What It’s Like to Work Together on Finding Your Wedding Venue
(Spoiler: There’s a lot of driving, a little bonding, and sometimes the venue smells weird)
If you’ve taken a peek at my pricing + package sheet, you might’ve noticed something that surprises a lot of couples: venue selection assistance is separate from any of my planning packages.
Why?
Because so many couples start out thinking, “We’ll just find the venue and then plan the rest on our own!”
Which—hey, makes total sense. It’s one decision, right? But once you're in it, venue hunting can feel like falling into a rabbit hole of zoning codes, catering minimums, and 80 open tabs on your browser. It’s a lot.
That’s when people call me. And several times a year, I do exactly that:
I help couples find their dream venue.
Step One: You Reach Out
You hit me up via my Contact Form and set up a quick consult call—20 mins, super chill. Just enough time for us to vibe-check each other and for me to get the scoop:
Do you already have a vision?
Have you looked at any venues?
What did you like/dislike about those?
Is this a “somewhere in the Hudson Valley but no tents, please” kind of search…
…Or a “we’re choosing between Austria, Tulum, and the Hudson Valley” type of deal?
Step Two: You Spill the Tea
I ask some very specific questions (because I’ve been doing this 15+ years and know what to look for), and you send me:
Any venues you've considered
Any notes—likes, dislikes, dealbreakers, dream stuff
Budget if you're willing to share (no pressure, but it's helpful!)
This gives me a great “starting flavor profile” for your venue vibes.
Step Three: I Curate the First List
Next, I send over a personalized list of venues with my notes—stuff like:
Is there a built-in rain plan?
Are they kosher-friendly?
Rustic vs. polished?
Surprise goats or manicured gardens?
All based on what you care about. No fluff. No venues that are clearly wrong just to pad the list. Just the real contenders.
Step Four: The Feedback Loop
We go back and forth for a few days—usually by email, with maybe a call or two. You tell me:
"Ugh, that one’s cute but the bathrooms look like a horror movie."
"YES to this vibe!"
"I don’t know why I hate it, but I do." (Very valid.)
We edit the list down until we’ve got 5 to 10 venues worth your time, energy, and $$$ to visit.
Step Five: Go Time
Somebody’s gotta actually see these venues.
It doesn’t have to be you, but someone needs to be your boots on the ground. Whether it’s you, a parent, or your wedding planner (hi, that’s me)—someone needs to sniff the air, test the chairs, and see if the parking lot is full of potholes.
You just can’t Google your way through this part.
Step Six: The Venue Tour Day(s)
If we’re touring venues in the Hudson Valley, I’ll plan a route that loops neatly around and:
We meet in the middle
We all pile into my car
We get cozy and snacky and talk between each stop
If it’s a destination wedding, we do the same thing—just with a rental car. (Cue the chaos of trying to sync Spotify and GPS simultaneously.)
By the end of the day—or weekend—we’ll have a clear fave or at least a short list.
Step Seven: You Found It!
You’ve got your venue. You’re excited. You feel relief. You’re a little hungry.
Now, the real planning can begin.
Want help finding your perfect venue?
Start by reaching out here and I’ll help you dodge decision fatigue, weird-smelling barns, and overpriced blank canvases with no power source.
Because there’s a better way—and it includes me driving you around with snacks.
Pricing: $500–$1,000
Based on how many venues you ultimately decide to tour:
$500 — If all venues can be visited in one day
$1,000 — If venue tours require two days
We’ll review your options before scheduling, and adjust as needed based on your top venue priorities.
For destination weddings, the same process applies, with additional travel, room, and board expenses.