Here you are. You are sitting right in the middle of the most exciting time in your life so far.
You’re engaged and planning your wedding!
Whoohoo! Yay! Yay! But, wait– you’re also feeling a little lost. Maybe you’re feeling a little stressed out. You’ve attended your local wedding shows, you scroll Instagram every moment you have, you search Pinterest, you follow Martha Stewart Weddings on Twitter, and your awesome Mom bought you the best wedding planner book on the market. Buuuuut….let’s be real for a moment. I completely, 100% get it. I’ve walked in your shoes and I’ve held the hand of many other couples in their planning process.
Planning a wedding is NOT easy, no matter how you shake it. That certainly doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. Especially with the team of wedding vendors that fit you best and the help of a few trusted friends or family members.
So let’s take it step-by-step.
You’ve completed the first four steps {and, that was pretty easy!}
- You’ve met your forever and agreed to marry this love of your life ❤️
- You’ve selected a date. Nice work!
- You’ve Discussed and Created a Wedding Budget.
- You’ve created a tentative number of guests that you will be expecting. This number can fluctuate a bit. But, it is uber important to have a round-about number to make certain that your selected venue can and will host the numbers you are looking at inviting. Rule of thumb- expect about 80% of the number of guests that you invite to RSVP with a Yes!
Now, next step:: Finding Your Wedding Venue.
For some of you there will be two locations: Ceremony and Reception. For others, you have decided to host your entire event in one location. Regardless, here are some steps to take and questions to ask that will lead to your perfect Wedding Venue::
Indoor or Outdoor
Deciding whether you and your fiance would like to host your wedding indoors or outdoors will immediately exclude a huge chunk of venue options, narrowing down to the list that meets your criteria.
How Many Guests Can this Wedding Venue Host for a Wedding Reception?
This is as equally important to understand for small, intimate weddings as it is for large receptions. You want to make certain that the space can comfortably accommodate the numbers you anticipate for dinner, dancing, and mingling. But, also, you want to make certain that the space is not awkwardly large for a more quaint, smaller reception.
Does This Wedding Venue Require that Their Engaged Couples Use a Specific List of Wedding Vendors?
First, just because a venue requires the use of a preferred vendor list does not mean that’s a bad thing. If the venue is long established and has a great history of positive reviews and happy couples, chances are that they work with specific vendors for a good reason. Having said that, required vendor lists can limit your choices, style, and put a strain on your budget. If they require specific vendors be used, make certain that you obtain that list and review options before you commit the wedding venue. There are always amazing vendors that are not on these lists for a number of reasons: politics, length of business establishment in that area, commitment to other venues, etc. If you choose a venue with a preferred vendor list, don’t hesitate to ask for an exception.
Are There Areas Provided for the Couple and Wedding Party for Getting Ready or Fixing-up Between the Wedding Day Events?
As a photographer, I can tell you the importance of having a space that you can remove yourself from the excitement of the day, even for just a few moments, to gather yourself, re-pin your hair, reapply lipgloss, and bustle your wedding gown. The day will be filled with momentous occasions. A minute of quiet is helpful.
Is There a Weather Contingency?
I know. Not a thought you even want to think about. But, we have to. If you select an outdoor venue, make certain there is a plan in place for rain and wind.
Does This Venue have Wedding Packages that Fit Your Budget?
Perhaps one of the most stressful pieces of planning a wedding is accidentally falling outside your budget. It is no fun to have to pul from another important area of your wedding day to make-up for a budgeting error in another. There are so many amazing venues available. If a space cannot fit your budget, you move on to looking for other options that will create your wedding day vision. Staying in budget will keep everything feeling balanced and more comfortable.
Take this list and add your own questions. And, ask friends and family what questions they asked and what some of their deciding factors were. I can’t wait to see what decisions are made and what wedding adventures we have ahead!
Happy Planning!
Until Next Time~
Sarah Keenan, Westland Farms Studio
