(Photography by: Dapper and Dame )
Hello Darling!
Finding the perfect wedding venue is a huge step in the wedding planning process. It can seem very daunting to figure out where you would like to have this incredible day take place. There are many things to consider and determine before you book your dream venue. So today, I am sharing a few helpful tips on how to find that perfect venue.
How To Find Your Perfect Venue Tips
- Set a budget– This is so important. Nowadays, venues are a wide range of prices. Going into your venue search with a price in mind is key. That way you know what venues to look at and which ones not to.
- Set a head count– Setting a tentative head count is important when looking at venues because you need to know if the venue itself will be able to hold all of your guests. Also, some venues have a capacity limit so it’s wise to set a number of guests as you search for your venue.
- Decide what look you are going for– Knowing the theme or look you and your significant other are desiring is extremely helping when looking for a venue. It helps with the process and elimination of the venues you want to look at and not look at. It also helps you decide which venues would be best for you. Stay true to the look you are wanting and it will make the decision much easier.
- Choose a few dates– Venues book up FAST! That being said, going into your venues search with a few dates in mind will help determine whether the venue is best for you. Having more than one date helps with odds of being able to book at your dream venue.
- Decide if you want the same or different location for the ceremony and reception– A lot of venues now have a place for your ceremony and reception. So deciding whether you would like the ceremony and reception together or separate is helping when searching for your venue.
- What experience would you like your guests to have– Knowing the experience you want your guests to have is super helpful. Asking yourself if the venue can achieve that is very important. When Hunter and I were searching for our wedding venue this was of huge importance to us. We had discussed what experience we wanted for our guests to have and it definitely helped us determine what venue was best for us.
- Research, Research, Research– The more you research before going to actually look at venues is VERY helpful. Hunter and I found that our search was so much easier because we already had an idea of what venues had what we were looking for, and fit with the dates we were looking at. Using WeddingWire will make this research process a breeze. They have an incredible venue search tool that allows you to see reviews, pricing and availability for 20,586 wedding venues. These tools were SO helpful to Hunter and I.
Questions to ask
As you go out and start to look at wedding venues these are some questions that are very important to ask.
- What requirements are there?
- What restrictions are there?
- When are payments due?
- Do I have to use in-house catering?
- What is included in the price?
- Does the venue own sound equipment?
- What are rehearsal times?
- How long will I have the space?
- What does parking look like?
I hope these tips and suggestions help you. Having gone through this process a few months ago Hunter and I learned so much. These are all things that we would recommend and personally that helped us. Remember to enjoy this process and season. It will fly by before you know it.
You are so loved!
XOXO,Tay
Thank you to WeddingWire for sponsoring this post
Great post! I will have to remember these things when I get married!
These are great tips and advice! I definitely followed the same rule when I was getting married and it helped finding the right venue!
http://www.rdsobsessions.com
Finding a venue is literally the toughest thing EVER. Such a great post!!
I got married last June and these are the exact questions I had! We booked our venue 2 years out because of the specific date I wanted but I couldn’t have picked a better venue for my wedding.
Setting a budget and sticking to it is the most important thing! And visiting all of the venues!
xo Jessica
http://www.whatsfordinneresq.com
That photo is stunning lady!
This is so exciting! The wedding shot is so beautiful! My husband and I just celebrated our 15 year anniversary~
Awesome tips indeed!
xo Debbie | http://www.tothineownstylebetrue.com
Love all these tips! Passing this along to my recently engaged friends!
-Tristan
So many good tips!
This is such a great post! From someone who just got married 6 months ago, I can say that finding the right venue for your style is so important, as it needs to be a reflection of your personality and life!
xo, Sara
Venue’s book up so fast, especially if you’re already under a year out! We lucked out on finding ours!
Birdie Shoots
Thank you for all the tips about finding a wedding venue. My fiance and I are going to get married soon and we need to find a venue. We never thought about asking what kind of restrictions that a venue has. That is a good idea to ask what we can and can’t do at the venue.
I like that you mention that you should have your budget set before you look for a venue. It’s easier to stick with a budget when you’ve already established it beforehand. It can be stressful trying to find the right venue, but the perfect venue can make a big difference on your special day.
I like the 6th Point which is “What would you like your guests to have?” . Thinking about the Guests is the real thing which should be our priority as well and a good looking venue is always liked by all.
My best friend is getting married this fall and as her Maid of Honor, I’m helping her out with a lot of things, including finding the venue for her reception. This article was so helpful, it made me aware of so many things I hadn’t thought of, like a head count or guest experience! I just hope we are early enough booking a venue, I had no idea they got snatched up so fast, we may have to have a few different options for the date, as the article says.