Before you and your fiancé finalize the guest list, decide on what kind of cake you want, book a DJ, or reserve tickets to your honeymoon, you must choose a wedding venue. At Imperial, we know that this can be an extremely daunting task—especially since each Los Angeles wedding venue seems more beautiful and luxurious than the last. To help you in your hunt for the perfect banquet hall, hotel, or resort, our expert event planners have collected tips from hundreds of couples. Here is some great advice on finding your perfect wedding venue.

Choose Multiple Dates

Some wedding venues are booked over a year in advance, so keeping your wedding dates flexible instead of having your heart set on one particular date will prevent future disappointment. Seasonal changes may impact your decision, too, so be sure to consider what your venue will look like in the summer, fall, or winter.

Create A Budget

If your parents are helping pay for your wedding, determine how much they’re willing to contribute to your wedding expenses, how much you’re willing to spend from your own savings, and how much debt you’re willing to incur (if any). Add up these figures, then subtract the estimated expenses for catering, decorating, the wedding dress and tux, entertainment, and any transportation costs. This figure should be close to your wedding venue budget. Once you have that number, you can start looking realistically.

Estimate The Guest List

Although finalizing the guest list is often one of the most difficult aspects of wedding planning, having a ballpark figure of how many people will be attending your reception (especially since some venues charge by head count) will help get an idea of how large the wedding venue needs to be and how much it will cost.

Keep It Personal

Remember, this day is for you and your fiancé—not your parents or friends. When looking at wedding venues, try to find one that compliments both of your personalities and exudes the ambiance you want at your wedding reception.

Schedule A Tour

Seeing the wedding venue in person is essential to making a good decision. Even if you’ve looked over a photo gallery or virtual tour, nothing beats actually walking through a wedding reception venue to get an idea of what your wedding could look like. Make a checklist of “must-haves” and “dealbreakers” for each wedding venue, and then consult this checklist as you do your venue walk-through.

Ask The Right Questions

Questions, questions, questions! They are extremely important to ask the wedding venue staff. Ask everything you want, and don’t leave anything out. Does the venue have an in-house caterer? If so, what kind of food do they specialize in? What is the parking situation? How long will you have the reception space? Is there a venue coordinator who will be present during the reception? Where do couples typically get photographed?

Good luck finding your perfect Los Angeles wedding venue! For other wedding planning tips that will save you money and stress, check out more of our wedding planning blogs. If you’re looking for an incredible Los Angeles wedding venue, take a tour of our space, or simply contact us with any questions.