Location, Location, Location!

If you have ever looked for an apartment or a new home you are likely familiar with the effect that location can have on cost. Commuting time, schooling, public services, and especially property taxes all change by location and have heavy impacts on the bottom line. While I have yet to enter the world of home buying, I did cap off 2022 by proposing to my girlfriend and have now gone through a very different type of locational pursuit...finding a wedding venue! It has been fun, albeit stressful, and while we are not quite done we have narrowed our sights and are approaching a decision. There are a lot of things to consider when planning your big day, so for all my future brides and grooms, here are a few things to keep in mind when you are looking for your wedding day locale.

Capacity

Perhaps the most obvious criteria to consider is how many people the venue can fit. Pretty clear that if you are inviting 150 people to your wedding and the venue only fits 100 that it isn't going to work. That said, space and capacity are more than just how many people can fit, you also need to consider where everyone is going to congregate and whether or not the flow of people will match your vibe. For example, the wedding venue might fit 150 people, but at max capacity the space will feel small and crowded, so if there aren't multiple rooms everyone will be on top of each other. When picking your venue, consider how the space is laid out and whether or not people will have the ability to spread out to other areas of the property or will they be secluded to one common area.

Outdoor vs Indoor

Jumping off of the conversation of space, it is important to consider the outdoor and indoor options for your venue. While my fiancé and I looked, we knew we wanted to have an outdoor reception and were focussed on finding a space that really spoke to us. That in mind, we were very purposeful to find a place that had an indoor option that we liked too, that way if there is inclement weather our day would not be ruined. You never want to think of the worst case scenario when planning your wedding, but keeping all options in mind will ensure that you find a place that makes your day feel as special as it should. Having been to over 20 weddings in the last 3 years, trust me when I say that anything an happen at a wedding, and it's a good idea to have a few contingency plans in place.

Food

Perhaps my favorite part of any wedding is the food, specifically the cocktail hour. I'm not sure what I like more, the variety of options or the fact that they are hand delivered to me wherever I am, although the pro-move is find out where they walk out of the kitchen and strand there for the freshest bites! Each venue has their own take on wedding food, although very similar, and they all say that they are the best. If possible, find a venue with a head chef that doesn't also work at other locations. It may be a bit overkill, but if you like food as much as I do it will most definitely be worth it, and the chef focusing on the one location will typically mean they put more time into the menu and food. Keep in mind that some of your favorite wedding foods come at an extra price, like raw bars and carving stations, but if you find the right venue they may include some of those extras free.

Time

Something that I didn't realize would be a factor when choosing our wedding venue is time, and particularly how much of it we would have on property. I figured there were cutoffs on thing like the open bar or cocktail "hour", but I had no idea that you actually have to pay to be at your wedding venue in some places. The main factors are how may events the venue does each day and whether or not you are sharing the property while onsite. Some venues keep it to one wedding a day and will typically give you full access to the property for things like getting ready and pictures. If you are at a multi-event venue they will certainly make you feel special, but there is also a chance you get some wedding photos with a stranger in the background ripping a dart before the cake cutting. Either way, just make sure you understand how much time you have at your space and if anyone else will be there to share it with you.

These are just a few of the factors that go into picking your wedding venue but they can have a big impact on the outcome of your day. Your wedding should be one of the best parties of your life, and a good venue and staff will do everything they can to make that happen, so pick the right spot and you will have a day you'll never forget!