THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS FOR WHICH WE’LL RECEIVE A COMMISSION IF YOU CHOOSE TO SHOP THROUGH THE LINKS. PLEASE READ OUR DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO.
Every bride wants to choose the perfect wedding venue, but there are so many different aspects to consider. These are 7 common mistakes that brides often make when choosing a wedding venue so that you will know what NOT to do when you are choosing a wedding venue.
Okay brides, let’s be real. A wedding venue can make or break your wedding. Selecting a wedding venue is such an important part of wedding planning! Your venue will determine just about everything else about your wedding – how many people you can invite, the style and colors of the wedding, and even the style of wedding dress that you can have. Your venue will be your hub for the entire wedding day, making it the most important decision that you can make when you are wedding planning. By sharing with you 7 common mistakes that brides make when choosing a wedding venue, I can help you make sure that you select the perfect wedding venue for your big day!
Related Content:
- Why Having a Hotel Wedding May Be Your Smartest Wedding Decision
- 7 Houston Wedding Venues You Won’t Find on The Knot!
Wedding Venue Tip #1: “I know I live in Dallas, but I really had my heart set on a beach wedding.” Don’t forget to find out what your area offers before deciding on a setting.
If you live in the middle of the city and want a wedding close to home, a beach wedding may not be an option. Just like if you live in an area like Houston, you may not be able to have your wedding in a coastal vineyard setting with rolling hills. Before you get your heart set on a certain type of wedding, research the wedding venues that are available in your area. If you genuinely don’t see anything that you like, or you have your heart set on something completely different and won’t budge, you may consider doing a destination wedding. One of your wedding venue considerations should also be your budget. Maybe a destination wedding isn’t a money friendly option. You can still find ways to incorporate aspects from the destination into your wedding that is close to home. Be sure to examine the venues around you and build a dream wedding around those, rather than imagining and hoping for something that is out of reach.
Related Content: 7 Things You Must Remember If You’re Having an Outdoor Wedding
Wedding Venue Tip #2: “We can squish everyone in.” – Don’t forget your guest count when selecting a wedding venue.
Before you even consider wedding venues, make a guest list. Estimate how many guests are attending your wedding before you even start trying choosing a wedding venue. You don’t want to fall in love with a wedding venue that can only hold 50 guests if you have a guest list of 200. Every venue has capacity limitations, so this should be one of your top wedding venue considerations. Also keep in mind that while they do have a maximum capacity that could hold all of your guests, that may not be a comfortable option. Many of those capacities are for standing room only. If you have tables, chairs, and dancing, that will significantly cut down the number of attendees that you can have at this venue. When you are selecting a wedding venue, go with one that will have plenty of room for you and all of your guests to be comfortable on your wedding day.
Related Content: 7 Tips for Throwing an Awesome Wedding Reception
Wedding Venue Tip #3: “What do you mean I can’t have hot pink and leopard as my colors!” – Don’t forget to consider the venue’s aesthetics.
I cannot stress this point enough. Spaces usually come with a design aesthetic–in other words, they are not blank slates. If you choose a venue that has a distinct design aesthetic, make sure to choose a color palette and overall styling concept that coordinates with that design aesthetic. So, if you’ve chosen a ballroom with warm tones such as deep brown and creams, neon pink and black would probably not be the best color choices. If you are set on having neon pink and black in the wedding, choose a venue that will accommodate those colors.
Related Content: How to Save on Your Wedding Budget without Sacrificing Your Vision
Wedding Venue Tip #4: “What’s the difference between ‘merlot’ and ‘burgundy’? Isn’t it all just red?” Don’t forget to consider if you want to plan every detail or if you want the venue to do most of the work.
If you are the kind of bride who does not want to be bothered with the minor details like color differences, centerpieces, place settings, etc., you may want to go with an all-inclusive venue. These venues have relationships with pre-selected vendors for a variety of wedding elements (i.e., linens, centerpieces, floral, music, catering, cakes, etc.). They then offer these services to the wedding couple in a package for an all-inclusive price. With an all-inclusive venue, other than things like your photographer, clothing, and stationery, you won’t have to do much decision making at all! On the other hand, if you are someone who loves planning, doing DIY projects, and decorating, you may want to choose a venue that will give you free reign over the decorating and set up. This is a good option if you want to show more of your personality on your wedding day. These are all things to consider when you are choosing a wedding venue.
Wedding Venue Tip #5: “So running water isn’t included in the venue price?” – Don’t get caught by venue exclusions
When you are choosing a wedding venue, you want to make sure to ask ALL of the questions. Make sure that you are reading the fine print. You will also want to go onto websites (other than the venues website) and read reviews from other brides. There are things that some venues exclude that could be real “budget busters”. You also want to be aware of how you are being charged. Some venues charge by the head. If so, ask what all the includes. Is it just dinner? Are drinks included? What about appetizers? Do you need to rent a dance floor? What about parking? What happens if you need additional chairs? Find out from the venue every single thing that you will have to pay for before signing a contract and committing to that location for your wedding day.
Related Content: 7 Most Dangerous Planning Mistakes Couples on a Budget Make
Wedding Venue Tip #6: “The early bird really does get the worm.” Don’t wait until the last minute! Starting early is key to getting your perfect wedding venue
Did you know that popular wedding venues can book up to a year and one half to two years in advance? So don’t drag your feet when you are choosing a wedding venue! Once you have a few dates in mind, go ahead and start looking for venues. Like I said earlier, every decision that you make in the wedding planning process revolves around your venue, so you will want choosing your venue to be one of the very first things that you do.
Wedding Venue Tip #7: “You want to have your wedding where?!” Don’t be afraid to get creative when choosing your wedding venue.
Finally, think outside of the box when considering wedding venues. Weddings can be held almost anywhere, so don’t limit yourself to the list of venues that appears in your Google search. Maybe you know someone who has a lot of land where you can have your outdoor wedding. Museums, historical places of interest, parks, art galleries, restaurants, and even parking garages have all provided beautiful backdrops for weddings. If you’re running into a wall with the venue choices in your area, remember to think creatively and you’ll be surprised at what you can come up with. Think of the most beautiful, or even just fun, places in your area and consider the possibility of one of those places becoming a wedding venue.
Be sure to check out our great selection of wedding venues housed in our vendor directory. These venues have all been hand-selected by my team and will provide a great starting point in your venue search. Happy Planning!
