Where Do I Start? I Just Got Engaged, How Do I Find My Venue?
What To Know About Venues When You Begin Your Search
You are recently engaged & starting to search for the perfect venue for your dreamy ceremony and reception.
You want a wedding venue that speaks to the vision you have always wanted and will showcase personality as a couple to family and friends.
You have so many things flowing through your mind that you aren't sure where to start or what questions to ask. Let us help you know what you might want to think about before starting your search for a wedding venue.
There are generally three types of wedding venues, and we will go through the options with you and explain the ins and outs.
The Venue ONLY
The first one is usually just space. You will be able to have access to the venue for a required amount of time. Often, you are required to set up and tear down everything the same day because they might rent it out the next day. Something to think about with this option is that it could be the less expensive option, but it could also be hard to do all of the things needed on your wedding day itself. Not many have family and friends to help do these things on the big day. On the best day of your life, do you really want to be cleaning up right after the party? If this is the best option for you and have family and friends support you, then go for it. Just make sure you check with the venue on what the requirements are by the venue in the contract.
The “Semi-Inclusive” Venue
Downtown Chillicothe, Ramsey Baker Photography
The second kind of wedding venue is "semi-inclusive" Semi-inclusive means they include other things than just the event space. The pricing can be slightly higher because the venue handles more for you than just giving you the event space. They usually include tables and chairs, the setup, and tear down. They also include wedding staff to help with your planning, bridal & grooms suites to provide you space to get ready and relax day-of.
The Postmark adds a DJ to your package of choice. It's one less thing you have to book, which saves you time and money. You would have the venue and all the "extra" things, but you would still be responsible for hiring a photographer, caterer (from our list), flowers, and cake. Most of the time, a venue like this has a list of preferred vendors you can choose from, so you aren't left searching for endless amounts of time. It usually is less money than the next option, but the responsibility is to book the remaining vendors.
The “All-Inclusive” Venue
The third kind of venue is an "all-inclusive venue" This means you can have all the vendors you need ready to go once you lock in your date. This is something to consider if you are working full time, have a family, or find yourself overwhelmed with wedding planning. This is the most popular option among wedding venues because it saves you valuable time. You lock in your dream date and let the venue take it from there. The Postmark also offers this option for you. We work with some amazing vendors in Chillicothe, have done many events with us in the past, so we know they will take care of all your needs. The pricing of the all-inclusive venue is usually a flat rate along with a per person rate above and beyond a certain number of guests. You won't need to hire any vendors because it's all taken care of for you. What can be better than that?
Kristen & Anthony, September 2020, Entry Way of Historic Post Office
When going to book your dream space, keep these things in mind. You might want to consider a few things before beginning tours. Think about what you are most interested in. Most venues book more on the timing you need in space, not based on your guest count. The guest count becomes important closer to the date itself, especially if there is a bar package involved.
Some couples want to have a specific photographer, so maybe the third option isn't the best way to go. We allow you to book your own photographer at a reduced rate, so you can still get the all-inclusive option with The Postmark.
Maybe you want a space where you can come in, bring your hair & makeup team in to hang out with your bestie in a suite to relax in the morning. This would require more time, so it's usually an all-day block or a minimum of 12 hours.
What To Know About Booking a Venue, from The Postmark:
Book Wedding Venue Ahead of Time: Most venues that are the most popular book a year-18 month out. Come flexible with the date and maybe zero in on a time of year you are interested in the most. Summer and Fall time weddings are the most popular.
Getting Everything You Want and Nothing You Don’t: Venues might have bulk packages, but most want you to have everything you want and make sure your money goes towards all those things and nothing you feel like you would be wasting money on. Make sure you ask this. Make sure you have everything written down so that you understand what’s going on. Ask for a timeline of what to expect to feel good about how the planning will be going. Ensure you ask all the questions until you completely understand what you will be getting and what to expect from the venue. Some venues also have venue coordinators built-in. Make sure you know what they will be doing for your event. Also, check on the pricing, sometimes venue pricing might be lower, but they add in food and beverage minimums.
Budget/Accommodations: Come open with your budget. As you can tell, each venue is different. Check out HERE for an average wedding report based on your location or where you would like to get married. You should be able to get a good range. Venues can run from $4000- $10,000 for just the venue, and sometimes it can be dependant on the time of year or date. If you do an all-inclusive wedding, it totally varies by your location. Some venues require you spend a certain amount on food and beverage even after booking the rental fee. The Postmark doesn’t require you to do this. This is a question you will want to ask if you are searching for other venues.
Consider Outside a Main City for a Venue: Rural county towns can still give you that big vibe wedding you wanted but in a smaller town setting. Chillicothe can totally deliver that big city luxurious wedding you would love, but it’s more in a small-town setting. For instance, Ross County, Chillicothe will do $22,000 for an average wedding of 100 guests. Columbus or Cincinnati will see on average $30,000. Is there a difference in these services? Absolutely NOT! Still have those amazing wedding professionals along with beautiful spaces. They also have air bnbs a lot of time for lodging, hotels too! So a little bit of a road trip isn’t always a bad thing!
Break Down What You Need v Wants: The Postmark helps with the budget because we have such a wide variety of packages. We don’t have a “set” price on packages because we want to know what you are looking for before giving you a price. We also have the “history” in the building, so it saves on budget when decorating because it doesn’t need much! Be realistic in your budget; venue is the most expensive portion, then catering. Have a specific guest list, maybe sectioning them off into three. First being the guest that has to be there and so on. This will help with the budget as far as guest count. You can’t expect to have 200 people on a $5000 budget.
This is the first wedding you are planning, and we completely understand how overwhelming it can be. We love to share as much information as possible to help you make great decisions for your day!
Feel free to email me directly at destiny@thepostmarkoh.com or call/text me at
740-414-4165 with all questions!
If you would like to read more about different things to consider when booking your dream wedding venue, check out this article by Bridal Musing, where they discuss more on “How To Find Your Dream Wedding Venue.”