While just about every component of a wedding is negotiable, from wearing a suit rather than a dress to discarding the florals to forgoing the cakes, there’s something you can’t miss: a venue. You have to have someplace for your family and friends to meet and celebrate. Your choice of venue is one of the important choices you make, so taking the time to explore it and ask all the correct questions goes a long way to ensure a wonderful day.

But choosing the appropriate place isn’t simple. There are many possibilities to select from, so we contacted a few wedding planners to offer their best recommendations for selecting your perfect site.

Location Accessibility

Accessibility is essential to keep in mind while searching for a wedding venue. Is it easily accessible? Does the venue offer a shuttle to get your guests to their accommodations safely? Selecting a venue that complements your theme will help your event feel more linked to the area.

Matching Your Theme

Since the wedding venue defines the event’s tone, you should have a broad theme for a wedding in mind when picking a place. For example, if you’re aiming for a rustic theme, you don’t want to host your wedding at a fancy hotel. Or if you’re holding a black-tie affair, a barn isn’t the pick. You’ll want to examine how all the components of your wedding, from the venue to the décor and meal decisions, will work together to create a coherent look and feel.

Wedding Budget

It’s critical to remember that you, as a couple, determine the total cost of your wedding, and you must establish your wedding budget. Before you begin actively looking for a wedding location, you should have discussed wedding finances with your partner and decided on a final figure and how you’re going to pay for it, whether through savings, gifts, or other means. Numerous wedding venues publish price structures on their websites, an excellent resource for finalizing your wedding budget. Don’t be afraid to ask the coordinator what weddings typically cost overall at the venue. They are a wealth of knowledge for you, and you should take advantage.

Availability

If you have your heart set on a specific date for your wedding, begin looking at venues early to boost your chances of finding a location that is still available (you can find ours here)! If your date is more variable, you should still plan well in advance, but you’ll likely have more alternatives because you’re not restricted to a particular day. Consider doing an off-day like a Thursday or Sunday for your wedding to increase the availability and usually get a pretty significant discount.

Be Attentive During Your Initial Consultation with the Venue Manager

This initial encounter is critical — we cannot emphasize this enough. From the start, a natural spark and rapport are crucial. Nothing should be too much difficulty on the most important day of your lives, and the wedding staff at the venue should sell you on this from the start. If the coordinator seems overworked, going through the motions, or simply indifferent at your initial encounter, this will often set the tone for your further interactions with them.

If you’re looking for the perfect venue in Northwest, Ohio, Everhart Gathering Place is happy to host your event for up to 325 people. Contact us today to schedule a tour!