After getting engaged, one of the first things on your to-do list is searching for a wedding venue. The excitement is real… but if can be challenging if you jump the gun!
Saphire Event Group has been an expert in the wedding industry for over 45 years. With four exclusive wedding venues on Massachusetts’ South Shore — Saphire Estate, Avenir, The Villa, and our newest addition, Lakeside, we’ve helped thousands of couples navigate their wedding-venue search, and have also seen couples unintentionally make the process more challenging than it needs to be.
Here are the five biggest mistakes couples make when searching for a wedding venue, and how to easily avoid them for a stress-free experience choosing the venue of your dreams.
1. Touring Too Many Wedding Venues
Gone are the days where you need to tour 10-15 wedding venues to find the perfect backdrop to say “I do”. With a little bit of online research, you can narrow down your list to 3-4 venues based on location, guest count, budget, and season, to find a spectacular venue!
We recommend using wedding-planning resources such as Wedding Wire or The Knot to start your search for an incredible venue.
These sites allow you to narrow down your search based on details such as your guest count, location and venue type. Another perk of using these types of wedding-planning resources is that they suggest other vendors like photographers, DJs, bakeries, officiants and so much more — making checking off your to-do list that much easier.
Social media is another amazing resource to find breath-taking wedding venues. Platforms such as Instagram and TikTok give a behind-the-scenes look into venues and their teams, which can help you visualize what your experience will be like and who you’ll be working with.
2. Thinking Your Wedding Needs to Be on a Saturday
Saturdays are the most popular day to have a wedding for a few reasons. Most of your guests will have the day off from work which means they have the entire day to get ready and travel. They’ll also have the Sunday after to recover from your unforgettable wedding night.
However, Friday weddings have so many perks, and should definitely be considered in your venue search! For starters, a Friday wedding allows your guests to still enjoy the rest of their weekend. This is especially nice for those who’ve traveled from out of state to attend your wedding. A Friday wedding also gives you the chance to spend the rest of your weekend with these guests who’ve traveled for your big day.
Another amazing reason why Friday weddings should be considered is the cost. Typically wedding vendors have rental fees and minimums which you’ll most likely save on with a Friday wedding.
3. Picking Your Date Before Finding Your Wedding Venue
The third mistake to avoid while searching for a wedding venue is having one specific date in mind for your wedding day. By doing so, you could be setting yourself up for potential disappointment if your dream venue is booked for that date.
We suggest having a specific season and day of the week in mind when touring venues, as this will allow the venue to work with you to find you a date that’s perfect for your special day.
4. Not Knowing Your Budget
Having a budget and guest count in mind is essential when choosing a wedding venue.
Why spend your time touring a venue that is out of your budget, when you could spend your time wisely, touring gorgeous venues that are in your price range and will exceed your expectations!
Before beginning your venue search, it’s important to sit down with those who will be contributing financially to your wedding and discuss the budget. Once you have your budget in place, you can decide on a realistic guest count.
5. Worrying About What Other People Think
What is most important to you for your wedding day? Is it to wear a wedding dress that you’ve had your eye on for years? Have you always wanted to tie the knot on a tropical white sands beach? Is having your closest friends and families celebrating with you what matters most to you? Whatever your dream wedding entails, try not to let other people’s opinions deter you from having the wedding you truly want. It’s your day after all!
Searching for your wedding venue doesn’t have to be stressful! With an open mindset and a little bit of research, you can find the perfect venue to throw the wedding celebration you’ve envisioned.
Are you searching for a gorgeous New England wedding venue to say “I do”? Click here to learn about our four spectacular Massachusetts wedding venues.
