Choosing a wedding venue is HARD. So far it has been the hardest task in the wedding planning process.
Where you have your wedding is a big deal! It sets the tone and atmosphere for your wedding day. It is also really expensive! Sometimes I felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman when she is shopping at the fancy stores- LOL. I am an over-planner so I created an excel file with information about each venue on it included the rental cost, what it included, service fees, and catering prices. This allowed us to logically see what the best options for us would be.
Here are a few tips that I hope will help you find your dream wedding venue:
1.Think about your Aesthetic- So this one might seem obvious but you cannot narrow down a venue until you know what you are looking for!! If you want a rustic barn wedding or n elegant grand ballroom it is important to know that ahead of time because they are going to have completely different vibes! Like I mentioned earlier, we have a lot of out of town guests attending our wedding so I really wanted them to have a great experience of Cincinnati, and be able to explore the city that we live in. A venue central to downtown and the city was a must for us!
2. Your Guest List- How many guests you are inviting to your wedding is a major factor to consider when searching for your venue. I always imagined that we would have a smaller, more intimate wedding experience. Once we sat down (and considered our parent’s opinions) we quickly realized that there was no way that was going to happen and so we needed a venue that would hold 200+ people. This was hard for me to come to terms with because my backyard-tent-wedding with food trucks dream was not going to happen.. I also feel a lot of relief knowing that we don’t have to hurt anyone’s feelings and can invite everyone that is important to us.
3. Budget- The venue budget is a lot more than just renting out the space for a day- you will have to consider the catering, decor, and transportation. Budget also ties into the aforementioned guest list factor. Food and alcohol for your guests will account for at least half of your wedding budget! You will want to think about what is included with each venue.. Linens, flatware, service fees, chairs and covers can add up quickly. I highly recommend having a general budget decided on before you begin the process of finding a venue so you know what options are realistic for your big day. Before we decided on a place we had a general budget decided on for venue, food and drink for 200 people and then we were able to break down how much we are able and willing to spend on invitations, the DJ, the dress, gifts, and decor.
4. Have fun being creative and keep an open mind! The best part about your wedding day is that it is YOURS. You can do whatever you want! I love how unique weddings are and seeing how each couple is able to make the day personal.
