Published March 20, 2023
There is one thing you absolutely cannot skip: a venue. Almost
every aspect of a wedding is optional, from donning a suit instead
of a dress to skipping the flowers to skipping the wedding cake.
Even if you're having a small wedding, you still need a place for
your friends and family to congregate and celebrate.
WHAT IS A WEDDING VENUE;
Simply defined, your wedding venue is the location of your
ceremony. Other soon-to-be-weds choose two wedding venues, one for
the ceremony and another for the reception. Some venues host the
couple's wedding ceremony and reception simultaneously. It's
crucial to know what kind of space you require for your big day
and what possibilities are accessible to you because wedding
venues are not one-size-fits-all.
Finding the ideal location is difficult. Whether you're searching
for a gorgeous barn, an elegant ballroom, a warm restaurant, or a
peaceful stretch of beach, there are a ton of possibilities
available.
These essential pointers will enable you to cut through the
clutter of available venues and choose the ideal location for your
special day.
1. First, Speak With A Planner.
Certainly, consult a planner before looking at potential locations. Planners are far more knowledgeable about a space's possibilities, its layout, and the materials and time required to truly convert it. Your planner will be aware of any inventive ways to make it special or any peculiarities of the area that can make it challenging to realize your idea.
2. Establish a final budget and general location
The wedding venue you ultimately choose will be significantly
influenced by your wedding budget and the location of where you
wish to exchange vows. Selecting a wedding venue will go as
smoothly as possible if you know what you can afford and where to
concentrate your search.
While you don't need to know your precise wedding date before
hiring a venue, you should have a good idea of the time of year
you want to get married because a venue's availability will have a
significant impact on the day you choose. Several seasonal
locations, particularly outdoor wedding locations, can be
unavailable for your wedding during certain seasons.
3. Know who is coming.
Recognize the Different Styles of Venues and What's Included
Some wedding locations are all-inclusive; they serve as both a
ceremony and reception location and also offer rentals, cuisine,
and audiovisual equipment. On the other hand, some locations are
more empty, providing nothing but a blank canvas where you'll need
to provide many of your own rents and details (many outdoor venues
and beach wedding venues sometimes fall under this category).
4. Keep Your Budget in Mind
While locations with in-house catering (like hotels) will charge a
price-per-plate, the cost of using the space is not the only
factor to consider. Costs will also increase due to décor and
floral arrangements. Be aware of your overall spending limit and
the approximation of the cost to execute your design. You will
either need to reduce the magnitude of your design or hunt for
more reasonably priced venues if adding that to the cost of
renting the space blows your budget out of the water.
Organize your entire budget by category, allocate additional funds
to vendors who are more important. It can be difficult to keep
within your budget when you still have a dozen other people to
hire if you choose your venue first and later learn that it costs
more than you intended.
5. Consider What Is Included
Be sure to price everything out if you're looking at full-service
locations where you can bring in your own vendors and décor. Get
an estimate from a rental company to compare costs once the cost
of renting your own items has been factored in. "A venue with
tables, chairs, and linens included might cost more upfront than a
venue where you need to rent your own.
Also keep in mind that the rental materials that are already
included are frequently more basic (white linens, regular
flatware, banquet chairs, etc.), so you could still have to pay
more to hire items that are more in line with your vision.
Moreover, remember to factor in the tax and the tip in your
calculations if you're working with a venue that offers in-house
catering and has a food and beverage minimum. For instance,
Seattle's sales tax is 10%, so I advise my customers to increase
the food and beverage minimum by at least 30% to allow for tax and
a 20% tip.
6. Always be true to yourself
According to Costanti, a lot of couples select venues based on the aesthetic of a wedding they fell in love with online due to the proliferation of Pinterest weddings. But it's crucial to decide on a place and a design that are a reflection of who you are as a pair and to ask yourselves what feels real to you two. Moreover, keep in mind that while a location might have been stunning with a different theme or color scheme, it might not be the ideal setting for yours.
