piece of information on the property you can if you are not able to visit the physical location. If you are really set on getting married and/or having your reception at a specific venue but they don’t have your day available, you may have to change your wedding date,

Planning a wedding is a lot of work! Keep these helpful tips in mind so you know how to choose a wedding venue. At the end of the day the most important thing to remember is that you will be married! If you are looking to hire a wedding photographer, I would love to talk with you! Be sure to visit my contact page so we can see if I have your date available.