4 Ways to Ruin Your Wedding Day With the Wrong Venue

Congratulations on your engagement! Now that you’ve decided who you want to file taxes jointly with for the rest of your life, it’s time to work out the logistic for your big day. One of the first tasks in your wedding plans to ensure your day is perfect is to review event venues and select the perfect spot for your ceremony and reception. Here are a few common mistakes to avoid while looking for unique wedding places for your special day:

• Choosing a venue before you settle on the guest list. The venue you choose should be contingent on the size of the wedding you’re going to have. The last thing you want is to find the perfect wedding location, make the non-refundable deposit, and then realize that your guest list is too big for the venue to accommodate. Start by doing a quick headcount. On average, 10% to 20% of the invited guests will decline, so it’s probably okay to go with a venue that accommodates as much as 10% less than your guest list.
• Settling on a wedding date before you find a venue. The best venues get booked a year of more in advance. If you have some flexibility with your wedding date, you’ll have a better chance of landing the wedding spot of your dreams. It’s a good idea to make a guest list, find a venue, and then choose the wedding date based on the venue’s availability, in that order.
• Choosing a venue that doesn’t provide a setting for great photos.
  Your wedding photos are arguably the only part of your wedding (aside from your marriage itself) that will last the rest of your life. Having great wedding photos is the only way to commemorate the beauty of your wedding day. The most unique wedding places have a scenic view or beautiful setting to make your wedding photos perfect. You can trek your wedding party to another location for photos, but this takes time away from your celebration and requires transportation logistics. Plus, your favorite photos are probably not going to be the posed ones. The photos you cherish are going to be the candid pictures throughout the festivities: your first dance, the flower girl falling asleep, and the father-of-the-bride laughing with the groom. These pictures will only be taken in a beautiful setting if you choose a beautiful setting for your wedding venue.
• Not having a backup plan for your outdoor wedding. Many cultures believe that rain on your wedding day is a sign of good luck. You won’t think it is good luck if it means your dress, guests, and dinner are soggy though. While some of the most beautiful and enjoyable weddings are held outdoors, you should make sure to have a place to go in case of poor weather. Many unique wedding places also provide a contingency plan for inclement weather; just make sure you check before you book your venue.

Are you planning a wedding? What are you looking for in a venue? Do you have any tips for other brides and grooms that we didn’t mention? Please leave us a comment below!