What was most important to you when choosing your reception venue?

We knew we didn't want to do it at a cookie cutter wedding venue. We wanted something that offered indoor as well as outdoor, that we could customize to fit us and that had some history. We chose a working farm with a barn that was not made for weddings but rather was turned into a space you could have a wedding in. Our venue is in a beautiful area with so much land, it's perfect for two people who love the outdoors.

It's a restaurant along the harbor, so we went with one that had the biggest space and the cheapest food and beverage minimum. And the food was really good, especially the Cheesecakes.

I wanted to be outside with a gorgeous view. This is the view from our reception area balcony! FH and I are very into the outdoors and wanted to incorporate that into our wedding. During the summer we love to camp and kayak. I think our guests will love it, but we also have a beautiful backup plan in case of bad weather!

When I first started looking, I had no clue. I looked at a few venues on here, and then stumbled across the Peabody Library. It is breathtaking in every way. After seeing that, I knew nothing else would do, though we did check out several other venues just in case, including the DAR Library.

We knew what kind of elements we wanted in our wedding from the moment he proposed - something outdoors, preferably with a gazebo, and if possible have running water nearby. There were some incredible choices, but ultimately it came down to price. Even with both of us working, since we were the only ones paying for anything, we knew we couldn't really justify $9,000+ for a venue. We got very, very lucky when we found ours. It's in the old town part of our town and is a little gazebo, and the woman who owns the venue handles quite a lot of important things like chairs, tables, and linens. In the end we paid $750 total for the reception and ceremony, and still are getting an outdoor wedding surrounded by flowers, an ancient tree, and a gazebo, and the venue is small enough that the number of guests it holds won't be intimidating We really couldn't ask for more :3

I wanted a space that I didn't have to do a lot to decorate. I also knew that I didn't want a ballroom or a golf course.

Those were basically my only qualifications lol. That, and great food/drink!

We were looking for a place that was beautiful without needing a ton of decorations, and something that looked unique and not mass-produced. We toured a few venues that looked a little like "wedding mills" to me, and I didn't get a good feeling from them. We settled on a place that was a little over our budget becuase it checked all of our boxes and every part of it is stunning.

Inside the main barnInside detailsFrom the front

That the cost per person for food and drinks wasn't insane!

I had a lot to consider. The pricing as we had a huge guest list, what was included in the package, close to ceremony venue, and that had a Cinderella feel to it

Something all inclusive will help take some stress out of the equation. We also wanted somewhere that would produce nice photos.

Read reviews online- like all of them. There will be good and bad. But really make sure the venue you pick is going to be prompt to answer your questions and help you when you need it. I wish I would’ve had a different venue because mine doesn’t get back to me about anything.

Price, neutral flooring, being able to fit everyone

I wanted my ceremony and reception in the same location so i chose to prioritize my ceremony over the reception room. However, i first looked at size and layout. One venue had the dance floor in an odd corner in the room. Totally made me scratch it off the list. Food options were very important. I wanted semi-inclusive or all inclusive as i like things handled all at one place. Also, after deciding on a friday wedding i wanted to make sure it wasn't too far from the majority of my guest since it will begin in the late evening after work and lots of traffic here in So Cal.

Honestly for us it was all about price. Our venue cost about $1500 more than the first one we liked but it came with so much more (bonus, it was prettier!). So that's how we decided.

Ours came down to affordability. We had a completely different idea in our mind for our wedding, but changed things up for guests' comfort and convenience. I was totally open to getting married in a local banquet hall but, once we saw our venue, saw how beautiful it was and how reasonable its prices, it was the obvious choice.

Now, everything else is just a bonus:

Great reviews, and several people we know IRL gushing about their professionalism, food and level of service, both wedding guests and people who have had weddings there.

Beautiful view - we originally wanted to get married on the beach, so the fact that our venue is on a river adheres to our original vision a little at least. And, we're so excited to have our ceremony outdoors overlooking the river.

Convenience - most of our local guests (about 85% of our list) are within a half-hour drive of the venue. It's actually pretty much half-way between my parents' and FH's parents' houses.

Style - while our venue would probably be considered cookie-cutter by many people (it's a mansion with an added ballroom), FH and I both love that it's a historic mansion and just the general atmosphere of the place.

(not my photo)

ceremony space

I looked for a place without a huge fee for using the venue - mine was only $500 which doubled as the deposit. I also wanted them to do the food and bar onsite so I wouldn't have to find a separate caterer, and the food reviews had to be excellent!

I ended up choosing it for these reasons but also for the 100% amazing reviews it was given, as well as the beautiful inside which doesn't need much extra decoration, as it's entirely wood (it's a repurposed historic barn) with lovely crystal chandeliers all over the place. Another strange thing I looked for - this is from experience planning my sister's wedding - I didn't want a place that had ugly chairs that needed those big white covers - chiavari chairs would've been my first choice but my venue had nice wooden ones that look nice without having to cover them. I just personally think it looks much more elegant and less "80s fire hall wedding"! My sister ended up paying a ton to rent chiavari chairs so I didn't want to deal with that.

When we tried to book our venue, our first few places were booked. Then every other venue we called or emailed was booked. So our priority became a venue that was open and could fit out guest count. We found one and I call it our blessing in disguise. They gave us an amazing deal, and have amazing food!

Location, unique vintage style, historic, they block the street off and we are planning to have cocktail hour outside kind of like a little block party, fit out budget, great owners that seemed to be super sincere and trustworthy. I personally think you kind of just get a feel for what is right for you. I knew as soon as I walked in. I was sold. The pictures above are not set up for a wedding. So our day will obviously look very different but I just love the style and it's going to look so awesome!! I am stoked.

For me it went:

1st) Location. My ceremony location was always set in stone, so I needed a reception location close by.

2nd) Food. Whether it was an in-house caterer or they allowed only certain outside caterers, I wanted to make sure my food to be delicious.

3rd) Size. I didn't have a huge guest list so I didn't want an enormous space where we would feel lost, but I did want enough room for everyone on my my 70ish person guests to sit comfortably and there still be room for a good sized dance floor.

It had to be as close to all inclusive as possible and be willing to work with me on our small guest list of 35 people.