What is your perfect wedding venue? Is it elegant and classic, or modern and minimal? Are you envisioning something more secluded and intimate, or a good old-fashioned blowout with as many friends and family as you can possibly pack in? When it comes to how to choose the perfect PEI wedding venue for you, these are just scratching the proverbial surface!

Which is why I’m here. I want to make this process as easy as I can for you. So, when it comes to how to pick a wedding venue, I’ve put this blog together with some of the foundational pieces to help get us started.

How To Choose Your Wedding Venue In PEI

There are tons of things to consider before choosing a wedding venue, but the most important thing to think about is the FEEL you’re going for!

Oftentimes, we all get wrapped up in this super-exciting moment where we choose an uber-trendy place with glass walls and heated floors we saw getting hyped up on social media. But we don’t consider that none of the furniture is conducive to the younger family members, or that when the sun hits the glass at 7 in the morning there may be no escaping an early wake-up call.

No matter what, make sure that you’re going to be comfortable. That is probably one of my biggest tips for picking the perfect wedding venue. With that said, let’s talk about some other things to consider when asking yourself the big question…

How Do I Find The Perfect Wedding Location?

I’ll be honest, one of the best things about Prince Edward Island – at least for lovebirds like yourself – is that there is a plethora of amazing venues to choose from! I’ve covered quite a few of the best places for PEI weddings in my other blogs (take a deeper dive here!).

Here, we’re focussing on how to choose the perfect PEI wedding venue overall!

A few things to consider when thinking about how to pick a venue for your wedding venue, and definitely things you want to do a little research on are:

Space & Accommodations

Are you going for a small, elopement-style wedding, or an all-weekend affair with a big wedding party? Is the venue spacious enough to hold all your guests?

Is there a dedicated getting-ready area for you and your fiance, that’s big, bright, and full of natural light? Does the venue have overnight accommodations for you and your fiance?

These are all things to think about when you’re thinking about how to pick your wedding venue!

Aesthetic

Consider the kind of setting you’re trying to hold your wedding in! For example, are you looking for a PEI cottage wedding vibe full of flowers, natural light, and the creature comforts of home? Or something posh and sleek? Gothic and old world? All of those things you need to consider.

Amenities & Options

From full catering to getting ready locations, from cocktail hours to on-site bartending, from ceremony and reception options to a day-of event coordinator, some venues provide it all – and some venues don’t.

You might want to bring in your own vendors and have the site be completely hands-off, and that’s okay too! Just make sure that you think about what will make your day easier.

Backup Plans

Does the venue have a backup plan for power outages or hurricanes? Does it have an indoor option for the ceremony in case the weather doesn’t play ball? (If this does happen, just make sure the venue plans to have the windows behind your guests and not you, the couple). this happens and you hold your ceremony indoors, have the windows behind your guests! The lighting will help with your photos and your wedding photographer will be forever grateful.)

PEI Wedding Photography: Natural Light Is Key!

The biggest thing for me as a PEI wedding photographer is whether or not the space provides an adequate amount of natural light!

Key tips:

The brighter the walls of the venue, the better it takes to natural light, giving your photos a vibrant glow.
The more windows a venue has, the more natural light has the chance to bounce and refract off the walls.
For indoor ceremonies, it’s important to have the windows – with all that gorgeous natural light – positioned behind the guests which will make you (the couple) both stand out!

Budget, Budget, And Budget! Consider Before Visiting.

Your budget is always a key factor in the venue that you choose, and even more reason to do research before you go visit.

Visit The Venue Before You Book

I absolutely encourage you to visit the venue before you book! Make sure you vibe well with the venue owners and that everyone involved fully understands what you’re looking for. Ask ALL the questions you have, and even share a Pinterest board of a wedding style you’re interested in.

Think about taking your wedding photographer with you too, if possible. They can help you envision the possibilities for the big day, ask questions you might not think of, and may even help with the planning!

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There it is! The things to think about when it comes to how to choose the perfect PEI wedding venue. Now it’s your job to look over all the venues and see what fits best! As part of my services, I provide a wedding handbook that covers all vendors and venues in PEI that will certainly help you make this choice a bit easier. Reach out to me so we can start planning your day together!