A Venue FOR YOU

One of the first steps, and biggest steps, in the planning process is choosing a venue. Well, not just choosing, but getting a date booked and signed for. It's a daunting task with so many options out there!

I don't even know my theme yet...how do I possibly choose a venue?

Everywhere seems far too pricey for me...I'm never going to get married!

If either of these thoughts have crossed your mind or you're just altogether scared to start your venue search, don't worry, you'll get through it! You'll find a beautiful place that fits your budget and you'll make your theme shine wherever it may be!

But before you say "I Do" to that special place and sign on the dotted line, make sure this venue is right for you!

Guest Count

Jay Dixon Photography

If you are inviting 200 guests and the venue only holds 150, then this isn't the venue for you. While everyone tells you that about 15-20% of your guests will RSVP with a no (which is usually the case!), there are always exceptions to the rule. And that exception may be you!

So make sure you find a venue that will hold every single guest you are planning on inviting...just in case!

And in reality, you don't want to max out a venue anyways :)

Minimums

You may be able to afford the price per person at your dream venue, but because you've done such a great job at narrowing down your guest list, you may not be hitting the minimum required spending that the venue has set! And if you sign on that dotted line and send your deposit on it's way, then be sure that you're okay with spending at least the minimum plus tax and service charge, no matter what your guest count ends up being!

Theme

D Park Photography

While the theme isn't imperative to decide on before the wedding, make sure it somewhat matches your personality. If you two are the outdoorsy type, then a hotel ballroom is probably not going to match your bohemian-style wedding. You get my drift?

Your Must Have's

There are so many items that brides and grooms place on their "must have" list and many of these relate to your venue!

- You don't want your guests to have to drive from ceremony to reception. The venue doesn't have a ceremony site!
- You don't want guests to have to drive anywhere at all, even from the hotel! The venue isn't a hotel.
- You want to get ready at your venue. But there is no bridal suite!
- Having a priest marry you is a must because you're both Catholic. You're going to have to get married in a church!
- The best food you've ever tasted is a must on your wedding night! But they don't offer a food tasting.
- You already have your caterer set in stone. But the venue doesn't allow outside catering!
- You want to get married in the middle of winter. But the venue is outdoors!
- Your son (who turns out to be a dog) is going to be your ring bearer. But the venue doesn't allow dogs on site!

If any of these fall on your list of "must-haves" or there is anything else you just cannot live with or without having on your wedding day, make sure that venue you choose fits your criteria. Because after you sign, there's no turning back!

You're in Love

And most importantly, choose a venue that you can see yourself saying "I Do" at. If you can stand at that ceremony site and picture your wedding day, you've got a great venue! Don't choose the venue that your family and friends love, but the one that you and your fiance love and would like to call YOUR wedding venue for life! You're going to have some of the best memories of your life at this place, so make sure you love it!

The Art of the Minimum

Listen up! Before you begin that venue search, this is something that you MUST know! Without it, you may go into a deep, dark hole of sadness as soon as you realize that the venues you thought you could afford, are no longer affordable.

The word we are discussing today is MINIMUM.

To start, here is a basic definition of the word in terms of wedding planning, before we dive into more detail and logistics.

Minimum: the dollar amount or number of guests you are required to spend/have present at your reception in order to reserve your date and time, it is set by each specific venue or vendor

I know that may be a little confusing without any context, so here is an example so you can better understand it.

Let's take Jenn, for example...

Jenn wants to get married on Saturday June 1st and she is inviting 100 guests to her wedding. The venue she absolutely loves costs $50 per person (inclusive of tax and service charges). And with a $6,000 budget, she is well within her budget so she is ready to book her date.

Unfortunately, the venue will not allow her to book her wedding.

It is not because they don't like her and it is not because the date is already booked. It is because she doesn't reach their minimum for that Saturday!

Where the minimums come into play

Let's say, for example, the venue has a minimum of 150 guests on that Saturday in June. That means that no matter what, she is required to pay for at least 150 guests, regardless of how many guests are invited or how many come.

Or on the other hand, the venue may have a $10,000 minimum for that Saturday which requires her to spend at least $10,000 (generally before tax and service charges) if she is going to book that date.

So regardless so whether or not she can afford their pricing and packages based on the number of guests she has invited, you can see that no matter what, Jenn will not be able to afford this venue within a $6,000 budget on that date!

The Good News & The Bad News

The Bad News: You may think a venue works within budget when their specified minimums don't allow that to happen.

OR

The Good News: Ask the venue if the Friday before or the Sunday after have lower minimums (as they generally do) or if you really want a Saturday, there may be an off season Saturday with a lower minimum!

But regardless, every venue has this number set and even many florists, caterers, and other vendors have set minimums designated for certain days and months of the year! So before you get ready to book, and before you even tour a venue, ask what their minimums are to ensure it will actually work within your budget!

Happy venue shopping :)

Before scheduling venue tours...

We are now at the most exciting part of planning your dream wedding!! Well, sort of. Although choosing your perfect wedding is exciting and will literally shape the style and ambiance of your wedding, it is also the most stressful part of the process! Now this is a huge topic and I can't cover everything you will need to know AND find you that perfect venue, but I can give you some pointers so you don't get frustrated and get to the point where you want to call the wedding off altogether! Sound good?? :)
 
First, we need to decide on your date!! Keep in mind, your date is also going to shape the colors you use, whether or not you can have an indoor or outdoor wedding, and just the style and décor altogether! This is not generally very difficult for couples to decide on so we are going to move right along!
 
Next, you need to decide on the style of the venue. Do you want a beach view? On the sand? A garden setting? A ballroom with chandeliers? A country club? A rustic barn? Indoor or outdoor? Ceremony and reception at the same location? Or will your ceremony be at a church? Okay, now I am just overwhelming you so I will stop there. However, these are all questions that you and your fiancé should discuss before visiting ANY venues. If you are looking for an all outdoor garden wedding, then why would you go visit a church and a
venue with a beach view? I think you get my drift. Yes, venue tours are fun and exciting but after 34 tours, I am 100% positive that you are going to be overwhelmed and will call it quits! So before you set up any tours, make sure the style of the venue fits your vision!

The Portofino Hotel & Marina

The Sunset Restaurant

Now you have found a beautiful garden venue that perfectly fits your vision! Are you ready to set up a tour? NO! Now you need to contact the venue to get pricing and minimums. You can refer back to the budget  calculator we discussed and if the price per person on their packages are higher than your per person budget, then move on! Don't waste your time and tease yourself by visiting a venue you are going to fall in love with and not be able to afford! And in addition to those prices, make sure you ask what their minimums are! MINIMUMS ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT...important enough for me to capitalize that! So let's break this down:
 
MINIMUM: A dollar amount you are required to spend on a specific date/day of the week. Just because your price per person is within budget, doesn't mean your total wedding budget will be able to afford the venue.

So here is an example to better understand this strange concept:

I have a $10,000 total wedding budget. My venue, food, and beverage budget is $5000. My budget per person (before tax and service charge) is about $40 and the venue has packages starting at $35 per person. Now this is great! I am done!! I just found my dream venue!...unfortunately, this is not the case. Once I go on a tour of the venue, I let them know that my date is June 1st which is a Saturday and I would like to have my wedding in the evening. Well, on that specific day, the Catering Manager lets me know that they have an $8,000 minimum. This means, they will not let me book that date unless I guarantee to pay $8,000 in food and beverage BEFORE tax and service charge. From this example, you can clearly see why I am not going to be able to book this venue with a $10,000 total wedding budget.

Generally, minimums range from highest to lowest in this order:
- Saturday evening
- Friday/Sunday evening
- Saturday late morning/afternoon
- Weekdays (and these are becoming very popular and venues will give you amazing deals!! So go with a Thursday evening and you can have a long weekend...just a quick tip!)

I know that was a TON of information, so here is a quick recap of what you need to do before scheduling any tours!!

1. Your Wedding Date
2. Vision/Style
3. Price
4. Minimums
5. Schedule 2-5 venue tours (maximum!)

I don't want to overwhelm you since that is the exact opposite of the purpose of this blog, so tomorrow we will continue the venue talk and discuss what to expect at a venue tour, what questions you must ask, and when you should put down your deposit and reserve your date!