Your venue is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for your Austin, Texas wedding day. After all, you need a location that feels right, reflects your relationship, and caters to your needs. You’re asking a lot of your wedding venue, and you need to know how to seek out the best wedding venues in Austin, Texas for the job.
This blog post will give you insight into how I help my couples choose the perfect place to write their wedding day love story in Austin. Read to learn my methods and strategies, or head to the bottom of the post to discover more about my new venue research service— this means you don’t need to know how to pick your venue, just when to say yes to the right one!
Decide on your venue must-haves
My biggest tip for making any wedding-related decisions is to map things out. Ask yourself questions, write notes, and have open discussions.
Whether it’s with your partner or planner (I recommend both!), decide on what your venue 100% must-have (the never-ever compromising stuff) and the things you’re willing to be lenient on (maybe it won’t be so bad if your cute puppy dogs can’t be part of the special day).
Things to consider when establishing your venue must-haves:
- Are you looking for outdoor or indoor wedding venues in Texas?
- Does this venue accommodate your guest list?
- Is there space for certain unique features you’re having?
- If you want an ice cream van at your wedding, but there isn’t room for it, you’ll have to choose between the venue or your undying love of soft scoop—a tricky decision.
- How far in advance do you need to book? Are they likely to have availability for your desired date?
- Are there any potential decor restrictions?
Research local wedding venues
Once you’ve decided on your venue must-haves, you can start reaching out to local weddings that match your requirements. If you’re working with an Austin, Texas wedding planner, they’ll have relationships with the best venues. Ask them to talk you through each of their recommendations and see which fit your needs.
Reach out to possible venues for viewings
After establishing potential wedding venues, you’ll want to visit them in person. Every wedding is unique, and your vision might not suit certain venues that tick your logistical boxes. Visiting these locations in person and speaking with those who work there will enable you to envisage your special day and will tell you if this place feels right for you.
So much of your wedding is tied to how you feel. As a wedding planner, I want my clients to feel overjoyed and passionate about their wedding venue. If a venue doesn’t feel right for you, don’t be afraid to make that known.
Consider what’s included with the venue
It’s not all about aesthetics– *gasps*. I know, I know, aesthetics are incredibly important. But ensuring your venue has all the features and amenities for your dream wedding is just as vital.
Does your venue come with seating? Does it have a bar? Is catering included? Do you require any of these things? And will outsourcing them increase your costs in areas you’d rather not splurge on?
Before getting carried away with how beautiful an Austin wedding venue is, make sure it’s a practical choice for the rest of your wedding plans.
Keep track of each venue
Even when you’re visiting the best and most beautiful wedding venues in Austin, Texas, things can quickly become overwhelming. Having a wedding planner guide you through this process will reduce stress and help you keep track of your venue choices.
Whether you’re working with a planner or not, I recommend taking notes on all your potential wedding venues. You can use a spreadsheet or just the notes app on your phone to do this. Note down the venue name, its capacity, how many of your top priorities it meets (including those non-aesthetic elements), and what you rate it out of them. After visiting all your venues, you can return to this list and see which venue meets your needs and brings you the most joy!
Ask essential questions
Okay, visiting the best wedding venues in Austin, Texas, with a coffee in hand might seem like the perfect day out. But you’ve also got a job to do (a very exciting one, albeit).
Working with a Texas wedding planner means all the logistics and need-to-knows are handled. Your planner will have vetted the venue and asked the questions you need to know. However, it’s good to still be in the loop, so don’t forget to be involved with conversations or ask your planner to fill you in.
If you’re planning solo, you’ll need to ask these essential questions yourself. Make sure to write down everything you need to know and ask every potential venue your questions. This can be a big task, but it’s well worth it to guarantee your wedding venue is every bit as magical as you deserve it to be!
Hire a professional wedding planner to guide you through the
venue selection process
If choosing a breathtaking Austin, Texas, wedding venue isn’t high up on your list of wedding-related activities you’re looking forward to, why not have someone else tackle this task for you?
In Ink Weddings + Events is now offering a stand-alone venue research and curation service. I’ll spend time researching venues, selecting the options that align with your needs and style, corresponding with venues, arranging and attending meetings, and asking all the questions—everything you need to confidently secure your venue with no stress or time wasted.
If this sounds exactly like the service you’ve been looking for, learn more on the In Ink Weddings + Events service page. I’ll see you there!
