What to Look For When Choosing a Wedding Venue + Top 10 Venues in Utah

Congrats! You are engaged! Now one of the first things you should do is book a venue. Venues tend to book 12-18 months ahead of time, so to get the date you want, book ASAP! Here are some tips to help choose the perfect venue for your special day!

aesthetic

Your venue is the biggest decor piece in your wedding. It sets the vibe that you want your wedding to have. Look at the colors and materials the venue uses and see if that matches the aesthetic you are wanting to have.

availability

Venues book 12-18 months in advance. We recommend booking the venue as soon as you are engaged. An important thing to note is that weekends will fill up faster than weekdays, so if you have a specific date you want, make sure to get on it! Also, be aware of the time blocks the venue has available. Some venues have the option for all-day or half-day; see what works best with your wedding day timeline.

budget

A large part of your wedding budget will be going to the venue. A couple of ways to save on the venue is to book on a weekday instead of the weekend, set your schedule to stay within the designated time frame to avoid buying extra hours and use the venue’s preferred vendors.

vendors

Many venues have a list of the vendors they prefer or require you to use. This includes photography, florals, event planners, and caterers. Often there may be an additional fee if you decide not to use the preferred vendors. When booking a venue, make sure to note if you are required to use their vendors or if there is flexibility. 

location

Location will be a big factor in your wedding day timeline. A couple of things to note: be aware of travel time, whether that is from the hotel to the venue or from your ceremony space or LDS temple. If you have guests from out of town, take note of lodging nearby and if there are available shuttles or taxis nearby. 

capacity

When booking your venue, look at how many can be seated for a ceremony and how much standing room there is for a reception. Make note if the venue can be set up in a way that will suffice the needs of you and your guests. Keep in mind if the venue will need a change of layout after the ceremony to the reception and where the guests will go during that turnover.

picture perfect

You will be paying a lot of money for a photographer to capture your special day. Be aware of natural lighting versus harsh lighting. Also, when venue scouting, look at where pictures can be taken and if that fits the vision you may have.

amenities

Some venues may include a lot and other venues only provide tables and chairs. Make a list of things you will need and see if the venue can fulfill those needs. Here are a couple of things you may want to see if the venue has: tables, chairs, linens, kitchen space, dance floor, sound equipment, sufficient bathrooms, accessibility parking, decor pieces, and alcohol permit. You may not need all of these things but take note of what you do and don’t want. 

Hopefully, these tips will help guide you as you take the first step towards your big day! Now, if you still need some help, here are our top favorite venues in Utah.

1. Walker Farms- Lindon, UT
2. River Bottoms Ranch- Midway, UT
3. Blue Sky Ranch – Wanship, UT
4. The Azalea – Daybreak, UT
5. Solitude Mountain Resort – Brighton, UT
6. This Is The Place – Salt Lake City, UT
7. Thomas S Monson Center – Salt Lake City, UT
8. La Caille – Sandy, UT
9. Thanksgiving Point- Lehi, UT
10. The Studio Draper- Draper, UT