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Choosing the perfect wedding venue for your big day can be equally exciting and overwhelming! The venue you choose will be the centerpiece of your wedding and set the tone for the exciting day of celebrations ahead, so you want to make sure you pick the right location. We’ve compiled a list of best practices so you can choose the right venue for your beautiful Michigan wedding.
Start your search for a wedding venue early
Timing is absolutely crucial when securing your wedding venue—the earlier, the better. If you have a specific venue in mind or are dead set on a specific date, it’s best to try and book your wedding venue 9 months to 1 year in advance. Some venues book out even earlier than that, so start touring venues as soon as possible.
If you’re planning your wedding on a tighter schedule, fear not! There will still be plenty of options available, but in this case, it’s important to be flexible on your date. You can still get married at your dream venue if you only book 3-6 months in advance, just stay open-minded throughout the planning process. Our team at Cornman Farms can arrange your wedding in as little as 4 weeks.
Always keep your budget top of mind
It can be so easy to tour a venue, fall in love, and spend more than you intended to. Wedding venues can be costly, and the more guests you have, the more the price tag goes up.
Determine your overall wedding budget and only tour venues that comfortably fit those parameters. Prioritizing your wedding budget ensures you can remain financially comfortable after your big day.
If you want to be savvy with your budget, there are many ways to secure an affordable wedding venue without sacrificing your vision:
- Opt for a non-traditional venue like a barn wedding venue
- Consider marrying on less popular days like Thursdays or Sundays
- Negotiate your potential contract
- Cut back on guests
- Marry “off-season” during fall or winter (spring and summer are peak wedding season!)
Determine your ideal location
There are many factors to consider when choosing the location for your wedding venue. At the end of the day, what matters the most is your happiness with the venue, but you should also consider:
- Accessibility for guests that have disabilities
- Proximity to the nearest airports and transportation hubs for guests who travel in
- Overnight accommodations for out-of-town guests
Your ideal venue should accommodate everyone—to an extent. If one guest plans to drive 12 hours to the location, but everyone else is local, you shouldn’t feel obligated to alter your plans. But keep the surrounding area in mind so your guests can have the best possible experience.
Calculate your guest count
The number of guests you want to include in your wedding will drastically impact the venues available to you. You can’t cram 150 people in a space meant for 75! That would be both illegal and very uncomfortable for your guests.
If you’re unsure of the exact guest count, use a generous estimate when researching and touring wedding venues. The number of guests you have will also drastically impact the total cost of your wedding. You might go into the planning process calculating for 125 guests but later decide that a more intimate wedding venue for 60 people would be best for your budget and wedding day vision.
Amenities, amenities, amenities
Many wedding venues will have packages that include a variety of amenities. For example, a wedding at Cornman Farms includes:
- Getting-ready space
- Ceremony set up
- Tables, chairs, and linens
- Non-alcoholic beverages
- Wedding cake
- Event producer, and more!
Not having to budget for those items gives you the opportunity to spend more in other areas like flowers or decor.
If you and your partner want a ‘one and done’ venue, look for an all-inclusive wedding package. It’ll be more money upfront, but likely a better value (and less stress coordinating) in the long run.
Hire a wedding coordinator or wedding planner
With many venue packages, a wedding coordinator is included in the price. Wedding coordinators and planners make the wedding planning process easy and as stress-free as possible. If you are planning a wedding out of state, hiring a wedding planner may save you some trips back and forth.
Take the stress out of wedding planning
A wedding at Zingerman’s Cornman Farms is the perfect opening chapter to your forever love story. Our team makes the process stress-free and enjoyable from start to finish so you can enjoy every moment of your wedding. Learn more about our barn wedding packages and tour our beautiful Michigan wedding venue today.