When it comes to planning the perfect wedding, nothing sets the tone or affects more pieces than finding the right venue. The challenge is that there are thousands of questions to ask and things to look for, not to mention that someone else's perfect wedding venue might not be yours.

Start With the Basics

You, your fiancé, and family might need to discuss a few things before you start to look for a venue. While everyone's perfect wedding venue is a little different, there are some common threads about what makes them great. 

We'd be lying if we didn't tell you that we thought the next step would be to hire a fantastic professional wedding planner. Not only will they help hold all the pieces together during your planning, but they'll also be invaluable from the beginning. Local planners typically know the features, capacity, and dos and don'ts of venues in the areas they serve. If you have specific wants, they can help guide you to places that might allow for those.

Where To Start Looking

The Aisle Guide provides couples with an excellent marketplace in our "Find A Pro" search tab. You can sort through venues in the area where you're looking to get married. Listings cover all of their vital information, including their offerings, like food and beverage, onsite venues, chairs, house linens, the number of guest rooms they have, etc.

There are hundreds of amazing wedding venues for you to choose from. A simple internet search can also offer you more options in the specific region you want or places of any particular style. While you're doing your research, it's important to ask many questions to best understand how your event will play out.

Things To Consider

Truthfully, no two wedding venues are ever the same. They all have different physical plans, catering options, and rules and regulations. So, don't be afraid to ask something you haven't seen mentioned on their information or heard them tell you on your site visit. Something as simple as bringing in your own caterer, providing your own liquor, or having candles might be a deal-breaker for you!

If you consider an unconventional wedding venue, there might be lots of new considerations, as opposed to a hotel or banquet hall. You might need to take parking into account, or the site might require the installation of a tent for your wedding reception.

Keep Safety in Mind

COVID-19 guidelines and safety protocols are at the top of many people's lists. Ask about local limits on size, dancing, or specific styles of service. Each state and county are different. So, things like wearing masks, if they've suspended open bar service, and the maximum capacity, can affect your final decision. Look for things like outdoor spaces for ceremony and cocktail receptions that might promote social distancing and make guests feel more comfortable. 

Finding the perfect wedding venue for you and your partner takes a little preparation, a little research, and asking the right questions for your specific wants and needs.

Hero photo courtesy of Petula Pea Photography