Should i go for it?

Add up the cost of doing everything yourself…it may not end up cheaper than an all inclusive wedding at the end of the day. So for example if you would need to rent chairs, tables, linens, get extra decor, rent a tent, bathrooms, etc.

I would sit down and figure out the real cost of going with a blank venue. I think a lot of people see the low price tag and think it’s a great deal, but don’t stop to think about everything that will go into it. For example, you will need to rent tables, chairs, silverware, glassware, linens, all your decor, etc. You will also have to find your own caterer, wait staff and bartenders. And all of that is on top of all the other vendors you will need, such as a DJ, florist, cake baker, officiant, photographer, videographer, etc. It’s a huge undertaking to host a wedding at a completely blank venue. That is why most people tend to go with venues that offer additional services. Yes, our venue is costing us more than a blank space venue; but in the end we really weren’t spending more money once we took into account all the money we were going to have to spend for all the stuff an all-inclusive venue included in their pricing (not to mention all the time it would take us to find the extra vendors and do the extra work). It was much easier to just choose a venue that will set everything up for us, include the catering, wait staff, bar, bartenders, tables, chairs, linens, silverware, glassware, and tear everything down and clean everything up afterwards. Blank space venues basically offer two benefits: cheaper rental price for the space and you can make it whatever you want (since you are bringing everything in yourselves). But they also require a ton more work and organization; which is why most people who choose blank venues also hire event designers and coordinators to do everything for them. I think you and your fiancé should figure out what the cost would be for all the additional rentals and vendors and see if it’s worth it to you both.

If there's something I've learned from this whole process it's trust your gut. Your doubt is telling you to keep looking. If this venue is the one, you'll know that after continuing to look at alternatives. If it's not, you'll find something better.

View Quoted Comment I just feel like this is going to stop my fiancé from looking at other places 😔

Do the math on everything. We’re getting married somewhere we also have to do everything ourselves but it’s very cheap although is a lot more work. But there were some vendors we wanted that are very pricey and we couldn’t have afforded if we picked an all inclusive venue

View Quoted Comment Girl, I feel that. Do you think your squad could help you with decisions and any projects to bring your visions together?

You would have to hire people to serve food, drinks, set up, etc which defeats the purpose of saving $$ on a venue that provides these services.

View Quoted Comment Go with your instincts. If your fiance wants to one and done now, he may not want to be in further discussions deciding linens to chairs. Ask him if he wants to put in the work of dealing with multiple vendors with you. On the other hand, if you, yourself, are very particular with your details, then it will be more stressful for you to let an all-inclusive venue dictate your diy vision. For me, I was ok with my venue's flatware and chairs. Best wishes.

View Quoted Comment I know they will help but I don’t wanna seem like a bridezilla when I have to talk about what I want and others feel a different way

Do you have to bring in chairs, tables and kitchen appliances? Most blank slate venues already include all of those.


We specifically chose to avoid all inclusive venues because of the various complaints against them on the forum: they require you sign the contract before you can sample the catering and you can’t back out at that point. The food/beverage minimum is not included in the advertised rental price and is often 5-6 figures on its own with or without a guest minimum. That is not a bargain.
With blank slate venues, you have freedom to plan the wedding you envision at a fraction of the price. No one is saying that a blank slate venue means you have to buy a Cricut for everything or DIY your flowers but that tends to be the unspoken vibe. We priced both all inclusive and individual vendors and even in a high cost of living area, because we were able to locate some less expensive vendors who are still very high quality, it is ending up to cheaper than if we had gone all inclusive. If we did pick an all inclusive venue, none of the “customized” options felt like they reflected us at all.
It boils down to comfort level. You don’t have to lift a finger beyond finding vendors you like and can afford that you have the opportunity to sample their work before you hire them.

If you love the venue and don't mind bringing in everything then go for it. The staff at our venue was very accommodating.

Like people mentioned above, do a rough estimate of what everything is going to cost to bring in. My venue is the same blank slate style - but $3000 for a venue large enough to hold our large family in LOS ANGELES is unheard of and cannot be ignored. They do supply tables and chairs though which is huge (the chairs are hideous but I'm dealing ) If you are good at bargain shopping then I would say GO FOR IT. We also have a caterer in our family so we already were getting a discount on the food. I won't lie...having to bring in everything and set up/clean up yourself IS very daunting, but if you have people who you can count on to help you - I am 100% all for saving money

View Quoted Comment

I agree. Add up the cost.

We had to do everything with ours -- tables and chairs were the only thing they provided.

Not sure what you’re budget is, but after helping a friend of mine look at venues-we saw all inclusive venues and not so much inclusive and I knew then I would do all inclusive. I would budget out the cost of what it may cost you all to do things on your own. If it’s too much you might need to go back to the drawing board. You want your wedding day to be stress free

To echo other sentiments, figure out your budget for that exact "everything" you'll have to supply on your own, and then do the math of that on top of this so-called "really good" venue price. If you find you can still work with it, great! If, however, you learn that there might be another place just as good, if not better, for a better overall price, then keep looking.