Researching and selecting a venue for your wedding can be a time-consuming and stressful process. The experience you have at a venue can make or break your wedding day experience, not only as a couple but for your wedding guests as well. Once you select the wedding venue that best fits the vision for your special day, then you can spend time on your wedding planning checklist. Once you have your list organized, you can then spend more time planning with your vendors providing your floral arrangements, musical selections, and photography.
Each type of wedding venue has unique aspects that can make your wedding day one to remember forever. To ensure that you're choosing the right setting for you and your partner, here are the tips on what to look out for when searching for a suitable wedding venue for your special day!
Starting Financial Planning
Before you get into finding the venue that’s right for you, you must start with a budget and some financial planning, based on some initial vision brainstorming for your big day.
First, you can choose a few days for your wedding day based on a customized timeline for getting married within the upcoming months or the following year. Be aware that popular dates or times of year may result in higher prices from wedding vendors or fewer available businesses to hire until the next wedding season.
After finding a few days in the calendar year that might work for your schedule, start deciding on your wedding guest list before getting deeper into any venue research. Once you have an estimate of how many people you plan to invite, contact specialists in the bridal market for more information on pricing based on the expected number of guests.
If you and your partner are planning on paying for most of the event yourself, there are many options when it comes to financially supporting this big day. A few different options are charging expenses to credit cards or dipping into your savings, applying for a personal loan or getting support from your parents or family members. Some couples even research a personal line of credit to see if it might make sense for their situation.
As a reminder, micro-weddings, weekday weddings, or fall/winter weddings can cost less and help you have more money for future financial plans as a newlywed couple if this is something you’re interested in exploring.
Choosing and Designing Your Wedding Venue
Now that you’ve done some preliminary work on what your options might be based on your budget, timeline, and available vendors, it's time to think about what you want the look and feel of the venue to be.
Keeping it Simple
A simple venue can be good for couples that favor simplicity in their wedding designs. If you’re interested in a simple courthouse wedding, it might be a good idea to schedule an early appointment for the courthouse in advance to not miss out on your wedding date. For a religious venue, talk ahead of time to a religious institution or official in your life that can act as the officiant of your wedding.
If this is the path you choose, be aware that sometimes simple venues can have limitations in terms of the dining, reception, and decor experiences that have become a major part of modern weddings today. If this is something you’re running into, try to DIY some decorations or activities for the big day or spread out some fun pre-wedding activities to add to the fun!
Staying Indoors
Finding a place to say “I do” can be a stressful experience if you don’t know where to start. If you’re interested in an indoor venue for your wedding, consider looking at interior dining spaces at hotels, resorts, villas, or even private residences.
Read social media reviews on indoor venues to see what other couples' experiences were for these same venues. Pay attention when visiting venues in person to check how the wedding service will look, and ask questions early on about any restrictions that come with booking the location. Some venues have restrictions on the options of guests, vendors, cuisines, music selections, or decorations that are pre-approved to use.
However, if you’re interested in taking this route, you’ll be happy to hear that indoor venues offer protection from the wind, rain, snow, or storm. So while we all know that no one can control the weather, at least with an indoor venue you can avoid any added stress Mother Nature might try to bring your way.
Let’s Move this Party Outdoors
If you're planning a wedding for early Spring to early Fall, chances are you can count on decent weather to lend to your outdoor venue.
While getting together with your wedding planner to select decor for your tables, entryway, aisles, and entertainment areas of your wedding, the look and feel of your venue will still be a big focus, even when it’s hosted outdoors. An outdoor venue immediately gives your wedding photographer the best design and decor from nature’s sky for your wedding photos. So when you’re touring the space, keep an eye out for your favorite spots to capture candid photos on the day of the event.
Locations such as outside of your local or regional landmark building, seaside/lakeside, park, or private garden can all be more casual outdoor venues to consider, as well. With so many outdoor wedding venues to select from, the assistance of a wedding location guide can help you narrow down a final choice. Remember to discuss the policies of the space with representatives of your selected outdoor venue. You might want to ask questions regarding noise restrictions, parking, or walking conditions for guests to avoid any unwanted obstacles to celebrating your wedding day.
Wedding venues can be large, small, indoors, or outdoors. When choosing the right wedding venue work to find the most comfortable spot to celebrate your love and bond as a married couple in front of your family, friends, and the world! Whether it’s indoors, outdoors, simple, or flashy you are bound to find the right place for your special day!
For local venue ideas, check out our sister site www.santabarbaravenues.com