After saying “yes” to your future husband, the next big question is where your wedding will take place. The venue is often the first major decision in wedding planning and lays the foundation for many of the decisions on little details for your wedding day.

To help brides choose the best venue, Leslie Campbell, a wedding planner with nearly 20 years of experience planning events and weddings, and photographer Rebecca Warren offer advice on selecting a venue that represents your personality, style and budget. 

Crunch the numbers.

Campbell advises that the first step in the wedding planning process should be determining the guest count and budget. This helps keep expectations and emotions in check and narrows down the selection process.

“First and foremost, you have to have a good grip on your guest count. We want to choose a place that will be comfortable for the number of people you plan to host,” she says. “You don’t want it to be too big, but you definitely don’t want it to be too small.” 

Create a vision.

It’s time to dig up that wedding Pinterest board you made in high school–no matter how cringy. A vision board is a great way to communicate the style you want (and don’t want) to achieve with your planning and photography team. 

“Some people are more drawn to the classic, traditional look of City Club or the Country Club of Louisiana, while others want a modern flair, with a venue like Capital Park Museum or the Shaw Center,” Campbell says. “And sometimes they know right off the bat what they have envisioned, but surprisingly, many people don’t. So I ask them to send me pictures of what they like and use that as a guide.”

The same goes for photographers. Lighting, posing and final editing make up a photographer’s unique style, Warren explains. Before booking, view their portfolios to ensure that their approach to wedding photography fits your vision and consider adding a few poses or moments you want captured to your vision board.

Pinterest, Instagram and inRegister Weddings are excellent places to help develop your vision. Even having a visual of what you don’t like can help the process.

Think logistically.

Just like each venue has its own style, they all present different logistical challenges, like parking, stairs and electrical outlet placement, to name a few. Campbell and Warren advise that out-of-town and unique venues should be visited in person by the planner and photographer ahead of time to ensure everyone is prepared to accommodate guests and capture the day perfectly. 

“When you find a space that’s different, you really just have to read the space for what it is,” Warren says. “It’s about finding those cute little quirks and those nice little spaces so you can play into that.” Especially for unique venues, like this wedding at Red Stick Reads she recently photographed, photographers and planners may need to adjust where people gather or make other arrangements ahead of your big day.

Popular destinations for Baton Rouge brides include New Orleans and St. Francisville, which present considerations for guest transportation, Campbell says. “There are no street lights on some roads in St. Francisville, which is something we have to plan for,” she explains. “And in New Orleans, an event or parking permit may be required.”

Determining solutions to potential logistical problems ahead of time will help you stay focused on having fun, and an in-person visit will ensure that you’re prepared. 

“For this wedding, we strategically placed all of the attendants in a V so you could see all of them, and I had a straight shot with the colorful books behind it,” Warren explains of the Red Stick Reads ceremony (pictured above) between Caroline Hebert and Tam Nguyen.

Trust in customization.

When choosing a venue, consider it a blank canvas. Campbell says the space is a starting point for bringing your vision to life. The venue is the foundation for the overall style, but florals, candles, dinnerware and more will all come together to create a completely personalized look. 

And don’t underestimate the small stuff. Campbell says even seemingly minor details can dramatically change a space’s look and feel.

“Different linens or chairs are a nice way to customize your wedding. That’s an easy thing to do,” she explains. “Using rentals and adding a dance floor can also easily customize the look of a building. Even if it has been done a million times before, it will always look different.”

Have fun and be yourself.

Wedding planning is no small feat, and choosing the right venue can be daunting. But don’t forget to have some fun along the way. When looking to finalize a wedding venue, remember to pause and envision how it will feel to have your first dance here and spend time surrounded by the people you love most. Above all, a wedding venue should reflect you and your partner.

“There’s a big push for authenticity,” Warren says. “And to show the real dynamics of a relationship because that’s what makes the relationship special and worth celebrating. It’s not just any two people. It’s these two people that have their own energies and personalities, and this is the opportunity to show those off.”