If I were being completely honest with you all – choosing our wedding venue was one of the most stressful parts of the wedding planning process for Brian & I. Being in the industry, I knew of all the venues around Grand Rapids which made it easier in regards to knowing what I wanted, but also difficult because the church we wanted to get married in was 45 minutes away. One thing we learned very quickly (thanks to our amazing parents and friends advice) was to do “what WE wanted”. There is no way to please every single person, ever. No matter what you do! So, we had our ceremony location 45 minutes away from our reception venue and guess what?! It WORKED!! &  It was OUR DREAM STYLE/VENUE!! I fell in love with the Goei Center for so many reasons, but especially because it fit my vision and theme for our dream wedding day.With all this being said, it leads me into my first tip for finding your wedding venue…

1. Always stay true to you and your fiancé while planning your wedding. Make your wedding day about the two of you!! If you’re an outdoorsy couple – have your ceremony in the woods. If you fall in love with a white walled church, book it even if it’s not “your home church”. If your favorite season is winter, then enjoy a winter wedding! These are just a couple examples and I could go on and on. Go against the grain, do what YOU want, and have a wedding that represents you, your fiancé, & your love story!
2. Estimate your guest list and budget. You will quickly realize how every single person you’ve talked to is right. Weddings are expensive!! 😉 Find a venue that fits into your budget and if you found your dream venue, but it is a little out of budget, consider re-evaluating your guest list and not inviting people you have not talked to in years.
3. Consider your wedding style. This is important because your venue should fit into your theme. There are so many great styles to consider; rustic, formal, low-key, vintage or even a black tie affair, etc. However to get started, consider whether you want a traditional or non-traditional venue. There are plenty of venues that specialize in hosting weddings — even barns and golf courses! — but if you opt for a non-traditional venue that’s not equipped to host a wedding (such as your grandparent’s backyard), you’ll be responsible for a lot more details. Wedding-ready venues often have tables, chairs, and linens available for your use and, more importantly, a clean-up crew on hand. If you’re renting out a non-traditional space, remember to factor in all of those details and make sure they are in your budget.
4. Think about how much control you’ll want to have over your wedding’s decor and details Be sure to find out what each venue provides (tables, chairs, linen, silverware, glasses, etc), and ask if the venue has any vendor restrictions, and decide whether or not you can be happy with those options. If you don’t love the chair they provide, most venues don’t mind if you hire a rental company to replace them for the day if that’s important to you.
5. Consider your catering needs Not every venue will allow you to bring in your own caterer, and some may require you to choose from in-house catering menus. It is important to decide which is best for you. You may also have to go with the venue’s preferred caterers, meaning you will have a limited selection. Another note – some venues will allow you to bring in your own cake, but often charge a cake-cutting fee.
6. Set up a site tour with your potential venues and meet with their coordinator. Brian & I set up multiple venue tours so we could compare each venue and decide which one worked best for our needs. This was so helpful because we could hear what each venue had to offer. Meeting with the coordinator is very important too. They are extremely helpful in answering any question you may have! Once booked, most venue coordinators assist in making your day the best it can be! They answer questions about decorating, details, the best way to set up the room, vendor recommendations, floor plans, and anything else you may need! Speaking from experience, it is SO helpful to do a couple site tours of your venue just so you can refresh your mind and envision the layout for all your table set-ups, decorations, etc. I am a visual person (if you couldn’t tell) so this was a must for me!
7. Now, you’re ready to go ahead and BOOK your DREAM venue! 🙂 

xo,