For all those who just became engaged, I want to say CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!  I know the excitement is overwhelming and you keep finding yourself staring down at your ring finger.  I know as I’ve been there, it’s so shiny and sparkly you can’t help but stare at your beautiful ring.  Then you realize you have a wedding to plan and if any of you are like me, your first thought is “How the hell do I start this whole planning a wedding thing.”  First of all, what time of year do you want to get married and do you want an indoor or outdoor wedding.  That will help narrow your focus just a little bit.  Think of how the seasons are here as I wouldn’t really recommend an outdoor wedding and reception in July or August; you don’t want to pass out from the heat while exchanging your vows.  Or if you have always dreamed of a lush garden setting or big pretty trees full of green leaves as your backdrop, then January is not the month to get married.  Also, think about the type of decor you are drawn to, this will influence the venues you look at.  If you love the vintage, shabby chic decor with lots of natural light then I wouldn’t necessarily look at warehouse spaces with no windows.  And if you love the idea of a blank canvas and bringing in uplighting, then I wouldn’t look at outdoor spaces.  After you have thought about it, you can start researching venues.  If you aren’t quite sure what style you prefer, I recommend picking up magazines like D Weddings and looking through them.  You can see the real weddings there and make note what you like about the weddings featured.  Google search and Pinterest are also helpful tools you can use when planning your wedding.   You can search for weddings and start making notes about your preferences.   If searching on Google, write down the names of the venues that you like so you can do further research on those spaces.  Look at Google Images and click on blogs that feature weddings there.  Do you like the space as the backdrop for your wedding?  Are you excited as you envision your wedding there.  Then put a star next to that venue on your list.  And likewise, if you start delving in and seeing photos that just don’t seem ideal to you, then mark that venue off your list.  Then you can start booking times to look at the spaces.  I will note here, that if your date is firm, you share that with the venue before you go see it.  This way you can make sure they have your date available.  If your wedding date is flexible but you have a specific time of year you want, then share that also.

I do not recommend going alone, bring your fiance with you.  He needs to like the space as much as you do because it is his wedding too.   Don’t forget to bring a notepad so you can write down your thoughts and feelings on the space along with any logistical and budget questions that the venue explains.  Some spaces you walk into, won’t quite be what you are looking for and that is ok.  At the same time, you may get the feeling “This is it!!!!!”  Make note of that.  That doesn’t necessarily mean you sign right away on the dotted line though.  Take some time to really think about it because you don’t want buyer’s remorse at all when it comes to your wedding.  Go out to lunch and talk about it.  It is good to distance yourself and step away so you don’t make a rash decision that you might regret later.  If you can’t stop daydreaming of your wedding there, then it’s time to book it.  Once you have the date firmed up and your venue booked, you can start delving into your wedding planning. Now you can start booking your other wedding vendors like your photographer, dj, florist etc. And, you can also start thinking about your wedding decor and colors; wedding blogs are great tools to use for inspiration but we will leave that for another blog post :).

And for those just starting their search for their perfect venue, here are just a few ideas.

 

Churches and Chapels for Weddings

 

Wedding at Perkin’s Chapel in Dallas

Wedding at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Dallas

Wedding at The Chapel at Chestnut Square in McKinney

Wedding at Bella Donna Chapel in McKinney

Wedding at Robert Carr Chapel in Fort Worth

Wedding at St. Ann’s Catholic Parish in Coppell

Wedding at the Marty Leonard Chapel in Fort Worth

 St. Catherine of Siena – Dallas Catholic Wedding

Outdoor Wedding Venues

 

Wedding at Stonebriar Country Club in Frisco

Wedding at Private land in the country

Wedding at Avanti Fountain Place in Dallas

Wedding at the Filter Building in Dallas

Wedding at The Milestone in Denton

Wedding at Canyon Creek Country Club in Richardson

Wedding at Dallas Arboretum 

Wedding at Joe Pool Lake

Wedding at Wildwood Inn in Denton

DFW Hilton Lakes Wedding

Clark Gardens in Weatherford

Rosewood Crescent Hotel

 

Indoor Wedding Spaces

 

Wedding at eM the Venue in Dallas

Wedding at Flour Mill in McKinney

Wedding at Hilton Bella Harbor in Rockwall

Wedding at Stoneleigh/Le Méridien Hotel in Dallas

Wedding at Ashton Gardens in Corinth

Wedding at The Grand Hotel Ballroom in McKinney

Wedding at Granville Arts Center Atrium in Garland

Wedding at W Hotel in Dallas

Wedding at Filter Building at White Rock Lake

Old Red Museum in Dallas Wedding

Wedding at Tower Club in Dallas

 

Unique Wedding Venues

 

Wedding at UNT Performing Arts Center

Wedding at C.R. Smith Aviation Museum in Fort Worth

Wedding at the Perot Museum

 

Destination Weddings

 

Wedding in Connecticut

Wedding in Evergreen, Colorado

Wedding in New York City

 

And some ideas for wedding receptions

 

Wedding Reception at the Mansion on Turtle Creek 

Wedding Reception at Stoneleigh/Le Méridien Hotel in Dallas

Wedding Reception at Old Red Museum 

Wedding Reception at Edison’s in Dallas

Wedding Reception at The Grand Hotel Ballroom in McKinney

Wedding Reception at The Tribute Golf Course

Wedding Reception at Dallas Arboretum 

Wedding Reception at Avanti Fountain Place in Dallas

Wedding Reception at Granville Arts Center Atrium in Garland

Wedding Reception at C.R. Smith Aviation Museum in Fort Worth

Wedding Reception at Stonebriar Country Club in Frisco

Wedding Reception at the Melrose Hotel in Dallas

Wedding Reception at The Milestone in Denton

Backyard Tented Wedding Reception

Wedding Reception at the Chandelier Room (Previously Marc Events)

Wedding Reception at La Buena Vida Vineyards in Grapevine

Wedding Reception at the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas

Gather in McKinney

Hidden Springs in Aubrey Texas

The Sanctuary in McKinney

Off the Grid Wedding in Dallas

Ashton Depot in Fort Worth

Harbor Lights Boat at Rockwall Harbor

I hope this helps you in your Dallas and Fort Worth wedding venue search and you can now begin planning your wedding with confidence.  Plus you can pull some decor and color ideas from these photos.  If you are still feeling overwhelmed, I recommend contacting a dallas wedding planner.  They will help you out and really are an invaluable resource.  You can check out our blog on hiring a planner and why you should by clicking here.

And Congrats again your engagement!!!! Remember to take the time and breath and it can be stressful planning a wedding.