While every wedding-related decision plays a part in making sure that your big day becomes successful, some choices can make or break your special day. One of them is your venue. It sets your wedding’s tone; hence, careful planning and decision-making are absolutely imperative.
Once you have laid the groundwork, it is now easy for soon-to-be-married couples to move on to other equally important tasks to accomplish. So, to help you seamlessly navigate and enjoy the wedding planning stage, we have curated below a list of tips for you to be able to say “yes” to the one (your ideal wedding venue!) and finally put a ring on it.
1. Identify your priorities
Soon-to-be-married couples ought to sit down, carefully discuss, and jot down the things that are most important to them as they plan their wedding. What type of wedding do you want? Is it an intimate, private wedding or a large wedding in a banquet hall? What theme would you like to pull off for your wedding? What elements do you want to see as you walk down the aisle? Once you have identified your answers, start ranking the items on your checklist according to priority. For instance, if a wedding cake is not included in your top priority list, your budget for a wedding cake should not be more than your budget for an open bar if this is ranked higher on your priority list.
2. Assess your budget
Your wedding budget plays a crucial role in determining your overall wedding plan. Therefore, this should be thought about as you decide on the kind of wedding you’d like to achieve. After all, the last thing you would want to happen is to get your dream wedding venue but be left with just crumbs of money for other expenses such as wedding food, photography, and many more.
As you rank wedding specifics according to priority, try to also make a cost estimate of all your possible wedding expenses. When you try to scout for wedding venues or go on venue hopping, make sure to create a list of venue inclusions and see if they offer competitive deals. Does your target venue provide an in-house caterer? Does the venue already include the rental of tables and chairs?
Make sure not to select your venue first without identifying your budget and priorities. This may compromise the other aspects of your wedding.
3. Know your vision and styling preference
Another step in choosing the right wedding venue is to determine your target wedding theme. From there, look for venues that best fit your vision. If you would like to opt for a garden wedding, you do not have to spend time looking at hotel ballrooms especially if they don’t have green spaces. If you want a vintage style kind of wedding, look for spaces that have that vibes and with inclusions (like tables and chairs) that are easy to style to achieve vintage vibes.
Strategically search your preferred venues by already identifying the specifics. This way, you can filter the venue options where you can best set up your wedding style in mind. Make sure to also choose a venue that will not require a total decor overhaul as it may be costlier for you.
Your wedding theme will also influence your venue selection. For example, if you are planning a vintage-style wedding, you would not select a seaside wedding venue. A forest or garden wedding would be ideal for your vintage-style or a more relaxing wedding theme.
4. Prepare your guest list
Make sure to identify the specific number of people you want to invite before you plan other wedding specifics because this will also determine your spending and venue. Assess if you would like to only invite your closest family and friends or if you would like to invite more. Make sure to check also with your families if they intend to invite other people just to manage expectations and avoid having guests outside your list.
Venues have a maximum capacity. This is why preparing your guest list will save you from choosing and falling in love with a venue only to find out that you cannot have it because you have exceeded its maximum capacity. Make sure to pro actively create your guest list first before deciding on your venue.
5. Work with a wedding planner
After the engagement, couples usually enter another important life phase–wedding planning. Couples are challenged to create their wedding Pinterest board, find the right wedding attire, tour around to scout for the best wedding venue, and the list goes on. These tasks require a lot of time, energy, and effort. To make the most out of your pre-wedding time and avoid unnecessary stress, you may also want to enlist the help of a wedding planner. Planners, as their names indicate, can help you easily turn your vision into reality. They are highly familiar with local wedding venues and can provide strategic counsel on the pros and cons of each venue and other wedding specifics based on your priorities, budget, theme, and overall vision. They can truly provide you with a successful planning process roadmap.
The bottom line
To help you seamlessly navigate the wedding-planning phase and choose the perfect wedding venue, make sure to consider these five tips. Remember also to start early in terms of wedding planning and consider seeking a professional wedding planner’s help to make sure you turn your wedding vision into reality in the most cost-effective, optimized way.
Make sure you also have your final checklist prepared before you sign any wedding venue contract. After all, it's crucial that your target venue ticks all of the boxes.
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