Tips To Find The Perfect Wedding Venue | Melinda Anita Photography - Hudson Valley Wedding Photographer
Weddings are supposed to be the most special day of your life, as it embarks you onto a new journey; so naturally, choosing the right location to say the magical “I do’s” could tend to get a bit hectic and confusing. Finding the perfect venue isn’t easy, considering there is an ocean of options out there. Your venue has the ability to set your wedding’s tone, which is why it is important to do your research and know exactly what you want. Following these pre-planning tips will ensure that everything is set in place and ready to go for the remarkable day as you walk down the aisle.
1. Know your budget
The most crucial part of planning any sort of event is arranging the budget. It allows you to be mindful of where you can spend and where you need to take a step back. And when it's a wedding, there is a whole other heap of things to be considered apart from the venue, like the décor, catering, management, photographer, flowers, etcetera. This is certainly not the most exciting part but without it, you’ll tend to waste a lot more time. An easy start would be by breaking down your overall budget by category and slowly making your way from there.
2. Figure out your style and decide on a theme
Knowing your aesthetic and style is extremely important. There is an array of options out there, so going with a particular theme in your mind will save you a lot of time and efforts. Choosing a venue that fits and enhances your own style will allow you to feel more at ease and connected to the place.
3. Make a guestlist and know the venue’s capacity
The last thing you want is unintentionally inviting too many people and having them overflow your venue or forgetting to invite that one coworker you promised. Every venue has a maximum occupancy limit. Knowing how many guests you want at your wedding will also help you plan your budget more accordingly, as some costs are very dependent on the number of people you’re inviting. You can create an invite list online and manage every little detail like travel, seating, food, etc. to make sure there’s no last-minute headaches.
4. Check the availability
You’re not the only one who wants to get married in that luxurious banquet or that classy barn. The race is real out there. This is probably one of the few parts of the planning where you’ll need to be quick on your toes. Begin by shortlisting venues and visiting them to know about their available dates. Being flexible with the date is the key here since that way, you’ll have more options.
5. Location
One major thing to be considerate of is the accessibility of the venue. You’ll most likely be having guests coming from different states or even countries. Is the venue easy to locate? Will the guests have to take multiple flights or road trips to get there? Is the venue close enough to a hotel so that they can stay there? These are some of the practical questions you might want to ask yourself before locking down the venue, no matter how beautiful it may be.
6. Take a professional’s advice
A little professional advice never hurt anyone. If you find yourself all over the place, unable to choose amongst so many options, or just need a little help with something as simple as the table pieces, don’t hesitate to turn to a wedding planner. A professional will execute things in a very organized manner, and they may know your vision better than you do, so it’s a great investment.
7. Trust your heart
At the end of the day, you have to know who you are as a bride. A luxurious and an extravagant gala sounds marvelous, but is that what you really want? Maybe a small, private ceremony in the barnyard is what your heart tells you to go for. If it pops up in your dreams as your perfect picture wedding, that is it. Your wedding venue should represent who you are as a couple, no matter how big or small it may be.
Understanding all the terms and conditions and asking questions can lead to you feeling more confident and assured that you made the right choice, so don’t hesitate and ask as many questions as you need to. With a clear idea and some professional guidance, picking the right venue for your dream wedding should be a piece of cake. It’s important to know that this process is not an easy one and may take its own sweet time, so patience is the key here. At the end of the day, the venue is where you make some of the most special memories of your life with all those you love, so sit back and relax, and just remember to take it slow.