Ask a Planner: How to find the perfect wedding venue

Photo by Beth LaDuca

We know that if you’re planning a 2021 wedding and looking for a wedding venue, it’s hard to find something with availability because of events rescheduled due to covid-19, especially in urban areas like NYC or Boston. Today we’re sharing a step-by-step process with you for how to find a wedding venue you love!

First, make a list of your must-haves for your wedding venue. This is how we start any type of search here at Brilliant Event Planning, not just venue searches! Your wedding venue is no different. When you make this list, think about what you absolutely cannot imagine your wedding day without. Some examples of things to consider are your guest count, whether or not you want to have outdoor space, the overall vibe of the wedding venue, and whether or not you need to bring your own caterer, among other things.

Once you have this list, start making a list of all of the venues that meet this criteria in the general area you’re considering getting married. Be generous with the search radius. For example, if you’re looking for a Boston wedding venue, think about why you’re looking for a wedding venue in downtown Boston. If it’s for the urban setting, consider other urban areas along the coast in addition to Boston. If it’s for convenience, open your search to any area that is short drive or accessible by public transportation from Boston’s Logan airport. Aside from being generous with your location criteria, don’t worry about anything else besides the “must-have” list. When you’ve finished, look at the list - your wedding venue is on this list.

The next important criteria is your date. For 2021, we recommend keeping an open mind. In New England, July and August weddings, as well as winter weddings, tend to be less popular. We know your dream might have been a Saturday, but look back to your absolute must-haves. What a Saturday on that list? Venues tend to have significantly more Fridays and Sundays available. And not only is there more availability, you might be able to have your wedding at a venue you couldn’t otherwise afford if you are open to off-peak season or non-Saturday dates. Eliminate the venues that don’t have availability on dates that would work for you.

Now, it’s time to look at your budget. Your wedding venue, including food and beverage, should come to about 50% of your overall wedding budget. When you’re crunching numbers, make sure to include administrative fees (at NYC and Boston wedding venues these tend to be anywhere from 15-25%), taxes, and hidden fees like bar tending fees, coat check, and more. Any venue that is going to eat up more than 50% of your budget should be crossed off of your list.

At this point, your list should be significantly shorter. You will likely have to compromise on something. Do not compromise on the rain plan and do not compromise on capacity. After a year of no social plans, your guests are going to want to PARTY next year and we anticipate slightly higher RSVP rates than usual. If the cocktail hour space isn’t perfect, don’t worry about it - you’re in cocktail hour for an hour and, realistically, people will be focused on the food and bar.

Once you have a narrowed down list, it’s time to go for site visits and choose your favorite wedding venue!