Choosing the Right Wedding Venue

Choosing the right venue is one of the first and biggest decisions you'll make as an engaged couple. Taking a look at these three easy steps will help ensure you pick the perfect venue for your special day.

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Step One: Dream

Choosing the perfect venue starts with choosing the perfect look for your wedding day. Without an overall vision, it will be hard to decide where your wedding will take place. So the first place you want to start in finding the perfect venue is your daydreams. Do you dream of reciting your vows to your special someone inside or outside? Is it spacious or cozy? Elegant or charming? Do you have a particular time of year or date that you envision. Take your wedding daydreams and make note of the key details that make it your dream wedding. These key features are what you want to look for when choosing a venue that's perfect for you.

Step Two: Wake Up

Now that you have the vision, it's time to wake up and make it a reality. The next step in finding your perfect venue is establishing a budget. There are multiple apps and spreadsheets to aid in this but the first factor you need to decide is how many guests will attend. Falling in love with a venue that is too small for your guest list, will put you in a tough situation. Also, a lot of budget costs are dependent on the number of people you are inviting so narrowing this down early will help break down a workable budget and give you a guide in planning.

Step Three: Get Moving

You have a vision and a goal, it's time to get moving. This means finding venues near your area and contacting them. Since you have an overall vision of how you want your wedding day to look and a budget to work with, you can narrow down your search to those specifics. Start with basic parameters: Large and spacious, quaint and cozy, cool elegance, charmingly rustic. Are you looking for something in middle of the hustle and bustle of the city or something in the wide open countryside. Are you looking for a full service set up or somewhere you can bring in your own vendors and decor. After narrowing down the results, you can look through each venue's website or social media account and see how the space matches up to your vision and budget. Having key features to look for will also help narrow down your results. Don't be afraid to contact venues directly with questions. And set up a tour with your favorite choices. Scheduling a tour ensures not only that the space fits your vision, but also allows you face to face time to ask extra questions and fall in love with the place. Remember those daydreams? This is the time to let them shine.

The venue you choose for your big day will set the tone for your whole event. Choosing the right venue is the first step in making your dream wedding a reality so don't skip the details and give yourself plenty of time.