Newly Engaged?  Congratulations!  Enjoy the thrill as long as you can but then it’s time to get busy!

Choosing an event venue will be one of the first wedding planning steps you take, so don’t be afraid to kick off your search a bit on the earlier side. Your venue will truly set the tone for so many other wedding components that it only make sense to get it booked, secured and then continue the fun.  And if you have a particular style of wedding venue in mind, the earlier the better.  The most popular places to get married typically get booked 12-18 months in advance for the prime Saturdays so the sooner you start confirming site visits, the better!

Here’s a Top Five List for getting started on your Wedding Venue search:

1.       Call Your Planner

Who better to get this party started than a professional wedding planner?!  He or she knows the wedding venues in your region.  I mean REALLY knows them!  And she has experience working with them and can diplomatically share the pros and cons of executing an event at each site. And if your planner hasn’t worked at a venue you love, don’t fret!  She will know exactly what research to do on your behalf to make sure it’s a good fit.

And if you don’t have a planner yet, searching for a venue is a great starting point for your relationship with one!

Photo Courtesy of Nancy Ray Photography

2.       Know Your Vision

Before you spend even one second in any wedding venue, spend A LOT of time perusing photos on the social media platforms of your favorites.  And don’t stop there! Check out wedding planners' and photographers' blogs as well to see real wedding photos of the venues you're most interested in visiting – this gives you a look at “real life” events that aren’t always available on the Venue’s sites.  Stay true to your desired style and if you have your heart set on rustic elegance at a barn venue, skip making appointments at the edgy, urban places with lots of modern touches.

3.       Your Guest Number

This will likely be one of the very first questions the Venue’s Sales Manager will ask.  And with good reason!  They know from experience what works best in their reception venue space and they want to save you a lot of heartache if you’re dreaming of 300 and their venue is ideal for 100.  Knowing a range of expected guests also helps you create your budget.  Dinner for 300 might not leave you much financial wiggle room to hire the wedding band you’re crazy about.  But if having that band is the end-all-be-all for you, maybe you design a more intimate reception for 75 and have an amazing night of celebration and music! Make a priority list for the “day of your dreams” and then decide what guest number works best for fulfilling your vision.

Photo Courtesy of Landon Jacob Photography

4.       Do You Have a Date in Mind?

Perhaps you may have a very specific idea of your wedding date – you want the anniversary of the day you first met or your first date, you want the same anniversary as your parents, you want Halloween so you can have a Masquerade Ball.  Every conversation with the wedding venues you are considering should begin with date availability.  And if you're not getting married on-site, check in with your place of worship first before contacting the reception venue.

If you are not emotionally attached to a particular date, great!   By being flexible, the calendar has just opened up significantly for you! Perhaps consider choosing an off-season month or less typical day of the week to secure the wedding venue of your dreams at a discounted rate. For example, you'd likely pay less for a Friday wedding in February than you would for a Saturday in June.

5.       Your Budget

Quite possibly the least favorite conversation topic in wedding planning but a necessary one!  The average cost of a wedding in North Carolina is $30,000.00 which may be exactly what you planned for or you might be in complete shock right now.  If you and your partner set a max expenditure amount for your wedding right from the beginning and then pair it with your priorities, you’ll be off to a great start. Then, when it’s time to confirm your wedding venue site visits, you’ll only see the venues that match your budget, thus saving yourself both heartache and disappointment.

Give us a shout at The Barn at Reynolda Village if this Top 5 List was helpful to you as you begin your wedding planning! We’d love to hear from you via Facebook, Instagram or our website.

Photo Courtesy of Ally & Bobby Photography