Are you Lost on Choosing your Wedding Venue? Read on for tips on how to dive in!

Choosing a wedding venue is likely one of the first things on your to-do list. The venue can really make or break a reception. Choosing your venue will other influence other aspects of your wedding planning such as choosing your vendors, allocating your budget, or planning your decor. In addition to the overall beauty and aesthetic of the venue, here are 8 other things you should keep in mind for your big day:

Availability: If you’re very particular about your wedding venue -- as in you’ve wanted to get married in this one wedding location since you were a kid, set your wedding date and sign as soon as possible. Popular wedding venues can book 12-18 months in advance, and you don’t want to miss out on your dream venue because you waited too long to book.
Size: This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but every wedding venue has a maximum capacity. Because of this, it’s important to have a set number of guests to invite to your wedding before signing on a location. You don’t want to fall in love with a wedding venue with a maximum capacity of 150 guests if you have 400 on your guest list. And vice versa, if you’re signing a wedding venue with a maximum capacity of 400 guests and you only have 150 on your guestlist, your venue will likely look empty and cost you more than just booking a smaller venue.
Flexibility: Before signing a wedding venue, you should determine if you want your ceremony and reception held in the same venue. While it’s easier for guests (and generally easier on your budget), some couples may choose to get married in a place of worship. In this case, make sure you’re taking into consideration your ceremony location in respect to your reception location. Don’t make it difficult for your guests to get from one location to the next.
Location: Another aspect of location to take into consideration is the location in respect to accomodations. If you have family traveling from out of town for your wedding, think about hotels, transportation to/from the venue, etc. Some venues may have recommendations on amenities when you’re touring the venue.
Budget: Some venues offer all-inclusive options that include caterers in addition to the actual wedding venue. This could result in 40-50% of your total wedding budget being allocated for this alone. Otherwise, an average of approximately 20% of your total wedding budget will be spent on your venue, and you could be responsible for filling in the gaps with more budget-friendly caterers or bar options.
Vendor Recommendations: Your venue also may have vendor recommendations, if they don’t supply everything in-house. Since your wedding vendor has worked with weddings and other vendors in the past, you can ask them for recommendations on a wedding planning service, DJ, or caterer if you’re uncertain.
Comfort: When you’re choosing a wedding venue, ask questions. Especially if you’re asking questions via email or phone, this will test the responsiveness of staff. Ask more difficult/tough questions during your visit, such as whether or not they would be able to accomodate for specific decorations, set-ups, etc. If you aren’t completely in love with the venue or if the staff makes you frustrated or uncomfortable, find a different venue. You won’t want any of this added stress on your big day.
Policies: Make sure you review the fine print in the venue’s policies before singing the dotted line. Some venues only allow you to work with a small number of caterers and will charge additional fees if you find your own vendors. Also, look for their cancellation policy in the event of a natural disaster, venue renovations, and other events that could change the appearance of the venue.