Congratulations, you’re engaged! Now it’s time to embark on your wedding planning journey. Wedding planning is a ton of work. It can leave you overwhelmed. There are just so many choices to be made. Choices like the perfect wedding venue.
Your wedding venue is, arguably, one of the most important elements of your wedding day. It determines everything about your wedding day, from the theme and styling to your wedding location, even down to wedding photography. To help with the perfect wedding venue search, we’ve put together a guide to choosing the perfect wedding venue.
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Does that fancy hotel fit into your budget?
Of course, this definitely had to be the first on the list. It all comes down to your budget. Paying for a venue would most likely take up a bulk of your budget.

Before selecting a venue, review your finances then ask yourself; Can I really afford this? If you can’t, look at more affordable venues. Selecting a venue first without doing the calculations, would leave you disappointed. Also, be sure to check for off-season prices and available discounts.
How many guests are you expecting?
Now, this is another important criteria to get right. Know what you are working with.

Every wedding venue has a capacity, one that is not usually flexible. The size of your guest list will determine the type of venue you need. Come up with an estimated number of guests if you haven’t made a guest list, so you don’t book a venue that is too large or too small.
The last thing you’ll want to do is to book a venue with 150-guest capacity only to realize you’re expecting 300 guests. This would also help you break down your budget.
Perfect Wedding Venue Location, Location, Location
Yes, your wedding day should be all about you and what you want but you should also consider your guests too. I’m sure you have people whose absence you can’t imagine at your wedding.

Think about the accessibility of your venue. Your location can put your guests off attending your wedding. The wedding ceremony and reception venues shouldn’t be hours apart.
Your guests are part of your big day and play an important role in making your wedding a memorable one.
What’s your wedding theme?
You can always decorate your venue according to the preferred style you’re going for, but the theme kind of starts and ends with the venue.

Decide on your wedding theme and style. Formal or Informal? Fairytale or Vintage? This would enable you to narrow down your list of potential venues. Roughly speaking, for a formal ceremony, a hotel is a great option. For an informal ceremony, it’ll be better to go with celebrating in a park or backyard. Checkout our recommended floral designers and wedding decorators that can help transform your wedding venue once you’ve decided on your wedding theme and style.
Be clear on what’s included
Before making your final decision, you need to be clear on what’s included in your venue hire.

Confirm if they offer full wedding services, additional fees, e.t.c. This is to avoid any hidden costs to the venue. Also, remember to include tax and gratuity in your maths.
Does the venue feel right to you?
It’s your special day. Choose a space and decor that is a representation of who you are. The wedding theme, wedding decor, ambiance should all align with your personality. You should be able to envisage yourself getting married there.

Have you decided on your wedding venue yet, where are you getting married? Tell us why you chose the wedding venue and what you like about it in the comments box below?