Easy Wedding Venue Search Thanks to WeddingVenueMap.com

We have always known Shannon Tarrant for her entrepreneurial spirit, and quite fondly as a “disrupter.” She founded www.weddingvenuemap.com and succeeded in transforming the paper version of the Wedding Venue Map into a user-friendly website. Our founder, Ann Taylor, was thrilled to meet up with Shannon and ask her a few questions about her website.

What do you think makes WeddingVenueMap.com different than other wedding search resources?

Lots of things! Here are just a few:

1 – The website is the only true all-inclusive resource to find an Orlando Wedding Venue. Every single wedding location is provided a basic listing which allows for engaged couples to search and find unique wedding venues they have never heard of.

2 – It’s user friendly. You don’t have to create a login and password. The information that you are looking for is easy to find. If you’re looking for the venue search, just click the button. Want to find out about upcoming wedding shows and events? It’s right there in the menu.

3 – After spending a lot of time with a panel of today’s engaged couples, we created search and refine criteria that were important to them. A few of these include pet friendly locations, catering limitations or inclusions and noise ordinances.

Most people think that finding a wedding venue is the first real step of the planning. Do you agree?

Yes and no. It’s the first vendor that you will probably book, but it’s not the first step in the planning process.

The first step is really talking to each other and figuring out what you both want for the wedding. While you probably know each other well enough to be engaged, that doesn’t mean you’ve really ever discussed the nitty gritty wedding details.

It’s important to prioritize the different categories of planning. What is most important to each of you? The food, the dancing, the photos, the decor, the dress?

Here’s a tip: make a list and rank items in order of importance and talk to each other about why you put importance on certain items. Those things that rank high for the both of you need to be planned first.

Where should couples start when they are looking for a wedding venue?

There are a few basic things you need to know when you start contacting venues. You need a general idea of your guest list. It’s really important to know both how many people you are INVITING as well as how many you expect ATTENDING.

***TIP – Remember to have an adult count and children under 12 count. If your venue includes the catering, children are often much less expensive, so that can help your budget.

Next up is the budget! I know it’s hard to have any idea of the exact number of guests, but at least a range. If not for the venue, then for the whole wedding. There has to be a starting point.

Find venues that will help you with the process and understanding what it all costs. For most couples, this is the first time that they are planning a wedding. It’s okay to need help, but be honest through the process so experienced venues and vendors can help you!

What types of criteria should they consider to help refine their search?

The easiest place to start is how many guests and what’s your venue style. A lot of venues have maximum capacities so you want to make sure your guests will fit comfortably.

***TIP – make sure when you are looking at capacities, you remember that they often are the absolute maximum. The number might be less for a wedding because you need a dance floor, cake table, dj table, head or sweetheart table, possibly buffets and bars, etc. Just keep this in mind!

There are so many different venue styles. We made sure to feature them all. The venue search really includes a variety of venues, from barns to ballrooms. Just remember to weigh all of the options. There are some really unique places and event centers that have gorgeous views. Think outside the norm!

Why is it important to book your venue first?

The venue really guides the rest of the planning process. Usually, your wedding venue will provide you a list of either recommended or required vendors. It’s always great to use vendors that know the policies and procedures at your venue. This includes things like delivery/pickup times, what kind of decor is allowed, the location of the ready rooms and so much more. It’s less time and headache when you don’t have to be the person in the middle.

Even your style of dress should mimic the style of the venue. A rustic barn on a ranch might not dictate a couture mermaid gown with crystals. Of course, you can have any dress that you want. But ideally, you want your dress to feel like the right fit for your venue.

By choosing the venue first, the rest tends to fall right into place. You can work with the venue coordinator that you trust to get recommendations from them. By this point, they understand your personalities and your wedding vision and can help narrow down all of the searching!

What do you hope engaged couples will find on WeddingVenueMap.com?

The goal is to be a resource that helps connect couples to their perfect wedding venue. The true purpose was to help couples find ALL of the options. Not everyone can afford the top-tier, top price venues. Not everyone wants a ballroom or a barn. There are truly SO MANY OPTIONS here in Orlando for locations to get married. But there wasn’t a resource for today’s couple to find all of them, both the most popular but also those that don’t really advertise anywhere else.

That’s a really good point, Shannon! Fortunately, WeddingVenueMap.com can fill that void now. Newly engaged and shopping around for venues for your dream wedding? You know where to go – head over to www.weddingvenuemap.com