OMG, you’re engaged! Congratulations!

We know this is SO exciting and you want to jump right into planning and finding your perfect Hudson Valley wedding venue, but there are some seriously important details that are crucial to a happy and stress-free venue search (and the entire wedding planning process!).

At the Preston Barn, and we think we speak for most wedding venues here, we try to make things easy for you. In our case, we like to give you as much information as possible before you visit so that you know what to expect and you know it will be worth the trip. On your end, it is best to know exactly what you want and need before so that we can give you the proper options and an accurate proposal. Makes sense, right?

We’re sure you don’t want to waste any precious time. After all, you are busy with your career, traveling, friends and family, and enjoying your engagement together! Plus, time flies when you’re having fun!

So let’s save you the time and frustration and get straight to the fun by revealing these five details (and some useful tips on how to gather them) right now!

1. The Budget

Yes, the first thing you need to do is figure out your budget. This is most important as it will be the basis of all your decisions going forward, especially for the wedding venue. 

Why?

The venue and catering cost will likely make up at least half to two-thirds of your wedding budget. It will help you to determine the venue you can afford, how many people you can invite, location, budget for vendors, etc. If you start looking for these things without knowing your budget, we’re sorry to say, you could be setting yourself up for disaster. 

This process may come easier to some than others. You may be paying for everything yourself, or you may have family helping you out, partially or entirely. Talk to your parents, or whoever those financial angels may be, before trying to make any decisions. 

Also, be realistic! Don’t put yourself into massive debt at the start of your marriage! Really determine together what you are willing to spend overall, along with which areas you wouldn’t mind cutting back and which areas you prefer to splurge!  

Whether it is tough cookies or a piece of (wedding) cake, we promise that getting this done first will make everything easier going forward. 

2. The Guest List

If you don’t know how many guests you’ll have, then you don’t know what size venue, how many tables you’ll need, if the venue will work for your budget, etc.

Don’t panic! You do not need to know exactly how many people are definitely coming this far ahead. An estimate is all we need!

Here’s a tip: Make an “A” list and a “B” list. The “A” list is your must-invite guests like your closest relatives and friends, and the “B” list may consist of co-workers, distant family, and friends that you may be able to leave out or just have not decided on yet. Use the range as your estimated headcount (ie. 125 - 150 guests).

3. The Date

This will likely be the first question asked by venues and vendors (that and your estimated headcount): “What is your wedding date?” 

You should have a wedding date picked, or at least some preference in the year and time of year. This is a must for seeing if the venues you are looking at are even available, pricing (off-season weddings are often discounted), and how long you’ll have to save that wedding moola!

But not only that….

This may also be a factor in how far ahead you need to lock in your venue and vendors. The prime example would be a fall wedding in New York. Due to the beautiful fall foliage in this area, Hudson Valley wedding venues book FAST! You may need to book upwards of 2 or more years in advance to get the date, location, and vendors you have your heart set on!  

4. The Venue Type

What type of venue are you looking for? We don’t just mean barn, tent, or ballroom. This is only part of it.

First, you should know the difference between a DIY (Do It Yourself) venue and an all-inclusive venue (and those of us in-between).

An all-inclusive venue provides everything on-site and usually allows for very little customization such as added lights or special tables. Many have multiple weddings at the same time, so it is much less exclusive, but the pricing will usually be one per-person price for the whole package. This is best for weddings on a lower budget.

The DIY venue is just a site fee and you bring everything in from outside vendors. They’ll allow for much more customization and usually, they only host one wedding a day (or one wedding a weekend) so it is exclusively yours. Some will provide or add on certain items if you want them such as tables, glassware, etc. and some are literally the venue only, in which you would have to rent everything down to each knife and fork.  

Then there are the venues that fall somewhere in-between, like The Preston Barn! 

We have the site fee like a DIY venue, we allow you to customize the venue to your liking and it is yours exclusively for the weekend. We also have in-house catering and bar service which is an additional per-person package but includes all of the plates, glassware, silverware, linens, and everything you need for service on the wedding day (we could go on and on about our barn weddings but you can find all of that information on The Preston Barn website!)

Figuring this out will help you narrow down the large list of beautiful Hudson Valley Wedding Venues!

5. The Vision

No, you do not need to have all your colors and décor set in stone, but you’ll need to have some kind of idea on your overall vision. Going to look at venues with absolutely no idea what you want or don’t want could result in wasted time. Get together with your fiancé and ask some general wedding questions:

• Inside or outside ceremony? 

• Bright and bold colors or light and airy? What’s the vibe?

• Bare farm tables or linen covers? Floral or non-floral centerpieces?

You’ll need to make sure your vision fits with the style of the venue and also with their rules and regulations. For example, if you are set on a rustic gray and yellow palette (Pantone’s 2021 colors of the year!) then a ballroom with diamond chandeliers and a burgundy carpet might really clash with your vision. Another example: If you love the glow of hundreds of candles, you need to know the venue allows open flames.

Before we go, we have a little bit of bonus advice...

Consider consulting with and hiring a wedding planner. Especially if you are overwhelmed with your venue search. They can help with finding the venue that best fits your vision and budget, can help with figuring out and sticking to budgets, stunning designs and unique ideas, organization, and making sure everything runs smoothly on the day of. Some even offer Venue Scouting services separately!

We LOVE planners, and we have a list of them to recommend when you come for a tour!

But what if you tour a few venues and then you are stuck on deciding between the final 2 or 3…

Follow this advice, which we LOVED, shared by Canvas Weddings (wedding planner):

“…Close your eyes and get comfortable. Next, pick an incredibly specific moment of your wedding day, like the first few steps down the aisle, starting your first dance, or putting on your dress or shoes or veil or jacket. Do your best to really put yourself in that moment. Once you're there, look around. Where are you? Chances are that one specific place will come to the forefront. Do this a few times, with a few different moments, and see if it brings you any clarity.”⠀

So grab your favorite drinks and a snack, cozy up with your fiance, and review these five things you need to know before checking out venues. Make sure you are on the same page, supportive of each other, and have some fun with it! 

If you are looking for a large barn venue in the Hudson Valley with charming accommodations, modern amenities, indoor and outdoor space, and amazing food, we are sure you will be able to visualize your wedding day with us, so contact us for our wedding package information and to book a tour!

For information about our weddings, photos of real weddings, and testimonials, visit The Preston Barn website.