What To Know When Picking A Louisiana Wedding Venue

By Gailanne | April 27, 2017 |

Trying to pick the perfect Louisiana Wedding Venue?

Oh yes we know the feeling. We’ve helped many couples with this, so relax and read on…

Wedding planning is both stressful and exhilarating at the same time.

On the one hand, this is your dream come true. On the other, it’s a logistics and planning nightmare.

But the special thing that most brides care most about — besides the dress — is the choice of wedding venue.

And it shows in the amount most people spend on their venue. The national average shows that most people spend around $14,000 on the venue. And that’s the most expensive thing on the budget (7 times the price of the next most expensive thing: the photographer).

But what should you consider when picking a Louisiana wedding venue. We’ve got your stress-free guide right here.

1. Picking A Louisiana Wedding Venue By The Logistics

How many guests are you expecting?

The average number of people Americans have at their wedding is 120.

But this really depends on how many family members and friends you have. It also depends on how far away your wedding is from family and friends.

If everyone is scattered across the country, you’re likely to have a smaller wedding.

You don’t have to know how many people exactly, but make a rough estimate based on who you want to invite.

Once you’ve made your rough estimate, then go looking for a venue that will fit at least that many people. But leave room for error.

2. Consider The Season

Make sure your Louisiana wedding venue fits the season. Our local weather is world famous for being wildly variable. A favorite saying in these parts is:

Don’t like Louisiana weather? Wait a day and it’ll change!”

You don’t want to have an outdoor wedding when it’s likely to rain and storm. If you do, make sure your venue has a covered area outdoors, or they provide provision for a backup location should inclement weather threaten suddenly.

You might consider a fall season outdoor wedding to catch the colors of harvest. Spring is also amazing for climate and beauty in the South.

3. Know The Time Of Day

Your next biggest expense is photography. Pick the time of day based on this and then visit each prospective Louisiana wedding venue at the time of day you’re going to wed.

Make sure the lighting will be right. You want to get the best possible photos because you’re only going to do it once. Picturesque backdrops, warm lighting and shadows make beautiful, dramatic wedding pictures, so take the time to get it right since those photos are forever.

5. Know If The Venue Is Full Service

You need to know what you’re going to have to provide at your Louisiana wedding venue.

A lot of places will provide tables and chairs. Some will provide linens and catering supplies and even people to help the catering service.

But some places will just give you the space to use. Others offer complete concierge service AND the works as far as materials. What about the officiant? Are pre-wedding and/or wedding night rooms included?

If you’re on a budget, some non-full service places might be cheaper. And then you can source the cheapest tablecloths and table/chair rentals. Sometimes comparing full service venues can save you lots of money since you also save time shopping for the extras if they’re already provided by the location.

6. There Will Be Things You May Not Realize

Ask all the questions. You don’t know about your Louisiana wedding venue what you don’t know. So make sure you find out everything about the venue.

And then ask if there is anything else you should know. They might forget something and then once you ask, they’ll remember.

Some good things to know are: construction or landscape changes, how many staff are available, is set-up and tear-down included, etc.