Why is it so popular to get married on a green lawn in the scorching summer heat? I will never understand. While I do enjoy a nice wooded area it is astonishing to me the prices people pay to rent a yard. I’ve seen brides with grass stained and muddy dress trains which is baffling with how expensive they are. Do you envision a fully indoor wedding or an outdoor wedding? Searching for venues can be frustrating and overwhelming, so before starting your search make a list of non-negotiable items. Even if some seem like a basic request, always ask, never assume. For instance, parking may seem like a simple request but some venues will expect guests to use a parking garage several blocks away or fight for street/neighborhood parking.
Our Venue Expectations
- Indoor Ceremony
- Indoor Reception
- On-site Parking
- Real Bathrooms
- Bridal Suite with a bathroom
- BYO Caterer*
- BYO Cake/Dessert
*The only item we compromised on was bringing in an outdoor caterer because it ended up being too expensive for the venues that allowed them.
Transparency is something that really gives me the ick especially when you are spending a large amount of money on a wedding venue. Most venue websites will give you a little bit of information and make you request for prices and a list of inclusions. Most of my inquires ended once the pricing was sent because they were out of my budget or they were missing a critical item on my list. I understand wanting to gather data on customers but does it really help when customers cannot see if the venue aligns with their vision? Plus, some take days to get their brochure to you which in my case came after I already committed to another venue.
Here Come the Guide is a tool that combated this as it gives an outline of a rough estimate in pricing, amenities and most of the answers that venue websites lack. Not every venue is on this site but they do have a lot on there: you can even refine your search by the type of location you are looking for a: barn, outdoors, indoors, unique or inclusive location.
Do it yourself may seem like a cheaper alternative but unless you own your own location, once you do the math it will turn out being more expensive than an inclusive venue. Things that are often forgotten is that a barn venue may be just renting the barn itself. You’d need to purchase/rent tables, chairs, linens, cups, plates, silverware, bathrooms, and more. With the space rental they may require you to purchase insurance, hire security, and that you hire a specific wedding planner or coordinator.
Our search came down to two venues, one was a raw indoor venue and the other was inclusive. Shockingly, the inclusive venue which came with less hassle ended up being cheaper than the raw venue rental that required us pay an extra fee to rent the tables and chairs they had on site. The final straw was finding out that the raw venue did not provide trash cans, you were expected to bring your own. When we asked our actual venue if they provided the trash cans they looked at us like we had two heads.
MaddieAutumn 
Loved how honestly you shared the behind-the-scenes struggles of wedding planning. It’s refreshing and super helpful for brides navigating the same journey!
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