Today on the blog I am sharing 5 top things to consider when selecting your wedding venue. If you’re new here, HI! It's great to have you, my name is Karen and I am a Wedding Stationer and Calligrapher in Central FL. As a Wedding Stationer for couples for the past 4 years, I’ve gathered these great tips for how to narrow down a wedding day venue that fits your style perfectly!

1. Wedding Budget

Money, money, money!!! It all comes down to your Budget! Before you really dive into your dream wedding venues, make sure you sit down and discuss your budget. While this conversation can be uncomfortable in some families or with some partners, it is crucial for searching for venues that fit your vision, but are still affordable. Prior to beginning your search, have an honest conversation with the people helping pay for your wedding. If it includes your or your partner's parents, listen attentively, be polite and make a plan. Once this is settled you’ll be able to search for your venue based on what portion of the overall wedding budget will be allocated to the venue. There’s nothing worse than falling in love with a gorgeous location only to learn it's triple what your budget allows! So do the hard part first and set out a clear budget to follow!

photo credit : Angela Renee Photo

2. What time of year you want to get married

Fall? Winter? Spring? Summer? Knowing what time of year and what day of the week you want to get married is critical for looking at venues. Remember to keep things in mind like seasons, holidays, life events and guest availability. Many venues are booking months to years in advance. Some days of the weekend book sooner than others. If you book an outdoor wedding and the weather during that season is cold or rainy, you’ll want to discuss alternative options from the get go! Once you narrow down the general season or month you’d like to have your wedding, you can see which venues are available that not only fit your budget but also your style. 

3. Wedding Theme

Every couple and relationship is one of a kind and truly unique! Therefore, special aspects that reflect the couple and their interests tend to be reflected in the wedding theme. I don’t just mean like a wizard themed wedding with wands and capes! I’m talking luxury or casual, beach or mountains, simple or elegant, rustic or glam! Themes can be simple or extravagant. Therefore, once you know your theme you’ll be able to find venues that match that style. If you are interested in a luxurious modern wedding, you’re not going to look into barns or the beach for your wedding venue. Likewise, if you want that tropical casual wedding, a ballroom is definitely not your style! Know your wedding theme that is unique to you as a couple and encompasses what you love! Stuck on ideas? Think about what is important to you both and how you want your wedding to feel.

4. How Many People You Are Inviting to Your Wedding

Narrowing down your guest list can seem like a daunting task! This is after all one of the most important days of your life, you may want all your friends and family by your side even if that means you’ll have all 500 of your closest friends and family members there! Or you may be thinking about keeping it intimate with just your immediate family. Knowing your guest list's approximate size will affect the type of venue you choose. If you have a big wedding, make sure your favorite venue doesn’t have a 50 person limit! Similarly, if you are only hosting 50 people there would be no reason to rent out the biggest ballroom in town!

5. Venue location and restrictions

Keep in mind many venues will have restrictions. As you look into your top venue options, think about where it is located. As you are searching for venues, look around to notice nearby hotels if needed for guests, or even major roads to allow for easy transportation. If you love a venue that is more remote, you’ll need to consider if you’ll be providing transportation for your guests and how far the nearest hotel is for any out of town guests. In addition, as you begin your wedding venue search, you need to know if you are having your ceremony and reception at the same place or a different location. Many couples that have their ceremony in a church or religious house will host their reception in an alternate location. Think of your guests’ travel time between these two events and how that will affect your schedule of the day for photos and your own travel. If your ceremony and reception are at the same location, this provides the added convenience of not having to travel immediately after the ceremony, but you’ll want to plan your photos accordingly. Lastly, when booking your wedding venue, ask about what parking is available to your guests if you are not providing transportation for them. It is always important to ask about outside vendors like catering and décor. Some venues only allow their own vendors, while others welcome outside companies. Most venues even have a preferred vendor list that will help you narrow down who to select for all your wedding day needs!

Here at fioribelle we love to help bring your wedding to life with our custom invitations, ones that will match perfectly to your theme!  If you're interested in working together to create a one-of-a-kind invite for your wedding day, inquire about my Custom Wedding Invitations here. If you're working with a tight budget, check out our Semi-Custom Collections