How to Choose a Wedding Venue in Texas
Are you one of the 41.5% of couples who postponed their wedding due to the uncertainties of 2020 or have you just got engaged? Either way now is the perfect time to start planning the wedding of your dreams.
When you book your wedding venue and start planning early, you’re assured of much less stress as your wedding approaches.
Here are our best tips on picking the perfect wedding venue for your big day.
Pick a Location for Your Wedding Venue
Traditionally, weddings were always held in the bride’s home town, but nowadays you can host your wedding reception anywhere. The groom’s home town might be a better option for some, or maybe you’ve got your heart set on tying the knot in Texas.
There are a few reasons why Texas is the ideal place to say your vows.
Texas is full of pretty places and small towns with a friendly atmosphere and the weather’s mild year-round in this part of the world, with an average daytime temperature of 60° F.
The northern panhandle of Texas can get cold in winter, but skies are generally clear in areas with a semi-arid climate.
Wherever you choose to get married in Texas you’re bound to find plenty of accommodation for your guests nearby. There are also many exciting and entertaining activities to keep them busy before and after your celebrations.
Texas is an affordable wedding destination since low taxes mean businesses can pass their savings on to their clients.
Once you’ve decided on a general area in this lovely state, you can start planning your wedding in greater detail.
Budgeting for Your Big Day
Budget’s a significant concern for any couple and it impacts every aspect of your wedding planning. So, it’s the starting point for all your wedding aspirations.
Often, family members will contribute toward a wedding in place of a wedding gift, or according to tradition. Chat with all the parties involved so you can come up with a final figure for your budget at the outset.
Your wedding venue and catering will take up about half your budget, so set aside 50% of the total towards these major items. Often, hiring an all-inclusive wedding venue works out cheaper than paying per head or arranging outside caterers.
With your budget firmly in mind, start an internet search in your area of interest and start enquiring about prices for the venues you like. Try to get a price list for all their services rather than an estimate based on a particular number of guests.
Start Working on Your Guest List
Armed with your price lists from preferred providers you can start working on your guest list in earnest. Make sure you involve both families in compiling your list. You don’t want to start married life by upsetting your in-laws.
Be sure to highlight any not-negotiable guests on both sides of the family tree before you start the next phase.
Once you’ve got a preliminary list, you can start working out costs based on the price lists you have.
There’s a good chance you’ll need to trim your list according to your budget. Remember, most wedding venues have a maximum guest count too, so keep this in mind while working on your list.
You’re bound to go through many revisions before you settle on a final list that works with your budget and your list of venues.
Prioritize Your Wish Lists
Everyone has preconceived ideas of what they want for their wedding day. Chat with your partner about their priorities and come up with a list of three things you agree on.
Some of these items could include outdoor space for the ceremony, nearby accommodation for your guests, a variety of venues to choose from, or flexible catering options.
Based on these priorities, you can narrow down your final list of venues even more and come up with a proposed date for your big day.
Get in Touch With the Venues
By the time you’ve completed all the above steps, you’ve probably got a list of questions concerning your proposed wedding venues.
Now that you’ve got answers to the most common questions they’re likely to ask, you can get in touch and start planning in earnest.
They can offer clarity on their maximum capacity, availability of dates, and any extra costs. Most importantly, this initial contact will reveal the venue’s level of courtesy and helpfulness toward their clients.
If you like what you hear, you can draw up a shortlist of venues that meet your needs and book a site visit with each of them.
Visit The Wedding Venues
Apart from your actual wedding, visiting the various venues on your list is the best part of the process. During this exercise, you’ll get an overall feel of the venue and get to meet the people you’ll work with while planning your celebration.
It’s important to remember that each venue will look very different in it’s ‘naked’ state compared to when it’s set up for an event. Most venues will have a portfolio of previous events to help you visualize what they can offer.
An experienced event coordinator can offer you much-needed advice regarding every aspect of your wedding reception, so be sure to ask loads of questions. Most importantly, discuss their terms and conditions regarding payment while you’re there.
If you have any budget concerns, speak to the event coordinator, they might have some recommendations on how to cut down your costs.
Don’t fall in love with the first venue you see. Be sure to visit them all and decide on the final one as a couple. Once you’ve made the big decision, book your venue and pay your deposit right away.
Start Planning the Perfect Texas Wedding
If you’d like to enjoy a small-town wedding with all the mod cons at your disposal, Midlothian’s the perfect town for you, located just 25 miles from Dallas.
Our Midlothian Conference Center and wedding venue boast all the amenities you desire, a wide choice of function halls, and a hotel on-site for your convenience.
Get in touch today and start planning your dream wedding near Dallas, TX.