[shareaholic app=”share_buttons” id=”4830626″]It’s time to start your hunt for the perfect wedding venue in Connecticut, but if you are like most brides it can be an overwhelming adventure to even know where to begin. The vast array of drop-dread-gorgeous wedding venues that all call Connecticut home makes your decision even more complicated. How do you even begin to narrow down your list of must-haves and dreams when there are so many options? What details should you look for when you start your search? These are the questions that many Connecticut brides bring to us when they try to track down the ideal wedding location for their day, and we are here to help you too! To make this process easier and fun, we’ve compiled the ultimate list of tips and tricks to use when you’re on your journey to the venue of your dreams! Keep each of these in mind during your initial browsing phase and the final touring step and we guarantee that you won’t experience any of those aforementioned Connecticut wedding location dilemmas!
Interlaken Inn
Tip 1: Set Your Guest List & Budget Before You Ever Start Looking Nothing can ruin your wedding planning dreams quite so fast as learning that the fabulous Connecticut wedding venue you’ve had your eye on is too small for your guest list or too big for your budget. In order to avoid heading down this path of disappointment, make a promise to yourself to begin your venue search after those two details have been set. We promise that you’ll thank yourself later. Tip 2: Consider The Season It’s a knowledge widely known that Connecticut is stunning to behold all year round and that each season brings out this state’s unique qualities. However, no two of these seasons will let the same facets shine. With this in mind, it’s important to choose a venue that fits the season of your wedding day. For example, a castle nestled away in the forest would be perfect for a fall wedding! A non-heated barn in the middle of nowhere — probably not so great for a winter soiree. Tip 3: Read Online Reviews & Explore Venue Websites To cut down on the time you spend looking for the perfect wedding location in Connecticut, we always suggest that you read online reviews, talk with fellow or former brides about their experiences, and explore the location’s website before you ever make initial contact. Your impression during the tour could be a completely different experience that what actually happen on the wedding day, so do your research first!
The Riverhouse at Goodspeed Station
Tip 4: Pay Attention To Aesthetics Although it’s not a requirement that your venue match your wedding palette perfectly, it is important that the colors and style you’ve chosen for your day don’t clash with the natural aesthetics of the wedding site you’ve selected. When you are touring possible locations for upcoming wedding, be sure to pay attention to this detail. That ornate yellow wallpaper may look great when the room in empty, but when you start bringing in your pink decor items, it could look like a big, ugly mess. If there are details like this that don’t really mesh with your the look you are envisioning, ask the venue if there are ways to cover certain areas. Tip 5: Visualize The Setup On Your Tour When you are seeing a wedding venue for the first time, it’s so easy to get swept up in the fancy details and the cool amenities. For this reason, many brides forget to visualize where everything will be set up during their first tour. This is crucial step for many reasons, such as making sure you have enough room for all the vendors, that there is an actual place to dance, etc. Be sure that you keep these details in the back of your mind as you view each space! Tip 6: Keep Power Sources, Lighting, And Acoustics In Mind Other big details that brides tend to forget when touring their favorite venues — the power outlets, the lighting, and the acoustics. All of these may seem strange, but these items will clue you in on whether or not you need to hire someone to provide extra sources of electricity, whether or not you need to hire a lighting vendor, and whether or not you will need to hire a sound person. You don’t want to ignore these things and end up needed them the day of the wedding!
Woodwinds
Tip 7: Access The Parking Situation When you choose a venue that is on the less traditional side, such as your favorite bar, parking could present some serious issues for you and your guests. However, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t ask about parking at every location you view — this could be the deal breaker!
Aria
Tip 8: Think Of Travel Time If Using Different Ceremony & Reception Locations If you are opting to host the ceremony and the reception in two different locations, make sure to consider the travel time between those two places. It shouldn’t take guests 30 minutes to drive from one location to the other! You ultimately won’t appreciate that long drive either! Tip 9: The Feelings You Get From The Venue Owner(s) It’s also essential to remember that your venue choice should also factor in the personality of the property’s owner(s). Did you feel that the owner(s) listened to you? Did you get a good feeling from the owner(s)? Did you get the impression you could trust this person/these people? Questions like this should give you an idea about your overall experience. Tip 10: Ask About Packages Or Personalized Options Some Connecticut brides love venue packages and others do not — it’s all about preference. To make sure that you find a site that really gets you in this category and fits your needs, be sure to ask about packages and the ability to opt for non-package options for your day. Maybe you don’t want to be confined to just three choices? Maybe you love the structured setup of having everything pre-planned? These are things for you to decide! There you have it lovely bride! Keep these pieces of advice in mind as you embark on your journey to finding a venue you can say “I do” to! To get started, check out our Connecticut wedding venues Pinterest page or listings on WeddingReports.com — complete with certified reviews and pictures from our favorite wedding photographers in CT!
Cobbs Mill Inn