Choosing your venue is one of the most important wedding planning decisions you’ll make. Since it will set the tone for your wedding, you want it to be special and memorable – but you also want it to be affordable. Plus, once you lock in a location and date, everything just feels so real and official, so you want it to be right. Yes, it’s really happening, girl!
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But before you dash out to look at all the trendy wedding venues du jour, you need to know your budget – and you should also have an idea of the size of your guest list so you’ll know how much space you’ll need. You can use this free budget planning printable to help you decide on a budget to also choose how many guests to invite to the big day. Once you know those two things, ask yourself these questions:
When do you want to get married?
- Season
- Each season has its own special considerations, especially if you want an outdoor wedding. Think about such things as holidays and possible weather conditions when choosing a season. And you know what else? Some venues may charge less during their off-seasons (which usually means NOT in the summer), so keep an open mind! If you are thinking about an outdoor wedding in the warm season, check out this Rustic Outdoor Wedding Ceremony!
- Day of the Week
- Most weddings take place on Saturday nights – and so Saturdays are generally the most expensive day of the week to get married. If you’re not adamant about a Saturday wedding, think about a Friday night or even a Sunday afternoon wedding. Most likely it will be more budget friendly and will also open up more dates to choose from. And hey – everyone will think you’re super trendy!
Where do you want to get married?
- Do you want a local wedding or destination wedding? Tie the knot in your current city or where you grew up? A fairy tale castle in Scotland? A tropical beach? Having your wedding where you live is usually more convenient for you, your friends and coworkers, and if you’re lucky, your family. If you’ll be enlisting help from friends and family, having the wedding where the majority live will make it easier for them to help with wedding planning. And if your heart is set on a destination wedding? Be prepared to have a smaller guest list, since traveling may be cost-prohibitive for some of your guests.
- Do you want to have the ceremony and reception at the same place, or at separate locations? It’s much easier for your guests if you have both at the same place, but a single venue may not have all of the features you want for each event.
- Are you a city girl, a country girl, or a beach girl? If you want a venue that reflects your personality or lifestyle, think about locations accordingly. Possible venue choices include: hotels, country clubs, reception halls, barns, beaches, botanical gardens, lofts, restaurants, museums and vineyards, but really the possibilities are endless. Just use your imagination! This industrialized style wedding arch would be perfect for a modern style wedding theme. If you are planning a more barn style wedding you may want to use this Macrame Wedding Backdrop Curtain.
Once you’ve identified some venues you want to check out, make a list of questions to ask them. Of course you’ll have your own specific questions (like cost), but also ask:
- How many people can the venue comfortably hold?
- Is the venue all-inclusive (meaning it includes catering, wait staff, tables & chairs, etc.,) or will you need to rent everything from vendors?
- If it’s an outdoor venue, what is the contingency plan in the case of rain or severe weather?
Note: When you book a venue, you will probably be asked to put down a deposit that can range from 25-50%, so be prepared!
Now that there's eleven months until the big day, it’s time to decide on your color palette and theme and choose your wedding party. Still working on your guest list? Check out these tips.
Follow our Month-by-Month Wedding Planning Guide for more tips for every phase of your planning process. Feeling crafty? We’ve handpicked our favorite DIY wedding projects too! Also be sure to download these Free Printable Wedding Planning Worksheets to help with your planning.
Article written by: Heather Clark
