In the last enty, The Conscious Bride: Setting the Budget we offered a road map to determine your budget. Now that you have that set and priority list handy, you are ready to start planning your wedding! In your conversations, you may have touched on the overall vision, style and "feel" of your wedding given capped resources. There is a lot of work to do but, remember, you are planning a celebration and you should have fun in the process.

PICKING THE VENUE(S).
The best weddings are the ones that are most true to the couple, reflecting who they are, where they come from and how they came together.  Consider joint religious beliefs, family traditions and personal preferences when thinking about the location of your wedding.

The number of venue options can be a bit overwhelming. Your wedding can be held at a public venue such as Union Station or a local park. You can find many restaurants, halls, country clubs, and vineyards that can host weddings.
If you rent a venue, make sure to ask a lot of questions so you get a solid understanding of all the costs and rules (i.e. rental fees, catering contracts, operating hours, deposits, etc.). When reviewing venues, be honest about what you can afford and what best reflects your preferences.

So what are some cost cutting tips when it comes to picking a venue?

- Where: consider the number of locations you require and if there are any rental fees. If your ceremony is in a place of worship ensuring that the reception is near the ceremony will afford you a cost savings.  Not only is this convenient for your and your guests, it will also save your florist time and you money if they can easily transport and reuse decorations from your ceremony to your reception. Equally some venues offer package deals if you have both your ceremony and reception at their facilities. 

- Wedding Date: depending on your location, date and time can matter. Friday and Sunday weddings tend to be less expensive than Saturday night weddings. Daytime weddings tend to be more cost effective than evening weddings.   Similarly there can be some cost savings opportunities if you get married in the winter or fall months which tend to be less popular and therefore can garner greater negotiating power.

- Amenities: different venues having varying conveniences that are inclusive. Many for example have chairs, linens even heat lamps that you do not have to rent. Although this may not seem like a big expense the little things add up; granted the options are minimal, but you will come out ahead if you find a venue that has amenities you can take advantage of without an additional cost.

- Services:  many venues regularly host events and are therefore able to be a resource that you can take advantage of, for example many venues have event planners and food/beverage directors who can offer “day of” planning assistance.  Additionally, they most likely work with other professionals who they regularly work with such as photographers and florists that you may be able to leverage.

- Catering Limitations: as we will address in later entries a substantial cost is food and beverage costs. Get a solid understanding of any catering limitations that exist.

Next in The Conscious Bride: Series? Invitations.