Hendrick Moy Photography
As I’m sure you’ve undoubtedly realized even before reaching this post, there are literally hundreds of thousands of wedding venues strewn across the US. It may be a bit stressful to choose the perfect one that fits your desired locale, timing, budget, and, most importantly, your vibe and style. Your potential wedding venue can affect every aspect of your big day, so you should take your time. With some apt planning and consideration, you can find the perfect location for everything you want in a venue.
Before you get too overwhelmed while choosing the perfect wedding venue of your dreams, here are some tips for making the right choice through this potentially frustrating process.
What Are the Important Factors While Choosing a Venue?
When deciding on a wedding venue that aligns with your vision and won’t break the bank, several essential factors come into consideration –
Budget:
The budget is the most obvious leading factor when choosing a venue. Setting up a budget first will help you determine how much you can allocate for the venue accordingly.
Before making a budget for the venue, here’s something that you need to keep in mind. Expenses will vary at different venues. Some venues may already include significant wedding services in their overall pricing offer, while others may charge extra and call them “add-ons”, nickeling and diming you for the same services.
While these expenses can quickly mount up if you have to rent tables, chairs, a dance floor, lighting, and other elements (particularly with tented weddings at rented spaces), the cost may still be less than more popular/posh venues that include those items. A wedding planner would definitely help in determining which would best fit your needs, but we’ll talk about that a little later.
Availability:
Whether your wedding date is flexible or must occur on a specific date (perhaps your anniversary or other sentimental reasons), you should always seek to book your venue as soon as possible. Also, keep in mind the time of the year your venue is best utilized. As wedding venues get booked frequently during the seasons they look best (think- beach wedding venues in the summer, or garden venues in the spring, etc.), the early bride gets the worm. Or something…
Technically, the wedding season spans from late spring through the beginning of autumn. According to a 2021 study, 80% of all weddings took place between May to October, more specifically, June (13%), August (13%), and October (22%), which are considered the most popular wedding months. To ensure availability, it would be wise to reserve your wedding venue 9-12 months in advance if you’re aiming for those popular dates.
Lately, however, many couples are being a bit less picky and are happy to get married during the off-season or on weekdays to save some money in order to nab their favorite venues despite a little cooler weather outside or to simply get married faster. I saw this mostly in post-pandemic, and it seems to be sticking.
If you’re able to be flexible with your date, trying for an off-season or weekday wedding can result in MUCH lower pricing, which can save you money for higher-quality wedding expenses elsewhere!
Maximum Capacity:
You’re likely already thinking of your guest list. Just ensure that the space will be the appropriate size for the wedding reception. Having a huge space may seem great at first for a smaller wedding, but too large a room will feel a bit hollow and uninviting. On the other hand, of course, having too small a room will crowd quickly, and guests may end up bumping elbows at the dinner tables and the dance floors (not always a bad thing for the latter, though, hah). As an aside, also keep in mind that, 95% of the time, not all of the guests you invite will be attending your wedding unless it’s a very small intimate one.
Indoor and Outdoor Options:
As you well know, the weather can be unpredictable. If you are planning an outdoor venue, it will be well worth asking if there are indoor options as a plan B in the case of inclement weather, especially if you’re planning a winter wedding or an early spring wedding. Just bear in mind, and make sure it’s an option you’re okay with, should things go wayward.
PROTIP- It’s VERY important to also make sure you hire a photographer/videographer team that’s able to produce work you’ll love should these conditions arise as well! Before booking with them, just remember to ask how they prepare for these situations or examples of their work during these situations, so it’s one less thing to stress about on the big day.
Privacy Policy:
How private is “private”, for your wedding? Some wedding venues (especially in NJ) are what some of us vendors in the industry call “wedding factories,” which host upwards of 4-6 weddings/events simultaneously in the same facility.
While their staff are taught to do their best at making sure couples don’t see each other on the day of (complete with Mission-Impossible-style headsets), things can still get a little crazy. Just keep that in mind, and ensure your chosen venue is personal and private enough for your personal threshold.
You can also ask the venues during your site visit how large a portion of the venue you’ll have access to (remember to ask about using the shared “photo spots” as well) or how distant the other groups will be from yours. Some local municipalities also limit the sound level after a certain time too, so you also may have limits to the end time of your reception as well.
If It Matches Your Wedding Theme:
Most couples fall in love with the aesthetics of locations, but that’s only a portion of what makes a wedding venue great; Remember, it should also match your wedding theme as well, so you don’t wind up with a Gatsby wedding at a rustic barn (though, that offbeat quality may make for some cool photos too, haha).
7 Tips for Choosing the Perfect Wedding Venue
1. Identify a General Location & Budget
Sites like Pinterest are amazing for drawing inspiration for your wedding! If you have unlimited funds. Most folks have a budget to consider, however. Knowing how much you can afford and where your priorities are, will make the process of choosing the perfect wedding venue easier. Here are a few things you should keep in mind when trying to find the venue for your big day-
- Consider the location and the parking/travel costs (for yourselves and guests) that may be associated with choosing your venue in that location.
- Compare prices and see how different locations stack up in terms of cost and the amenities included with each venue.
- Make sure the locations aren’t too difficult to find, and if they are, just send good directions if Google/Apple Maps or Waze aren’t enough for out-of-town guests and friends.
2. Consult a Wedding Planner or Hire One
Many wedding venues will provide you with a great experience and allow your guests to connect/reconnect with each other easily. But for the very best one that will perfectly suit your needs, who can give you better suggestions than a professional wedding planner?
The best wedding planners know the ins and outs of the industry and the options in the areas which they serve. The most important aspect of working with a wedding planner is determining the priorities for your event. Fully immersed in the industry, they are extremely familiar with the capabilities of the room, the layout, and the time and items you’ll need to transform the area into the designed space of your dreams.
They also tend to have built great relationships with other vendors they can recommend for you, so it would be a fantastic idea to consult a wedding planner for your day if it’s within your budget!
3. Discover What’s Included in Various Types of Venues
There are various options to consider within wedding venues, depending on your needs. Outdoor public spaces may limit a certain number of chairs and tables, while an indoor venue may have different lighting requirements. In addition, some venues may include on-site catering or a preferred vendor list (keep in mind, these are sometimes “pay-to-play,” and those vendors give the venues a cut when you choose them), while others may allow you to bring your own caterer.
So, make sure to ask about all of these details when visiting potential venues, and compare the costs and services offered to make the best decision for your wedding.
4. Consider What Is Included in the Package
While choosing a wedding venue, it’s essential to consider what’s included in the package. Most wedding venues offer all-inclusive packages that include the cost of renting the venue, tables, chairs, lighting, audio equipment, and an on-site wedding coordinator (not an official planner prioritizing your needs), with upgrades coming at an additional cost. However, some venues may require you to handle these tasks on your own. Just verify that the facility can accommodate all your guests and inquire about additional fees, such as parking and cleaning as well.
5. Determine Your Guest List
At the risk of sounding obvious, determine the number of guests you intend to invite, as this will help you determine the size of the venue and room you’ll need. Ensure that the location has sufficient space to accommodate your guests/dance floor properly.
6. Tour Potential Venues
There are numerous types when choosing a venue for your wedding, depending on what you’re looking for. Outdoor venues, such as gardens or beaches, offer a natural backdrop for a beautiful event. Historic venues offer a unique and elegant atmosphere; hotel ballrooms and country clubs offer a classic and upscale option to reflect your wedding’s vibe and style.
While Google images go a long way in finding the perfect one to suit your needs, they don’t always reflect true-to-life size and color (spoken by an actual photographer). Touring potential venues is the best way to make an informed decision based on your style and vibe.
7. Ensure It Has Backup Options
Planning a wedding is difficult, but predicting the weather is impossible. So, when choosing the venue, confirm that the venue has backup options you’re fine with to execute a rain/snow plan successfully, so lousy weather doesn’t spoil the party!
Wrapping Up
Though you may have to go through the time-consuming process of choosing the perfect wedding venue, by considering these tips, you can find one that fits your budget, guest list, and style.
Last but not least, don’t forget to hire a professional wedding photographer to make sure the special day will be remembered fondly for the rest of your life! Perhaps I’m a bit biased, but finding the best wedding photographer is definitely more fun than finding a venue!
If you’re so inclined, Contact Us to check out our work, and let us relieve you of one less stressful thing to worry about during your day!
FAQs (TLDR)
Q. What Is the Most Important Factor While Selecting a Wedding Venue?
Striking a balance between your preferences and budget is the most important factor when choosing the perfect wedding venue. Other essential factors to consider include location and accessibility as well.
Q. What Are the Things to Consider In Selecting a Venue?
When selecting a venue, some things to consider include –
- Location and accessibility
- Size and capacity
- Amenities and services offered
- Flexibility and adaptability
- Cost and budget
- Availability and booking policies
- Personal preference and compatibility with the event or occasion
