Finding the right venue for your wedding is, hands down, the most important aspect of your wedding planning. You essentially want to be in a place that not only feels comfortable, but is also romantic, and fits your wedding style perfectly. There’s a price you’ll have to pay and it all comes down to what your wedding budget is and how much you’re willing to allocate for just the venue itself.
Some couples use only about 10% of their budget for booking the venue while others go all out and spend 50%. With that said, to make the most out of your celebration, we believe booking a venue should only take up about 25% of your overall budget. So that you’re able to allocate the rest of your budget to important things such as food, photography, entertainment, and of course the decor.
While it can vary greatly from one place to another, the average wedding cost for a venue ranges from $3,000-$15,000. There are many different places to choose from, some charging even less if you get creative about where you’re willing to host your big day. But before we get started listing a few of these unique wedding venues, it’s important that you have all those preliminary aspects of your wedding planning already figured out.
We're bringing you a wedding budget breakdown!
Before you start talking to venues
All the specs that will help determine your venue budget:
Wedding date
You can’t book a venue if you don’t have a date! If you have a specific date in mind, make sure you mention it to venues right off the bat. If you don’t, feel free to ask venues about their availability and see if their dates work well for you.
Being flexible with your wedding ceremony date may also lead to money-saving opportunities. For example, weekdays and mornings are usually less popular than weekends and evenings so you may be able to get yourself a deal!
Guest count
When you’re reaching out to venues one of the first things they’ll ask for is a guest count. Don’t worry about being exact, just give them a ballpark estimate based on the RSVPs you’ve gotten back. You can use Loverly’s “Headcount and Guest List” PDF below to stay organized!
General location
Are you thinking of staying local or going global for your wedding? A remote location may be romantic in theory, but going so far afield comes with a ton of added difficulties that may prove to be more trouble than it’s worth. Especially if you have any guests with mobility challenges!
Wedding budget
You need to have your overall wedding budget locked in and access to the funds. Because of the overflow from 2020-22, wedding venues are overwhelmed. If the venue you love is available on your date, be prepared to move quickly and make a deposit.
Wedding venues fusion
A traditional wedding is usually where the ceremony and reception venues are split between two places. But wouldn't you rather combine the locations and save some time for more fun? If the venue of your choosing has a bunch of raw space perhaps after the ceremony you can convert the altar into the dance floor. Or maybe you have the ceremony outside during the day and the reception inside in the evening.
Hidden costs to be aware of
Between planning the decor, the entertainment, and finding the right vendors for your wedding day, you might get distracted and overlook some of these hidden costs that aren’t necessarily obvious and sometimes not even a part of the standard packages that venues typically offer.
Gratuity & service fees
On top of the cost of a service provided, you can also expect to pay a service fee. For example, your venue might charge you 15%-20% in addition to your bill to cover the costs of servers, waiters, and bartenders. If you pay a service fee, you might also feel inclined to pay an additional gratuity on top of that. For vendors that don't charge a service fee, you can provide them with gratuity to thank them for a job well done.
Rentals (linens, chairs, furniture, etc.)
While some venues provide you with complimentary use of their tables, chairs, linens, and dinnerware, others do not. Before you sign your contract, determine whether or not your venue provides these things. Otherwise, you'll need to factor in the cost of renting enough items for each guest.
Pro-Tip: Be sure to ask the venue if items such as tables, chairs, décor, games, or even catering are included in the price package that’s being offered to you.
Your rain plan
Having an outdoor wedding? Don't forget to consider the costs of your rain plan. If the plan is to set up a tent outdoors in the case of bad weather, make sure to budget for the extra cost of the tent (keeping in mind that you often need to pay to reserve the tent, even if you don't wind up using it). Consider every extra cost that'll come with the rains—from additional staff to more chairs.
Marriage license
Don't forget that the act of making it official costs money! A marriage license is an important part of your wedding expenses. Budget between $60 and $100 dollars.
Cake cutting fees
Unless your venue is providing a cake, there's a good chance you'll be charged a cake-cutting fee. You can expect to pay an average of $1.50 per slice on top of what you've already paid for the cake.
Cleaning fees
If you're paying a flat fee to rent out a space and not a full-service venue, expect additional charges for garbage removal (up to $250) and cleaning (up to $500).
Quick tips to cut major wedding costs
- Choose a free or low-cost location
- Pick a naturally beautiful location
- Ask a friend to be your officiant
- Avoid renting chairs
- Keep everything short and sweet
- Host your event during the day or on an off-peak day of the week
Pro-Tip: To avoid countless hours of searching on the internet, simply ask your wedding planner (if you decided to have one) for a list of venues that best suit your budget.
Unique low-cost venue locations
Instead of renting a legitimate venue and spending a sizable chunk of your budget, save money and book one of these unique venue locations! Sure, you’ll probably have to rent chairs, tables, and other furniture on top of finding local vendors, but the payoff is worth it considering you’ll have the exact vibe you were looking for.
Airbnb ($500-$5,000/night)
With the advent of AirBnB’s vast selection of unique abodes, many modern couples have taken full advantage by turning these spaces into their dream wedding venue. The best part about it is that it’s only a fraction of the cost of your typical wedding venue!
Whether you want to throw a rustic wedding party in a barn or a lodge, a boho wedding in one of their hosts' many countryside villas, or you tend to gravitate more towards those chill beach vibes at a beach house with private access to your very own dock, there’s a makeshift wedding venue for everyone under the sun on AirBnB.
Pro-Tip: Be sure to double-check the house rules and always be communicative about what is and what isn’t allowed on a host’s property.
City hall ($25-$3,500)
Have one of the many elegant city halls throughout the U.S. host your wedding. They won’t come with a venue/vendor package, but the grandeur of the building and the price should help quell any doubts about hiring your own vendors while putting in a little extra time sorting out the wedding planning process. Or, the extra money you end up saving could go towards a professional wedding planner. Just remember the marriage license fees!
National parks ($100-$500)
The immaculate beauty of Nature is, as we all know, unmatched. There’s nothing quite like being encompassed by 360° vistas that exude feelings of grandeur and awe. Whether it’s a lush forest, a desert, a mountainside, or a field is your and your partner’s personal preference.
So having your wedding in any one of the country's national parks is not only a cost-effective way to find a cheap venue (with prices for special use permits varying between only $100 and not exceeding $500), but also the outdoorsy couples’ dream wedding!
Pro-Tip: Be sure to check if the allotted space within the park is required to remain open to the public during the event, otherwise you’ll probably want to find a secluded spot so nothing unexpected happens to befall your big day.
But even with these unique venue locations, once you have your wedding style, guest count, and budget all setup and you’ve found a few places that you’re in love with, we suggest you make a decision on choosing a date as soon as you know for sure that the space is right for you.
As there are many elements to consider while you’re on the lookout for venues, it’s of the utmost importance that you stay organized and have a game plan. This is where Loverly’s Masterclass comes into play!
Stay focused and ahead of the game with 10 full courses specifically designed to lead you through the budget process of your wedding planning, complete with 6 six videos, and sprinkled with a few spreadsheets, what're you waiting for? Become a registered user with Loverly!
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