Photos on thumbnail courtesy of Ama by Aisha #amabyclaudia.

We’ve said it many times before across previous blog posts, but one task you’ll definitely want to complete early on in the planning process is finalizing your wedding venue selection! Yes, you’ll want to celebrate the exciting news with an engagement party, start thinking about a date for the big day and even get a general budget established first. However, shortly after those items are completed, it will be time to direct your focus to the wedding venue that will serve as the backdrop for your wedding day.

Especially in some of the bigger markets (like Houston, TX), you’ll notice that there will be plenty of potential wedding venues and vendors to consider. Whether it be photographers, caterers, florists or anyone else involved in the wedding world, you’ll want to take your time to ensure you hire the right companies for your vendor dream team! Likewise, while it’s certainly great to have more than a few options to choose from, it can also seem a little overwhelming in the early stages and the last thing you want is “stress” while you’re planning this special day!

With that all being said, in this week’s blog post, we’ll be providing engaged couples with some tips for narrowing down their wedding venue possibilities. Unsurprisingly, the venue you select is a major component of the overall wedding celebration, so you’ll want to make sure to book a venue that you’re absolutely happy with!

Basic Details

Before you even add a venue to your list of finalists, you’ll want to confirm some of the basic (yet essential) details! So…while you’re browsing through possible venues in the area where you plan on tying the knot, it wouldn’t hurt to send them a quick message to check on these particular pieces of information. First, there is pricing. With your budget for the wedding hopefully already having been somewhat established, you’ll want to see what their pricing for different packages looks like. Keep in mind that some venues may offer all-inclusive packages, so be sure to take that into consideration as well. Nonetheless, you’ll want to confirm that it aligns with the budgetary numbers you’ve set. Second, you’ll want to check on availability. Venues can book up months (or even over a year) in-advance. So if you already have a specific date locked in, make sure the venue is available. Third, you’ll want to take into account the location of the venue. Particularly for couples with more out-of-town guests, you may want to consider location and if there is a hotel nearby or if any transportation will need to be planned for. All in all, while those will likely all seem to be pretty straightforward, it is a great way to narrow down your list of possible options!

Utilize Social Media

While there are a number of factors to consider in your venue search (many of which will be discussed throughout this blog post), you can’t ignore the visual aspect of wedding venues. After all, you’re going to want one that truly catches your eye, right? Having said that (aside from actually seeing the venue in-person), the perfect way to determine if a venue is right for you and your partner is by checking out photos from past weddings held there. Even though not every wedding venue/vendor is going to be active on social media, you’ll notice that quite a few of them are!

With that being said, take the time to scroll through their social media feeds. This is something that you can do from the comfort of your own home and can also share possible options with friends and family easily. In the end, it’s an easy way to get a peek of the getting ready suites, ceremony space, reception area and everything else included with that venue.

Emphasize Reviews

Without a doubt, beautiful pictures can say a lot about a wedding venue. That should come as no surprise! However, there are other things that you might want to consider before finalizing your venue selection. And when it comes to the preliminary stages of your venue search, it wouldn’t hurt to also read through past customer reviews. Whether it be on Google, The Knot, Wedding Wire or anywhere else, reviews can be quite helpful! This is yet another first-hand example of how the wedding planning process has continued to become more and more digital.

In terms of online reviews, you’ll simply want to read through some of them and see what qualities they emphasize. Do they mention the team members at the venue any or talk about their experience tying the knot at that particular venue? If it was a positive experience, that’s definitely a plus! After all, remember in the opening section when I mentioned the importance of a stress-free wedding planning experience. Another question worth asking yourself is what other aspects of the venue do the reviews highlight?

Already Booked Any Other Vendors?

While we typically recommend booking your wedding venue first, there is a chance that you may already know of another vendor that you’ll definitely be using before that. If this is the case, then it wouldn’t hurt to ask them about different venues that they’ve worked with previously. This can be a great source of information and help you in the venue selection process!

Before we move on to the next point, I did want to mention that once you have your wedding venue finalized, the same strategy we just mentioned can also be used here. So…if you have your wedding venue booked and are unsure of reliable local photographers to hire, ask your coordinator at the venue. They can likely provide you with a few options that they’ve previously worked with!

Schedule Tours

At the end of the day, there is only one way to know for sure whether or not a venue is “the one” and that happens to be by seeing it in-person. Assuming a particular venue checks most of the boxes mentioned above and has truly caught your eye, it’s time to schedule some tours. By doing so, you’ll have the opportunity to see the space, as well as meet with a member of their team. This can help in asking any questions you may have and also receiving an official estimate for your big day. We hope you enjoyed this blog post and feel a little more comfortable with browsing through various wedding venues before ultimately deciding on the one for your wedding.

Tie the Knot at Madera Estates

If this is your first time visiting our wedding blog, welcome to Madera Estates! As a luxury wedding venue and event space in Conroe, TX, our team is honored to have been a part of hundreds of amazing weddings over the years. Here on our wedding blog, we enjoy sharing tips for engaged couples as they look to plan each detail of their dream wedding day. There are a number of to-do’s that you’ll complete along the way, but we’re sure you’ll absolutely love the entire process.

For those of you who are engaged and planning a wedding near the Houston area, we would love to show you around our venue. If you’re interested in learning more, you’re welcome to click HERE to request a copy of our Investment Guide, which contains information and details about our venue!