Picking the Venue

Where are you getting married? The million dollar question. After asking when the date is where you are getting married is the most asked question. I can remember the pressure of finding the perfect venue. It can be a nail bitter but you can do it!

I thought I would give a few tips that others gave me or I realized myself. These tips are here to help!

1. Write down what you want most. I knew that when I got married that I wanted to be married by a lake or body of water and wanted the reception under the stars. Knowing these things helped me cancel out other venues that didn't meet the criteria.

2. Consult your groom. I know. Most grooms don't care about the details of planning your wedding but still ask him his expectations. Most brides think this day is just about them but the grooms ideas are important too. When I talked to Rusty about what he wanted for our wedding day he told me he wanted to make sure everyone had a great time. Simple enough! Together we decided that our reception should entertain everyone while being comfortable and laid back.

3. Go visit them all. You never want to disregard a place until you visit it. Give each place a fair chance when it comes to picking your location. Trust me when I say you will pick the perfect place. If you are busy working, try having a bridesmaid or your mom visit the place and take photos. Make sure they know exactly what you are wanting. Make sure they have a list of expectations and are not afraid to ask questions. You do not want to cross a venue off your list without giving it a fair shot. No what ifs!

4. Remember your budget. This part is important. You can argue that you found a great place but once everything was said and done you would be over budget. How is that fair when finding the right venue? My words of advice: Do you really think picking a place that will put you way over budget is the right place? On your wedding day do you want to think about how much money you could have saved going somewhere else? Having a budget is crucial to your wedding day and your sanity.

5. Ask questions. Ask them! I have a hard time with this. Throughout wedding planning, my mom taught me how important asking questions can be. For example, she asked one potential venue (it was a resort) if we could get a discount if a certain number of guests stayed at the lodge. They told us they would cut our costs in half if we had 25+ people reserve a room. 25 people covered just my family! What a steal! Our venue went from $1,200 to $600. Holy cow! $600 is a lot when planning a wedding. Asking the right questions help!

6. Enjoy the process! This one is important! I stressed when it came to finding my venue. I mean was a worry wart. This never helps. I had narrowed my choices down to two amazing places. I really thought about the advantages of both and it clicked with me which one I wanted. Once we called to book the place, we got our date and started looking at the menu. Things just started falling in place. Picking the venue turned out to be the hardest thing for me. Remember to relax! As long as you know what you are looking for, everything will work out. I guarantee it!

If you have any tips or advice for brides on picking their location, email me @ lovebirdproduction@gmail.com or comment below! I would love to hear from you!