Finding the Perfect Venue

Over the weekend I attended a beautiful wedding at the Golden Gardens Bathhouse in Seattle. Golden Gardens Park is a beautiful setting, right on the water, with sandy beaches and limitless sunshine on a day as lovely as Saturday was. The couple had a unique theme of vintage carnival games, with "pin the veil on the bride" and other fun games for both kids and adults. The venue was perfect for the theme, with aged brick walls and an open beamed ceiling. In any other space, the decorations and theme wouldn't have worked. It was the great melding of everything together that made it so fun and successful.

Finding the venue that's right for your wedding is the same thing as a sculptor finding the right piece of marble for a statue. The very first impression your guests receive of your wedding is the invitation, followed by the venue. The invitation gives them an impression of what to expect, and the venue is the first thing they see of the wedding itself.

So what do you need to look for when venue shopping? First, before you even get in the car, sit down and think about what you're looking for in a venue. Do you want it to be able to have both indoor and outdoor activities? Do you want it in a park? Do you want lots of privacy? Do you want it to have a room you can stay in your first night? What about the view? Most importantly - what's your budget? Remember that you'll have to pay taxes on your rental, so give your budget the wiggle room for that.

Write down everything that's important, but are also transferrable. Writing down "a venue with a kitchen attached directly to the main room" is going to limit what's out there.

When you do get out to look at places, keep your budget and your vision in mind. What will need to be brought in? What does the venue supply with the rental fee (like tables, chairs, and a sound system)? Will it comfortably seat all your guests? Is it relatively easy to get to? Do they have a caterer on site you have to use or can you bring in anyone? If they have exclusive caterers, do you have a minimum you have to spend?

Ask every question you can think of. And bring your planner with you - they'll be able to think of questions you wouldn't have even thought was important (like spill-over parking for guests).

Bring with you a kit to both remember the aspects of the venue and capture ideas that spark you while you're there. A camera, a sketch pad, a calculator, and a pocket measuring tape will come in more handy than you'd think.

After you've found the right place, you'll need to put down your deposit and sign the contract. Read the contract thoroughly. Don't just assume they'll supply staff to help with clean-up, if your tour-guide mentions it, make sure it's written in the contract. If it's not covered in writing, assume it's not going to happen. Make sure you get a copy of the contract right then and there to keep for your records - this is something your planner will need on hand at the wedding should something go wrong.

Give yourself some options, and keep your mind open. You can often find a venue that fits the bill in a place you didn't expect to look. Utilize your planner's knowledge of the area, and check out what bloggers in your city are saying about places they've visited. It doesn't have to be "Bridal Wars" to get the perfect venue - so be patient, be educated, and have fun.

Happy planning!
Rebekah Ross
Platinum Weddings and Events