How to Find the Perfect Wedding Venue!
How do you know if you found the perfect wedding venue?! With so many unique and different venue options out there it can be hard to make a decision. The search can leave you feeling indecisive sometimes because of many different factors and thoughts running through your mind. Now, maybe you are the lucky ones that already have your heart set on a venue so, you do not have any worries in the world! But, for those who don’t and are without a wedding planner guiding you through the venue search it can make decision making difficult!
The Ocean House – Westerly, Rhode Island
I’m sharing some advice on how to figure out if a wedding venue is the right fit for you and your wedding. As a wedding planner, I have my clients fill out a very detailed questionnaire. I am able to pull information from them that guides me into a proper venue search.
Let’s start from the beginning before you even begin inquiring with any venues – You need to ask yourself the three W’s:
Where – location
What – is your aesthetic, style, vibe of your wedding
When – time of year
Then you need to figure out the two C’s:
Capacity – total invited guest count
Cost – your wedding budget
Zac Wolf Photography – Handsome Hollow – Catskills, New York
The venue can be one of the first things booked for your wedding (other than a wedding planner) and it sets the tone for the whole aesthetic and costs of your celebration. You need to ensure you are only visiting spaces that not only fit your vibe but your guest count and budget! I recommend not spending more than 10%-15% of your wedding budget on a venue. You also need to ensure you have all the information upfront as some venues are just blank spaces and you may have to be financially prepared to bring in all the tables, chairs, flatware, glassware, plates, bars, kitchen equipment, lighting and more. Many times couples forget ALL that has to go into a wedding: photography, flowers, cake, design details, stationery both invitation and day-of, hair/make-up and more. If you spend a majority of your budget on a space you will ultimately have to sacrifice somewhere else.
Then comes the checklist – I suggest a checklist of must-haves you want in a venue! An example of a checklist: it must have an amazing indoor plan b option, not an outdoor wedding, must be a museum, must have lots of natural light or it definitely can not have carpet!!! I know, I know – everyone HATES the carpet! I tell my clients this – just like purchasing a new home you have a must-have list. The perfect home might not necessarily have every single item checked off because that is just life and life is not perfect! Just like a home you might not check off everything on your venue must-haves. However, you might get very close – so keep track and then weigh the pros and cons to each venue in the end!
Don’t over research – you will drive yourself crazy with the amount of venues you come up with trying to narrow down the list! Sometimes too many options can cause indecisiveness. I recommend researching and contacting about 10-12 venues because not all of those venues may be available or in your budget! You will want to narrow it down to about 3-5 top contenders that you want to schedule site visits with.
Bring on your visit a list of questions and your check-list. Don’t forget to take notes and lots of videos/pictures! If you have done all the above you should get a good feeling when walking through a venue. You will know if it is “the one.” You know why?! It is because you were prepared! You inquired with spaces that fits your aesthetic, you visited only the spaces that fit your guest count and you wrote down all of your needs for a space! Remember, you should only be seeing spaces that are within budget or are in a close range to it!
Anne Lee Photography – Linden Place – Bristol, Rhode Island
Making a decision should become more clear especially after a walkthrough. Sometimes what you see in the pictures might not be what you actually thought you wanted.
Lastly, remember that this is your day! You should focus mainly on the both of you and your needs. Take the many other opinions with a grain of salt because we all know that you are hearing it from a lot of different family members and friends! I always say, everyone has a different idea and opinion of what a wedding should and should not be. At the end of the day this is a celebration of the both of you. Your wedding should be a direct reflection of that!