The Best-Kept Secrets All Event Planners Should Know About Wedding Venues

The first question a bride should answer, after saying “yes” to her new lifelong partner of course, should be where she wants her wedding to be held.

And let’s just say—that’s not an easy question to answer.

There are  several factors to consider: do they want it outside or inside, want it in their hometown or in the middle of both families, or are they wanting a destination wedding?

And guess what, event planners? Your clients are going to be looking to you to help them make that decision.

So, we’re here to let you in on the best-kept wedding venue secrets we think all event planners should know.

Secret #1: The style of the wedding dictates the venue

Believe it or not, what your clients choose for their wedding style will really narrow down the venues you look for.

Now sure, we’re not saying you can’t throw a 1920s styled wedding in a rustic barn setting, because you certainly can. However, do your clients want an informal or formal event? Will it be at night or during the day?

When you help your clients start thinking about the type of wedding they want, you’ll really help them narrow down the venue selection.

Secret #2: The number of guests

You guessed it, knowing how many guests your clients want to invite is a sure way to help decide on the venue.

Let’s say your clients want a wedding with 350 guests. Well not much to your surprise, when you have a large guest count there’s a small selection of venues you’ll be able to choose from.

So getting an estimated guest count is a good first step in selecting the venue. And when your clients start thinking about who they want to invite, it will also help them decide on the geographical positioning of the venue—like if they want it in in an area near where the majority of their guests live.

Secret #3: The dreaded, unpredictable weather

When you’re helping your client pick the venue, the one thing you should warn them about is the weather.

And you won’t be the only one warning them. The weather plays a huge part in deciding where your clients’ event is going to be held. If they want a July wedding, is outside really the best option? And if they want it in April, are they ready to deal with the chance of rain?

You can never plan for the weather, so it’s always good to plan around it. Always have a backup indoor location on hand if you need to.

Secret #4: Traffic and driving considerations

We mentioned earlier that sometimes when picking a venue it could be important to your clients to find a centralized location.

Maybe one person’s family lives in New York and the other’s in Tennessee—maybe finding something in the middle could work well for their guests who may be traveling.

Now let’s think on a smaller scale, what if your clients want a venue that’s in downtown Charlotte, on a Saturday, during the middle of a city-wide event, what are you going to do?

You don’t want the guests sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic, or to have to delay the event. Make sure you think about things like this whenever you’re helping choose the venue.

You’ll also want to think about a venue that is too far removed from main roads. Sure, the view might be gorgeous, but is it difficult for the guests to arrive at?

So event planners, there you have it, some of the best-kept secrets when it comes to helping your clients select a venue.

Good luck! We know you’ll be able to help your clients find the location of their dreams in no time.

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You're Engaged, Now What? First 6 Wedding Planning To-Dos

Hooray and congratulations! You’re engaged to the man of your dreams with the ring of your dreams, and I know you couldn’t be happier. But as the shock of the whole idea wears off, a lot of events are about to start happening, and you’ll have a lot to plan for. So without any further delay, here are the first six must-dos to start the wedding planning process.

1. Know the Budget

Before the talk of wedding dates or venues, you first need to set a budget. Without a budget, you’ll have no basis for which season or day you can get married in, or the location of all the festivities. Think about it, do you want to get married in a $10,000 venue in the mountains but only have enough money left to cover a $500 photographer and a $750 DJ? We didn’t think so! So before anything, sit down with your fiancé and decide on a budget.

Afraid you’ll miss something in the budget? Check out these 15 wedding expenses almost everybody forgets about.  

2. Research the Date

So after setting the budget, the next thing you’ll have to do is pick the date! Before you can contact the venue or any other vendors, you have to be able to tell them the date you’re wanting to book. Now, be sure to research the date you pick to make sure no other big event is occurring during that time. Remember when the Pope visited this September? Everywhere in DC or Philadelphia was shut completely down. There were no hotels, no transportation options, no anything! So for people wanting to get married that day, well, it was a complete blackout. Although you can’t always plan your big day around papal visits, be sure to do some research so you’re not sharing your big moment with someone else.

3. Draft Your Guest List

You just have to know (and so do the venue and vendors) how many people are coming to your wedding. Before selecting the site, you need to make sure you have a general idea of how many people you’ll be inviting. Keep in mind as you plan out your list, the higher the number of guests, the higher your budget will need to be.

4. High Priority Vendors

After you have the guest list and budget figured out, it’s now time to book the vendors. Oftentimes, great venues and photographers book up at least a year in advance, so you’ll want to get to that as soon as possible. When we say high priority, we mean vendors who you absolutely love and have to have on your big day.

5. Choose Your Bridal Party

So your honey popped the question to you, now it’s your turn. Think to ask your bridesmaids and groomsmen to join your bridal party. Keep in mind though, you’ll want to ask them sooner rather than later. They are agreeing to help you on your big day, as well as fork over a good chunk of change to be a part of it. So make sure you show them a good time and how much you appreciate them by asking them to be a part of your bridal party in a cute way.

6. Dress Shopping

A lot of women want to wait a few months, slim down, tone their arms, grow their hair, etc. before they start shopping for their dress. Unfortunately, as wedding dresses are beginning to get more and more elaborate, you need to say yes to the dress as soon as possible. And before you walk into a dress salon, we advise that you read up on the dress lingo, know your estimated size, and be willing to try on various styles and designs.

Congrats again, newly engaged! We hope you have fun planning, designing, and dreaming about your wedding day. But remember, the big day is all about you and your significant other so whatever you decide and plan will be perfect. Cheers to the start of a new life and planning adventures!

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Survival 101: 5 Tips for Planning a Successful Bachelor(ette) Party

Chances are at some point in your life you’ll be asked to be an attendee, a host, or a planner of a bachelor(ette) party. Cue “The Hangover” and “Bridesmaids” movies—it’s about to get wild! Ha, just kidding! If we’ve learned anything from those movies, it’s best to avoid the extremes and keep the party simple—that’s right, no tigers.

The New York Times recently released a news article suggesting that “The Hangover” bachelor(ette) party mentality is decreasing due to age, social media, and a newfound respect for responsibility and maturity. Although the wild times might have calmed down, a bachelor(ette) party should still be fun and exciting for the bride and groom-to-be. In the words of Officer Nathan Rhodes from “Bridesmaids” don’t be “the maid of dishonor;” follow our survival tips to plan the ultimate bachelor(ette) party.

Ditch the Hangover

A rule of thumb to pass along to your group/clients is the one-to-one rule! For every alcoholic beverage you consume, drink one glass of water. Water is the miracle elixir that helps you recover from a hangover or a headache. Trust us, the morning after look is not a good look, especially on the rehearsal or wedding day. Keep yourself (and your group) hydrated to guarantee a refreshed look the next day!

We also suggest ditching “The Hangover” theme! Don’t get us wrong, we’re big fans of Las Vegas and think it would make an awesome place to party, but do everyone a favor: avoid losing a friend, getting married, and stealing Mike Tyson’s tiger. What we actually mean is that  bachelor(ette) parties don’t have to fit to a certain model in order to be fun. Interestingly-shaped decor or wild, rendezvous nights aren’t mandatory for the party to be considered successful either.

Venue Matters

When planning a bachelor(ette) party, remember that although your ideas might be great, is it what the bride or groom would enjoy? As a planner, it’s OK to ask the party honorees what they would like to happen or not happen during the event. Our biggest suggestion is to listen and stick to what the bride and groom-to-be say. You’re celebrating with your friend/client, so don’t embarrass them just for the sake of the party. Which is why selecting the perfect venue is highly important.

You wouldn’t drink the night away at a spa or go crazy at a resort would you? Of course not! It’s bachelor(ette) survival 101. Kristen Stanton, an Inspherio user and a successful party planner in North Carolina, suggests that bachelor(ette) planners book venues that offer a mixture of both relaxation and fun. A resort spa makes the obvious choice because the party-goers can enjoy massages and facials, as well as drinks and delicious food options.

Picking the Right Date

Between cake tastings, florist appointments, and last minute dress alterations, penciling in a weekend to party can be tricky. No one wants to celebrate a party too far in advance; it feels too anticlimactic. And hosting a party the day before the big event isn’t the best idea either. Our suggestion is to find the perfect bachelor(ette) party sweet spot, which we think is six weeks to a month before the big day. This timeframe builds excitement for the upcoming nuptials, but it is far enough in advance that nerves aren’t in attendance.

Sensitive to the Budget

Just like a wedding, a budget is one of the most important items to keep in mind when planning a party. Although bachelor(ette) party traditions emphasize the responsibility of the host to pay and cover the party expenses, times are changing. The attendees of the party are now helping and contributing to the event, making sure that everything is equally paid for so the bride/groom can enjoy their night expense free. Of course, with this comes respect and sensitivity to the contribution each person can afford.

As the planner, be mindful of the budget. This is not the only expense that the bridal party is paying, so plan your events and location accordingly. It’s also important to keep in mind that each party is different. An event you host for recent graduates will differ from one you plan for a group with careers and mortgages.

Overscheduling

Let’s face it, months before the event we’re pumped and ready to have the wildest weekend bachelor(ette) party. You plan and schedule activities throughout the entire weekend to keep the party moving. Although we’re supportive of your eager spirit, we want to remind you to schedule down time.

Create buffer zones and times between activities to let the party relax and unwind. Planning a wedding is stressful enough for the bride, the last thing she needs is to be constantly pulled from place to place. Our survival tip is to plan one night that you go all out, and then leave the rest of the weekend open for spontaneity or relaxation. A bachelor(ette) party is a time to celebrate the closing of one chapter and the beginning of a new one, so keep it fun, and keep it classy.

*Side tip: To keep everyone on schedule, we suggest telling people the times for reservations an hour earlier than they actually are.  

A bachelor(ette) party doesn’t have to be wild and crazy, but it has to be fun! What tips do you have to help others survive planning a bachelor(ette) party? Share with us in the comment section below! And if you haven’t tried it yet, sign up for Inspherio free for 30 days. It’s the only event business management solution you’ll ever need—we swear by it.

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