Budgeting for a Venue

Picking a venue is one of the hardest things you will do in the planning process and will probably be one of the first things you should do after deciding on a budget.  The venue you choose will set the tone for the wedding including the dress you buy, the colors/theme you choose, and be a crucial decision in maintaining your budget.  You may wonder where you should start looking.

The internet of course is a great resource for local venues in your area or I would look for local wedding magazines that may compare venues and pricing.  Also look at reviews and testimonials…this may help in asking the right questions at the venue.  (PLEASE NOTE….there is always two sides to every story.  Read all the reviews and take the negative reviews with a grain of salt.  If there are 20 good reviews and a few bad ones I would not cross it off the list.)

Before you go on your search you must be prepared and answer a few questions of yourself.   Do you want a “full service” venue or a “do-it yourself” venue?  Over the next week I will explore the differences between both types of venues so you can understand the pros and cons of each.   My advice is to have a list of questions prepared for each venue (which I will help you prepare this week) and after visiting your top five venues compare all of your notes and make an educated decision.  As you begin your search…..as hard as it may be…..try not to choose the first venue you go to or pick a venue just because you love the look of it.  Sometimes that quick decision may blow your budget! 

I promise once you decide on the venue everything else will fall in to place!   Make sure to read our blog this week before you go on your search!