5 Must-Do's Before Booking Your Wedding Venue
If you’re recently engaged, you’ve probably started thinking about booking your wedding venue! This is such an exciting time in the planning process since you’ll have the opportunity to tour different venues and determine the vibe you want your day to have. But first, there are some essential must-do’s!
As wedding planners, we understand that booking your wedding venue is a significant financial commitment. So before you pull the trigger, we want you to be as well-informed as possible! If you and your partner feel ready to take this step, here are five items to make sure you’ve checked off your to-do list.
What to Do Before Booking Your Wedding Venue
Talk it Out
Plan an at-home date night with your partner! Grab some wine and charcuterie, get cozy on the couch, and talk over your dreams and visions for your wedding day. It’s possible that what you’re envisioning will look VERY different at first—and that’s okay! Start by identifying your top three priorities. It’s possible that what you want isn’t as incompatible as you think or that you can work out a compromise.
Be respectful of each other’s wishes. Remember that this isn’t just YOUR wedding day—it’s your partner’s, too! Throughout the remainder of the planning process, think back to this night and remember what your priorities are. It’s so easy to get caught up in planning that you forget about what you *really* want as a couple!
In addition, discuss finances. Will you two be paying for this on your own, or is someone else contributing? Discuss your financial comfort zone and how you will budget for the big day together.
Contact a Wedding Planner
So many couples skip this step, making planning more of a headache than it has to be! Even if you’re considering wedding day management over full-service planning, now is the time to get in touch with a professional. Having them in your back pocket from the get-go will save you time, money, and unnecessary stress!
You’ll have someone to advocate for you, present you with vendors that fit your financial comfort zone and curate a day that is 100% customized to you as a couple. Meanwhile, you’ll have the luxury of enjoying your engagement instead of spending all your free time wrangling emails and quotes!
Did you know that Weddings with Verve offers a unique way to manage your planning? Our couples can book with us to kickstart the planning process, then scale to a day-of package down the road. This way, their investment is more manageable, and they get off to a great start with professional assistance! We’re in your corner no matter what kind of service you require for your New Jersey wedding.
Create Your Guest List
Before booking or scheduling a discovery call with a venue, create your guest list! This is crucial because the number of guests you invite will directly determine which venues are available to you. The last thing you want to do is fall in love with a location only to discover that it can’t accommodate your guests!
The number of guests you invite will also have the most significant impact on your budget. You can count on adding another table for every eight guests, which means additional linens, chairs, centerpieces, menus…you get the picture! Cutting just one table can save you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. So, take a close look at your budget and guest list before committing to a venue. You may find that your options are less overwhelming than you had anticipated!
Choose a General Location
Will you get married in one of your hometowns or the city where you met? Or, maybe you’re more interested in a destination wedding. Either way, consider how many of your guests will be driving versus flying (and how far). If most of your guests will be flying, try to choose a venue near at least one major airport.
Another consideration is lodging. Are there multiple hotels to choose from in the area surrounding your venue? If your ceremony and reception will be in separate locations, how will your guests travel between them? If it turns out that it’s necessary to provide transportation for your guests, you will need to factor it into your budget.
Choose a Season
Weather isn’t the only consideration when choosing a season for your wedding. It’s also important to factor in your occupation and lifestyle! For example, if you or your partner teaches, then a summer wedding may be the most sensible to avoid using PTO. But if you’re flexible, a winter wedding is a great way to take advantage of lower rates. We LOVE weddings in early-to-mid December when prices are already dropping, but New Jersey weather is still mild!
Once you and your partner have these points sorted out, it’s time to begin your venue research! But instead of flying blind, you’ll be prepared with locations to look at, the time of year you want to book, an established financial comfort zone, and an approximate guest count. That way, when you speak with a venue coordinator, they can give you an accurate quote—and you’ll have peace of mind knowing their space already works for your guest count and vision!
Ready to get in touch with a planner? Our team can’t wait to work with you to plan your New Jersey wedding! Just give us the lowdown on you and your partner, and we’ll be in touch before you can say, “I do!”
