The Ultimate Guide to Finding Your Wedding Venue

Image by Alla Luna Photography. Keep scrolling for suggestions and concepts to finding your dream wedding venue.

Selecting your wedding venue is one in every of the primary major decisions you’ll make within the wedding planning process. Nothing sets the tone or affects more features of your celebration—from the decor to the apparel—than finding the proper venue. That’s why it’s necessary to be prepared, do your research, and ask all of the right questions.

But finding the perfect venue isn’t easy, and there are lots of options to pick from. Where do you even begin, and the way do you select which one is correct for you? To assist make your search process as easy as possible, we’ve put together this wedding venue guide and a checklist you possibly can bring to each site visit.

Image by Jim Lee Vision. See more of this real wedding here.

Suggestions And Ideas For Finding Your Dream Wedding Venue

Start With A Vision For Your Day

Do you wish a contemporary, industrial feel or a country, laid-back vibe? Plenty of greenery? Outdoors or indoors? Making a mood board helps you visualize what your wedding would seem like. Once created, hunt down venues that complement the aesthetic and feel you have got in mind. Selecting an area that’s cohesive together with your theme will make your celebration feel more connected to the space.

Think About A Date

The earlier you begin, the more likely you’ll get your first-choice venue and vendors. So that you’ll need to kick off your search as early as possible. You’ll be able to pick a date first and find an available venue, or find your dream venue and select a marriage date based on availability. Either way works, but being flexible gives you more options.

Create Your Guestlist

Before venues, it’s best to know a rough estimate of the variety of guests you fully intend to ask. So have that discussion early on together with your partner to see what you’re working with. This helps you avoid possible issues down the road, like falling in love with a location that’s too small to your guest list.

Set A Realistic Budget And Stick To It

Knowing your total budget can provide help to determine the utmost you possibly can spend on a venue. If the venue is at the highest of your budget, you’ll should be prepared to cut back in other areas–akin to rentals and florals–or take a look at potentially hosting your big day at a lower-priced venue. In the event you select your venue first and know it’s too expensive, it’ll be hard to remain inside budget while you still must hire the remainder of your vendor team.

Consider The Guest Experience

What is going to the guests’ experience be like from the moment they arrive until the moment they leave at the tip of the night? Consider every aspect that may make attending your wedding as a guest enjoyable and seamless. You must also consider how accessible your venue is. Is it nearby, or does it require some traveling? Will out-of-town guests have the ability to follow the directions with ease? It’s necessary to make sure your guests can get to and from the venue with out a hitch–even when meaning potentially hiring transportation to a close-by hotel where you’ve arrange a room block.

Narrow Down The Search Through Google And Social Media

Luckily, we live in a digital age where finding venues online is so simple as a click of a button. Use Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for real wedding coverage and inspiration. Are your potential venues on YouTube? Wedding and special event videos are higher than stills when you possibly can’t tour the venue. And lastly, read reviews from couples to provide you deeper insight into the extent of service provided by each venue and offer you extra confidence as you chop down your decision.

Seek the advice of With Your Wedding Planner

Refer to your wedding planner before you begin booking site tours. Local planners typically know the venues’ capability, features, and rules. And if there’s a quirk that might make your vision difficult to realize, your planner will know beforehand, so that you’re not wasting any time.

Stay True To Your Vision

Many couples select venues based on a marriage style they like online, however it’s necessary to ask yourselves what feels authentic to you two as a pair and pick an area and design that represents who you might be. Keep in mind that a venue that appears great with a distinct theme or design scheme is probably not the right canvas for yours.

Go With Your Gut

We’re firm believers in trusting your intuition, identical to you probably did while you found your person. If a venue checks all of the necessary boxes and provides you those warm fuzzy feels, it’s the one for you.

Image by Maggie Grace Photography. See more of this real wedding here.

Unconventional Wedding Venue Ideas

National Park

Looking for a standard wedding venue just doesn’t work for some couples–and that’s okay. In the event you’re trying to find venues with an epic backdrop otherwise you’re curious about making your guests hike with you before exchanging vows, a national park is a really perfect destination.

Image by Emett Joseph. See more of this national park micro wedding here.

Backyard

In case your childhood home or a friend’s property has manicured gardens and luxurious landscaping, you don’t need to look very far for the right wedding venue. A backyard wedding is good for couples who need a uniquely sentimental feel, like to be outdoors, or want their dream wedding on a budget. You’ll have fewer venue fees, which suggests more funds to go big on rentals and decor.

Image by Carmelisse Photography. See more of this garden wedding here.

Restaurant Or Bar

One other more intimate venue is your favorite restaurant or bar. If a very powerful thing to you is gathering together with your family members for a meal and good conversation, a restaurant wedding could also be for you. Check together with your favorite spots around town to see in the event that they have a backroom you possibly can rent out. Bonus if there’s a fairly patio for the reception.

Image by Epic Love Story. See more of this restaurant wedding here.

Airbnb

In the event you’re having a micro wedding or small elopement, an Airbnb wedding is usually a unique and fun concept that also allows some guests to remain on the property with you. Airbnb does have strict rules on events, so it’s necessary to vocalize your vision with the host ahead of time to be sure that they’re comfortable with it and also you’re not breaking any rules. Airbnb’s also make for nice “preparing spaces,” even in case you select a more traditional venue.

Image by Sadi Brooke. See more of this Airbnb wedding here.

The Ultimate Wedding Venue Checklist

The proper wedding venue is greater than just the aesthetics. There are all types of necessary details you’ll must maintain before signing on the dotted line. We’ve got all the questions it’s best to ask below, but in case you prefer to bring it with you, download or pin this checklist for quick access.

The Basics

You’ll be able to ask these over the phone to rule out venues before making the trek to go to.

Is the date we’re considering available? If not, what are other dates available in that month?
How far prematurely can I reserve my date? Do you have got wait lists?
Do you have got seasonal or off-day discounted rates?
Is the venue large enough for our guest count?

Pricing

What’s the venue pricing?
How much is the deposit to order our date? Is it refundable?
What’s the payment schedule? Are there any late fees? Can we pay all of it up-front?
Does the full payment include sales tax, service charges, gratuity, and cleansing fees? If not, what are the additional costs we should always plan for?
What’s the cancellation policy?

Wedding Venue Amenities

Are there “preparing” rooms onsite, or will you have got to order one other location for that?
Does any additional use include reserving the venue? For instance, hosting the rehearsal dinner on the venue or a bridal photoshoot
Is there any onsite lodging for us or our guests?
Are any shuttle services available to move guests from their hotels to our venue? In that case, what are the popular hotels?
Is there a powerful cell signal on the venue? If not, are there ways for guests to call Uber, Lyft, or other ride-sharing services?
Where will gifts be stored in the course of the event? Is there anyone to assist load gifts into vehicles post-event?

Vendors

Who will likely be our point of contact on the day of the marriage and planning beforehand? Would they be available to fulfill us in person?
Are there any in-house vendors available to us? Are they included within the venue pricing? If not, what are the extra fees?
Can I hire my very own vendors? In that case, are there any fees involved in using outside vendors?
Are outside vendors required to have separate insurance policies to work on the venue? Does the venue have liability insurance?
Does the venue include any rentals (i.e., tables, linens, chairs, glassware, etc.)?
When can vendors or relations start to reach for set-up on the marriage day?
Will our vendors be chargeable for breaking down the decor post-event, or do you have got staff available for that? If our vendors are chargeable for break down, what time do they need to be out by?

Food And Beverage

Do you have got in-house catering? In that case, is it included within the charter fee?
Can we do a tasting before the event?
Is there a food and beverage minimum?
What’s the alcohol policy? Is liquor allowed to be served?
Can we bring our own alcohol? In that case, are there corkage or service fees?

Special Considerations

If the ceremony site is outdoors, is there a backup plan in case of rain? Does the venue have photos of this that you would view?
Does the ceremony allow for multiple ceremony configurations within the event of harsh light shining directly on you in the course of the ceremony?
Is there AC equipment onsite for a DJ or live band to plug into?
What are the lighting options for the reception?
Are open-flame candles/sparklers / confetti, etc., allowed?

Policies And Logistics

What security services are required by the venue? If we have now to offer our own security, what number of peace officers will we’d like per guest?
We wish our baby (read: dog) to attend our wedding, are pets allowed?
Do you have got a recycling policy?
Are children allowed on the venue? In that case, are their baby-changing areas or spaces for nursing moms?
Is your venue handicap accessible?
What are the parking options available?
What number of bathrooms do you have got?

Whether you and your partner dream of a sunrise cliffside ceremony or a beach reception underneath the celebrities, picking the perfect venue that aligns together with your vision should never be rushed. We all know this list can seem daunting, but remember this: take your time. Trust the process, have a good time, and the remainder will fall into place.