Choosing a Venue: An Excerpt from “The Guide to Planning Your Wedding”

While there’s many unexpected outcomes in the wedding planning process, there’s one thing you can count on — your handy budgeting spreadsheet. Basically, in these upcoming months, while you’re planning your wedding, your spreadsheet and checklist are going to be at your side helping and guiding you along the way. And while there may be some bumps in the road, just know the two things that will never fail you are right beside you.

You know what we’re going to say, don’t you? When you’re choosing a venue, look to your spreadsheet and see how much you’ve budgeted for it. Then go from there.

Here’s several tips to guide you when choosing your venue:

1. Decide whether you want an in-door or out-door venue
2. Think about what you’d like to see included in your dream venue. Maybe there are some non-negotiable accommodations you’re looking for.
3. Tour more than one venue.
4. Your objective when touring shouldn’t be to find the perfect venue right away, but rather use it as a way to get a feel for what it is you don’t want, so it makes it easier to know what it is you do want.
5. Use your theme and vision as your guide.
6. Make sure the venue of your choosing can accommodate the number of guests and then some (after all, you never know if the unexpected first cousin half-removed might expect an invite after talking to your aunt). It’s better to overestimate than under.
7. Find out if the venue offers anything in the way of value-added. Do they have an in-house caterer? If so, that can have an affect on overall price. What else do they offer? Perhaps tables and chairs? Possibly bar services?
8. Think about convenience. Will there be out-of-town guests attending? If so, ensure that there’s a hotel close by to make the trip easier on them.

Prefer the audiobook version? It’s coming soon! Be sure to check back for buy links on your favorite devices.