Your wedding venue is the ultimate steppingstone for every detail of your big day—from the menu to the guest list to the overall mood. Read on to discover how to pick the perfect wedding venue, why starting early is non-negotiable, and proven tips to make the entire journey easier.
Why is it Important to Choose a Wedding Venue Early?
A significant amount of planning goes into your wedding day, including culinary choices, libations, your color palette, and décor. However, you can’t cross off most of this checklist without first reserving your wedding venue.
Here’s why securing your venue far in advance is crucial:
- It Influences How Many Guests You’ll Have. Most wedding venues can only accommodate a specific capacity. Booking your dream venue early helps solidify your guest range, preventing you from falling in love with a space that is too small for your party.
- Reserving a Venue Locks in the Date. Once you secure your date, you can move on to the exciting details. Your wedding venue is your first stop because without a date, you cannot reliably book great vendors.
- It Sets the Tone of Your Wedding. Whether you want a beachside vibe or a breathtaking garden party, your venue is the essential backdrop. The earlier you secure a location that matches your desired aesthetic, the sooner you can confidently move forward with décor and design elements.
- It Gives Friends and Family More Time to Plan. The sooner you set your wedding date, the earlier you can send out Save the Dates. Giving your cherished family members and friends plenty of notice ensures maximum attendance and allows them time to make travel and accommodation arrangements.
What You Need to Know Before You Choose the Perfect Wedding Venue
Before you begin touring, clarify these points to narrow down your search and focus only on venues that truly fit your needs.
1. Keep an Open Mind About Your Date
It’s completely acceptable to not know your exact wedding date when you first visit venues. This flexibility opens up more possibilities for availability. When you tour without a specific date in mind, it allows you to consider more dates, seasons, and even days of the week, helping you find the perfect venue sooner.
2. The Power of In-House Packages vs. A La Carte
Finding a reputable wedding company that offers options that include the venue, catering, bar, rentals, and coordination wrapped up in a customizable package can be a game-changer.
- The Advantage: This approach greatly simplifies your budget and removes the stress of sourcing and managing separate caterers, coordinators, and rental companies, which can often incur unexpected outside vendor fees and communication confusion.
3. Think About Your Theme
Your theme sets the entire tone for your wedding day. It’s crucial to keep your desired look and feel in mind when choosing your ceremony and reception venue.
- Aesthetic Cohesion: This helps you rule out a tropical setting, like our Botanica venue, if your ideal day is set against a formal historic garden estate, like Green Gables. Ensure your venue reflects your personal tastes and the mood you want to set.
4. Take the Number of Guests into Account
While it’s hard to nail down the exact number attending early on, search for a venue that comfortably accommodates your maximum estimated guest list. Look for packages and pricing models that allow for a reasonable range of guests rather than those that charge per seat, which can limit your flexibility.
5. Be Specific When You Search
Historically, couples chose their venue based on the bride’s hometown, but today, couples choose based on their preferences.
- Search Tip: Be specific when searching online. Instead of “wedding venue,” type in key aesthetic and location terms like “San Diego tropical garden wedding venue” or “Murrieta Tuscan villa wedding venue“ to narrow down your options to collections like ours.
What to Ask When Choosing a Venue
Here’s what you should ask and consider as you tour each space:
1. Review the Packages a Venue May Offer
Always inquire about the specifics of the packages. Some venues offer comprehensive packages that include essential services (catering, rentals, coordination) along with the venue rental. Others may only provide the space itself. Ask about all your options when you speak to a Trademark Venues representative to understand the full scope of what is provided.
2. Privacy and Seclusion Make a Difference
Ask in advance if the venue hosts multiple weddings or events on the same day.
- The Guardrail: It is best to find a dedicated venue that hosts only one wedding per day to ensure complete exclusivity and seclusion. Venues located in hotels, golf courses, or public parks often cannot guarantee the privacy that a dedicated wedding estate can.
3. Choosing Vendors
Consider working with the venue’s preferred vendor list for key contractors such as the DJ and photographer.
- Insider Knowledge: These vendors will have an intimate understanding of the nuances of the specific spaces, setup requirements, and timing, which reduces confusion and delays.
- A Note on Flexibility: Be cautious of venues that are too stringent, as this can limit your creativity. Look for a balance where essential services (like catering/bar) are handled internally for quality control, but you have creative freedom with others (like florists and officiants).
Essential Tips for the Decision Process
To make your final venue decision easier and more confident, try these proven hacks:
- Take Detailed Notes. One venue can quickly roll into the next, causing you to forget important nuances. Take quick notes during each venue meeting or tour to refresh your memory later when making your final decision.
- Visit the Venue in Person. While online galleries are helpful, trust your instincts. Visit the venue in person or take a self-guided tour so you can stroll at your own pace and discover every nook and cranny.
- Trust Your Heart. Trust what feels good and makes you happiest! Look for a venue that makes you feel dreamy, content, and fulfilled when you imagine your big day there. If you leave the tour glowing, you know that’s the right venue for you.
Weddings Within Reach
If you’re searching for a spectacular and stress-free wedding venue experience in Southern California, take a look at Trademark Venues’ unique collection of boutique garden and estate venues, from seaside to secluded forest settings. Our expert wedding team will handcraft a custom, all-inclusive package to fit your vision and desires.
Book a Venue Visit with Trademark Venues!
Book a Venue Visit with Trademark Venues!