How To Choose The Perfect Wedding Venue

A GUIDE TOWARDS THE PERFECT WEDDING SPACE

When it comes to planning a wedding, choosing a venue is one of the most complicated tasks you’ll have to endure. It can feel pretty overwhelming at times, especially when you consider every little detail that makes a venue perfect. Because this is such an important element, you’ll want to be prepared to make the best possible choice. Here are our top 10 tips for how to choose the perfect wedding venue!

1. Wedding Venue Cost

The wedding venue cost is arguably one of the most important elements to consider when looking for your dream wedding venue. Think about how horrible it would feel to fall in love with a space only to realize that it doesn’t fit into your budget. That’s why we recommend that you write your total wedding venue budget down on paper. This will help you find the perfect place for your wedding and your budget. Bonus tip: sometimes off-season weddings or Sunday weddings cost less!

2. Wedding Venue Capacity

Something else you’ll need to consider when selecting your wedding venue is the space’s maximum capacity. This is significant because the space needs to be able to properly accommodate every one of your guests. We recommend that you come up with at least a rough idea of how many people you will invite to your wedding. This way, you can be sure that your venue won’t be too big or too small!

3. Wedding Venue Availability

If you are set on a particular date for your wedding, we recommend that you start looking at venues as early as possible. This will increase your chances of getting the perfect spot on your dream date. If you can be more flexible with your wedding date, then you’ll likely have more venue options!

4. Surrounding Area of Wedding Venue

Another recommendation we have is to take a look at each venue’s surrounding area. This may seem strange, but you’ll be glad you did when your big day arrives. Take into consideration how close it is to airports, busy streets, or popular spots. While some of these amenities may be nice to have nearby, they could also interfere with your wedding. You’ll also want to make sure the area feels safe. It’s important that you and your guests feel secure and worry-free on your wedding day, so listen to your gut when making this decision!

5. Wedding Venue Accessibility

Make sure that your venue is accessible for any of your guests with different needs. While exploring venue options, ask about the building’s ADA accessibility features. Some specific areas to focus on include:

  • Entrance and Exit Points
  • Elevators
  • Handicap Accessible Restrooms
  • Parking Options
  • Seating Options

Each of these accommodations will go a long way in making your wedding more enjoyable for any of your older or differently-abled guests. 

6. Parking Options for Wedding Guests

Parking is a must at any wedding venue! No matter where you are planning to get married, it’s crucial to check if there are good parking options on site or if there are other viable means of transporting guests to and from the venue. During your venue tour, be sure to ask how many parking spaces are available and if your guests would need to pay for parking. If they don’t have great parking options, consider hiring a bus or shuttle to get your guests where they need to be.

7. Wedding Venue Layout

The layout of your space is so important and can be more extensive than you think. For example, you’ll want to take note of dancing space. Is there a designated dance floor, or will your guests have to cut a rug throughout the space? Another element to consider is your theme. Does this location set the tone for the type of wedding style you have in mind? You should also take into consideration the indoor and outdoor options your venue offers. What time of year is your wedding taking place? If there are only outdoor options, will you and your guests be comfortable? Think about all of this and more when evaluating a potential location’s layout.

8. Read Reviews for the Venue

To form a more well-rounded opinion on your potential wedding space, we recommend that you look at multiple online reviews. Look at as many as you can – both positive and negative. You might find information about the venue that you never considered or even discover that some services are not what they seem.

9. Offered Services for your Wedding

You may want to ask about any services that the venue offers for wedding events. Do they have valet parking? Is there a service staff that can accommodate your guests? Will someone be available to clean up any spilled drinks or broken glass? Are there any specific requests you have for the venue to accommodate? Think about what services are important to you and make sure to ask about them!

10. Wedding Vendor Options

Some wedding locations allow you to use your own vendors, while other spaces are very particular about which companies you can and cannot use. This means that some venues will force you to use their contacts for things like:

  • Flowers
  • Catering
  • Alcohol
  • Entertainment

If you have your own vendors in mind, make sure that your wedding venue is amiable to this. 

Your wedding day is one of the happiest days of your life, so make sure that you choose the perfect place to create your best memories. If you are still looking for a venue and are looking in Crystal Lake, IL, stop by El Agave Banquets! Fill out our contact form today and schedule a tour with us. We can’t wait to hear from you.