Hey, there.

We couldn’t be happier that you’re here.

You may never have heard of us before. We’re Creative Grace Planning and we are here for all wedding planning and coordinating you may need now and in the future. We understand that you might be under a LOT of stress or you’re not even sure what to be stressed about because you weren’t the 5 year old planning her ceremony flowers. No worries! Most of us don’t actually start planning that early. You’re in good company.

So you’re engaged! Now you have so many dreams to create and it starts with the space. The space sets the tone of the wedding. It helps the decorations complement your style and personality. The space you choose for your wedding holds your memories of family, friends, and tearful speeches or music.

Let’s talk about some ways you can find the right venue for you…

• 1. Make a list of what you imagine your wedding looks like and what type of decorations you want to use a certain location or mile distance you want to stay around. You should start to see a theme in there somewhere. Once you have a theme you can write 2-3 kinds of venue that might fit your theme (i.e. a bright and warm theme could be held in a floral garden, a beach, or a public hall that is big and bright).

• 2. Consult a planner. Wedding planners know all the things. Commonly a planner makes a master list of venues they have personally researched and are willing to recommend. This saves you SO much time and worry and did I mention time? A wedding planner wants to see you live your dream and wants to support however possible so- if it’s within your realm of possibility- definitely hire a planner.

• 3. Basic Research. If you’ve your list and have a general or specific theme then you have a direction. So get on google and insta, and reach out to those you know who may have a connection to one of these places. A relative on Facebook may have the perfect property for an intimate wedding. You may find a large hall with big windows a couple towns away that is big enough for your ideal guest number. Be thorough because one keyword can change your search results entirely. I recommend choosing about 5-10 main keywords and using them by themselves and in a sequence of words to make sure you’re finding all the right options.

• 4. Extensive Research. You can often find out about a venue from online bridal magazines and articles, but the best information (in my personal opinion) comes from those with experience. A DJ, for instance, will have played in many spaces and will definitely have some recommendations. Wedding Décor renters will have set up their pieces for different events in many locations. Connections are huge if you’re trying not to be mainstream.

This type of research takes time, but if you want to stick with a theme then it’s all for the good of the mission. There is a reason you ask the old guy in the park playing checkers where to find the best coney dogs. He’s been around the block a few times. People know best, social media knows statistics and paid ads.

• 5. Get the Info. Hopefully you have amassed at least a small list of options (never stop with just one). Now contact them. Find out prices and added fees, if they have cheaper times of the year or specials for certain holidays, etc. Find out down payments, cleaning costs, number of guests allowed, is there a minimum of guests, do they allow pets and dancing, do they require that you rent their décor and such? You want to know anything and everything. Ask about required contracts and money back policies. You may like a certain venue and price but it doesn’t come with the perks of venue B even though it’s missing the large windows and the price is a bit higher.

• 6. Consult your people. You will want to keep track of this info to share with anyone who will be contributing financially to the wedding. If your future spouse is all for it and your contributing supporters are in agreement then you need to make sure everyone is clear on the details of the how, when, where, and $$.

• 7. Compromise is okay. When looking for the best venue, you may find a dream scene that is 13k out of the budget. It’s okay, I looked at venues that I knew where out of my price range because it’s fun and it was my wedding so I could do what I want and so can you. Either way, it’s out of your budget. Your dream wedding doesn’t have to be out of your budget or ugly or boring. You can make small sacrifices to achieve a dreamy, memorable wedding. Some compromise is healthy and leads to so much more joy at your wedding. Especially if it means that you and your love are on the same page about your venue.

Hopefully, this gave you some direction and stress relief. Weddings don’t have to be frustrating with the right help.

I hope you find the space of your wedding vision to each and every perfect detail!