Before I even considered what type of wedding dress I wanted, I found myself dreaming of the perfect venue. I attend an endless amount of events, luncheons, and networking functions for my business. Long before David even proposed, I would look around these beautiful event venues and mentally rearrange the layout to fit the wedding of my dreams.
The venue of a wedding sets the whole tone for the event. As friends and family arrive, it’s the venue that gives off that all-important first impression. Location is crucial. While downtown Indianapolis has countless qualified venues, David and I are looking for something a bit more off the grid. Not too far off the grid—just secluded enough, but still accessible so friends and family won’t have trouble getting there. I mean, there’s nothing worse than getting that phone call that your mom and aunt took a wrong turn and are stranded somewhere at a gas station. That actually happened a couple of years ago on the way to a family reunion. It took us over four hours to find them!
But the aesthetic of the venue is not everything—that’s just the beginning. The thing that will truly make or break a wedding experience is the staff. This is where the real work comes in. You might find the perfect venue with all the amenities and inclusions you hoped for, at exactly the price point you wanted. But if the staff is rude or unprofessional, it can create a toxic experience for everyone involved. This applies to any vendor we might use as well.
Finding out the real story about a venue takes more than a quick Google search or reading a few reviews. This can take some time and some deep digging. You need to find someone who has actually used the venue and get their honest feedback. That’s the kind of information that does not always show up in a Google review. I have heard of businesses, not just wedding venues, asking customers to remove negative reviews. And more often than not, those customers will do it. Why they decide to remove them is something I will never fully understand, but I know it happens.
For truly honest feedback, the best place I have found is in Facebook groups, specifically local groups for brides or wedding planning. I have joined several of them. While the information can be overwhelming to sift through, I assure you that the research is well worth it for the big day. I have already removed three potential venues from my list just by reading about the experiences of other brides.
I understand that not everyone is going to have a negative experience. As a business owner myself, I get it—bad days happen, and bad employees eventually move on. Sometimes, no matter what, a customer just is not going to be satisfied. So what I’m really looking for are patterns, feedback from more than one bride. Hearing from Mothers of the Bride, Mothers-in-law, or other guests and members of the bridal party also adds a ton of value.
As we continue planning, I’m reminded that it’s not just about the venue or the dress, but about creating a day that reflects who we are as a couple. I can’t wait to see it all come together!
I do have few more venues to look into. I hoping we can start doing some tours of the venues after the first of the year.
Have any venue tips or experiences of your own? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Thank you so much for being part of this exciting time with us. Your support and insights mean the world.
Until next time,
Amanda