Wedding Series: Venue

If you don't know already, I am recently engaged! My boyfriend proposed to me on Valentine's day (my favorite holiday) I am elated and so excited to start planning this magical day! I definitely felt overwhelmed the first few weeks, between everyone's questions and my own thoughts of how we are going to pull this off, but all in all it's been an amazing time!

Every book, magazine, blog, and person basically tells you to start with the venue before you do anything else. I agree with that and even more so with drafting a budget before you think about anything. Having a budget that you and your future spouse agree on is key. And if any family plans to contribute, that's even better! My dear co-worker who recently planned her wedding was nice enough to share with me her wedding budget template. It was great because it included so many extra things I wasn't thinking of. Some of these things included; Wedding Insurance, Tips for vendors, Bridal accessories, Gifts for family, State Sales Tax/Gratuity, etc. Once that's agreed upon, start the search!

I had a few venues in mind when I started thinking about our wedding, specifically in the southeastern part of CT, near Mystic. I immediately started reaching out to venues to inquire on pricing details. I was surprised to see that some venues have required caterers you can only choose from, which can effect your budget. One venue I was in love with was set up like this- once I reached out to the caterers (which will be the most expensive part of your wedding) I realized this location was not meant to be. The good news is that after chatting with one of the caterers, she gave me a name of a venue I've never heard of that might fit the vibe I was going for. That new venue she mentioned, happens to be where we picked to have our wedding! With that said, if it wasn't for me reaching out to the caterer, I would have never have found my current venue!

Another thing to keep in mind for your venue is a site fee, if you are planning to have an outdoor wedding, that is one expense you can expect. When visiting venues, don't be afraid to ask questions! I saw some venues state they spray for bugs, which I would have never thought of. 

I hope you find this post and my future wedding posts helpful if you're planning a wedding or about to be engaged! I'd be happy to share any templates with future brides!

And if you're wondering where we chose to have our wedding, we picked Smith Farm Gardens. A beautiful property in East Haddam, CT with a newly restored home and organic farm & orchard, perfect for any celebration!