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5 Things That Make or Break a Great Wedding Venue

Infographic: Average wedding guests are 136

 

Congratulations on your engagement! Now comes the tough part, planning your wedding. Although the millions of details you have to consider while putting together your dream day might make you feel crazy, you can create the perfect day without ever losing your mind along the way if you break it down into pieces and plan a little at a time.

The first step in putting together a stress-free wedding is finding the best venue for your special day. After reviewing a few places and selecting one that you love, the other wedding plans will fall into place accordingly.

To help get your planning process chugging along like a well oiled machine, we’ve compiled a list of what to look for while considering places to have a wedding.

Important Factors While Reviewing Places to Have a Wedding

    1. Ambiance
      We’ve listed this first because nearly half of all engaged couples (40% to be exact) look for unique event venues that match their personality first and foremost. As you should. Your special day should be a reflection of the beautiful life that you and your betrothed will be sharing. Consider your style and what you find beauty in and use that image to narrow your search of places to have a wedding.

 

    1. Capacity
      The average wedding includes 136 guests; yours could greatly vary depending on the type event you dream of and your budget. Take a quick mental count of the friends and family you hope to have witness your nuptials and use that to narrow your venue search down. Typically, you can expect approximately 83% of the people you invite to RSVP with a “Yes,” and 17% to politely decline. Keep in mind that zoning regulations will probably prevent your venue from accommodating a headcount greater than their capacity, so you might find it preferable to look for a venue that gives your room to grow.

 

    1. Room to Eat, Drink, and Be Married
      Stand in the middle of any potential venue you look at and visualize your festivities. Some locations hold the charm you want, but from a practical standpoint, just don’t work. Is the backdrop you love for your vows located in a spot that accommodates good seating for your guests? Is there a nice open area for a dance floor (if you want it)?If your potential venue doesn’t typically host weddings, it’s critical that you ensure there are convenient facilities (and adequate power sources!) for your caterers. Having your caterer arrive on your big day and finding no place for them to work, or blowing a fuse when they plug their equipment in, is the kind of disaster you want to avoid.

 

    1. Availability
      You’ll have the best luck landing the wedding venue of your dreams if you can book it nine to 12 months in advance. If you plan to get married during peak season, you might have to snag the most popular wedding venues earlier than that! Peak season varies based on your wedding destination, but typically the busiest wedding month is June, accounting for one in every six weddings. If your wedding is in June, start planning early!

 

  1. Lighting and Sound
    Acoustics are a huge part of both the ceremony and the reception. You might adore the ambiance of the converted warehouse you’re considering, but if the high ceiling and bare walls create a nasty echo, the video of the most important moment of your life could have poor sound quality.

Likewise, nothing has more of an influence on the heart and soul of an event than the lighting. If your event is during the day, look for a venue with lots of natural light. It’s hard to enjoy yourself in a room with bar lighting when you know the sun is shining bright right outside. On the other hand, if your event is going to be in the evening, make sure you scope it out around the time of day you’ll be celebrating, to make sure the lighting works for you.

Are you planning a wedding? What are your must-haves for a wedding venue? We want to hear all about it in the comment section below.