Although we like to believe we make wedding planning an exciting and joyful experience, we also know that planning a wedding can feel overwhelming and stressful, especially at the beginning when it feels like every single decision needs to be made at once. One of the most important decisions you will make early on in the wedding planning process is choosing your wedding venue, but before you do that, you should book your wedding planner. Does that surprise you? You might feel like you need to have it all figured out before you book your wedding planner, but today we are going to share five reasons why it's actually a GOOD idea to book your wedding planner before your wedding venue!

Whether you've stumbled here on a late-night Google search or are a long-time listener of our podcast, welcome! We love creating content you find helpful, but we love working with you more! If you are looking for a wedding planning team in Upstate New York, learn more about working with us here. Not ready to hire a wedding planner but still want support? You can find wedding planner quality templates here or book a clarity call to pick our brains about your wedding venue before you book!

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Okay – now let's dive into why you should book your wedding planner before your wedding venue!

1. They help you narrow down your venue options from the start

Even if you feel like you want to see “all the wedding venues” options, we can promise you that you don't. We always insist our couples have their wedding budget and guest list solidified before we start the wedding venue selection process. For the same reason, we don't recommend trying on a wedding dress that doesn't fit your budget; we don't recommend looking at a venue that doesn't fit your budget or guest list. This can easily happen when you don't know your numbers, and through the excitement of feeling like you've found “the one,” you can find yourself signing on the dotted line before you know it!

On the contrary, when you book your wedding planner before your wedding venue, they will force you to better understand what you are looking for, and they will be able to proactively suggest venues that match your style, budget, and needs. On top of that, we often know of wedding venues that you can't find on Google or in the “top 10” lists you'll find online.

 

Photography: Larkin and Trevor Photography

Looking for wedding venues in Upstate New York? Here are 12 of the most intriguing!

2. They can help you stay within your wedding budget

One of the most significant benefits of hiring a wedding planner is that they can help you stay within your budget, no matter what your budget actually is! And regardless of whatever wedding planning platform is trending lately, there is no “right” amount to spend on a wedding venue. Whether you plan on spending $50,000 or $500,000, everyone wants to be wise with their money.

Often, wedding venues can look more or less expensive than they actually are because of the different inclusions and requirements of each unique venue. It can often feel like comparing apples to oranges! This is one of the reasons it's so important to hire a wedding planner before your wedding venue. We know what hidden costs and commitments to look out for!

3. If you book full-service planning and design, your wedding planner can help you envision your wedding in the space.

Let's leave the logistics alone for a second. Sometimes, you'll tour a wedding venue and immediately know you have found the one. With that said, some couples DO have a harder time envisioning what their wedding day will look like, which is why having your wedding planner with you can be so helpful. Your wedding planner can suggest unique and innovative ways to make your wedding stand out, and they can help you create a wedding that reflects your personality and style. Instead of staring at a lawn and a barn (for example), they can point out where you can have the bar for cocktail hour, what the ceremony view will be, and where the dance floor will be packed all night.

4. Last, your wedding planner will help you ask the right questions (and know what to look for in the contract!).

Your wedding day has many moving parts – from catering and decor/rentals to the lighting and sound. It's hard to know what to ask during a wedding venue tour (especially when these venues are well-practiced in swooning you), and you may not know what to look for in a contract. As wedding planners in New York, it can be hard for us to do our jobs as effectively as possible when our couples come to us with visions of candlelight and then tell us they booked a venue that we know doesn't allow open flame candles. I could give you a million versions of this. When you book your wedding planner before your wedding venue, you have the support you need to book the right venue.

Want some examples? Here is a list of some of the questions you'll forget to ask during your wedding venue tour.

5. Booking Your Wedding Planner Before Your Wedding Venue Ensures Issues Are Spotted BEFORE they happen

One of the reasons it's so important to book your wedding planner before your wedding venue is so that you don't make choices that will cost you more (or force you to sacrifice!) in the long run. Just to name a few examples, you might: forget to budget for a catering tent, not see that the room is too small for a live band, hotels are too far, leaving you to pay extra for guest shuttles, or even something like having fewer hours to setup/tear down based on venue restrictions, so you end up having to pay more to get in early (or budget for extra staff).

We have to be honest with you; we have seen it all. If this is the first wedding you've planned, it can be hard to truly see a holistic picture of how everything will come together (your style/aesthetic, priorities, guest list, budget, contingency weather plan – the list goes on and on!). Even if you don't have it in your budget for full service planning and design, consider hiring a professional and experienced wedding planner that offers venue selection!

Booking Your Wedding Venue Is a BIG Decision. Enjoy Having Support.

In our humble opinion, hiring a wedding planner before booking your wedding venue is essential. Not only can we help you find the perfect venue, but we also make sure your decision matches your vision both creatively and logistically. If you are on the fence about booking a wedding planner before your wedding venue, I hope this has encouraged you to hire your planning team first. You deserve to have support from the start (and we always believe that the earlier you bring your wedding planner on board, the better!).

Getting married in Upstate New York (or beyond)? Connect with us here and let's get started!

Not ready to book your wedding planner yet? Save this for later.

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