Venues

What to Consider When Booking Your Dallas Wedding Venue

October 16

Are you ready to secure your spot at a captivating Dallas wedding venue? There is no such thing as booking a venue too early. This part of wedding planning is one of the most exciting for a happy couple to participate in, and we are here to help! Read on as we give you a set of steps you can follow to make this process simple and enjoyable.

Photo // Charla Storey Photography, Nasher Sculpture Center

Set your Budget

The first thing to do, before getting your hearts set on any venue, is to establish a budget. This step can narrow down your search pool to practical choices as well as saving you from heart ache. Without a budget put in place, you can fall in love with a venue that is not within your financial plans. Save yourself from heart break and set a realistic budget from the start!

Pick the Whereabouts

Pick the location where you both picture yourself getting married. Is this love affair taking place at an exotic, faraway setting or a local, romantic site? While making this decision, take into consideration the different planning and arrangements processes that each require. Discover which process you are more comfortable with as a couple, once that is done the dream venue begins to become clearer.

Estimate a Head Count

Before selecting a venue, you need to lock in on a number of guests that you are expecting to host. This piece of information can give you an idea of how large of a site you will need to be looking for. You want to avoid any venue that is not big enough for your number, as well as any that are too large. This approximation of guests will hone in on the venues that will comfortably fit your family and friends, without a tight squeeze or empty feel.

Choose a Time of Year

Do you picture walking down the aisle in the golden autumn or the radiant summer? The time of year has multiple effect on your wedding’s theme. This can range from color scheme, type of flowers, wedding dress style, and an indoor or outdoor ceremony. With all of these factors, picking when you want your special day helps a couple find a venue with availability during the proper time of year.

Tour Venues in Person

This part is extremely important. Once you have your sights set on a venue, meet the staff and tour the place in person. By going to tour the venue in person, you are able to make multiple observations about the setting that can help you make your decision. This allows you to experience the energy and atmosphere of the venue, something that cannot be observed through merely a gallery of pictures. Most importantly, you need to be comfortable with not only the appeal and representation of the site, but also the staff. Pay attention to their friendliness, you don’t want a team that is pressuring you into booking their venue. Instead, you want people that simply want to assist you on creating your dream wedding. These are the people that are going to be with you on your special day, you need to like them and their communication process.

Consider a Guest’s Point of View

Part of your due diligence is to think about your guests’ convenience. Walking in their shoes while making your final decisions will give you a new perspective on the venue. Pay attention to the number of bathrooms provided, if it is handicap accessible, and if the directions to the venue are easy to follow. This perspective is something that all of your guests will encounter on the day of the event, so it is a great thing to examine.

Ask Ask Ask!

Our final piece of advice for you is to not be afraid to ask questions. Once you have fallen in love with a venue it is important to know what you are committing to, so ask away! We have provided you with some popular and essential questions to ask the venue so you can make sure that they can accomplish exactly what you are envisioning.

1. How long is the space available for the day we have selected?
2. Are there any décor or noise restrictions that we must comply to?
3. Do you have a backup plan for unexpected weather?
4. Do we have to use your approved vendors, or can we use any vendors we wish?
5. Do different days of the week vary in rates?
6. Are there any additional fees I am unaware of?
7. Who will be my main point of contact?