How to Find Your Dream Unique Wedding Venue

When looking for wedding venues, I knew I wanted something outside of the box.  A place that would set my wedding a part from the several country club weddings I had been to earlier in the year.  Finding the perfect venue took me way longer than I anticipated, but it was worth the wait.  Both Phil and I cannot wait to get married there--it will be our own fairytale.

Inspiration

I knew I wanted an outdoor ceremony.  I grew up camping and hanging out on Lake Michigan.  It seems only natural to say "I do" to my true love surrounded to be natures beauty.

The Blue Dress Barn in Michigan is absolutely stunning!  After spending countless hours on Pinterest, I knew a more rustic location like a barn would be perfect for us.  However, every other bride loves the idea as well and the most popular barn wedding venues were completely booked!

Misty Farms in Ann Arbor was completely booked up as well.  I loved the old barns at this property, but even more than that, the rolling hills and beautiful farm land as a backdrop was stunning.

I actually considered this property in Michigan called Waldenwoods.  It was the only more traditional venue we considered--the rustic interior is exactly what we were looking for, but the lack of flexibility in doing what we wanted inspired us to keep looking.

My Venue

We are getting married at a beautiful vacation rental property in the thumb of Michigan.  There are 48 acres on this beautiful property and our families and bridal party will have the chance to stay there for the entire wedding weekend.

Behind the doors is the bridal suite where my girls and I will be getting ready.  When it is time to walk down the aisle, I will exit through these doors and make my way to the outdoor chapel.

How cool is this?  The couple that lives on the property built this chapel for spiritual purposes--it is so perfect for our ceremony.  I love that we will be surrounded by our loved ones and nature. 

After the ceremony, we will have cocktail hour around the pool.  I am hoping to add floating candles to the pool to set the mood for the evening. 

Right behind the waterfall is an intimate space for smores as the night comes to a close.  I love it!

How to find yours:

I think the hardest part about finding a unique venue is knowing where to look.  The Knot and Pinterest were super helpful in figuring out what my vision was, but it definitely does not give you a comprehensive view of all your options.

Search for unique venues in your area:

• Local photographers blogs and facebook pages: I would search for a venue I knew in the area, then continue to explore their pages
• Google image search: I would type in "rustic Michigan wedding" and click on the images that stood out to me
• Local wedding sites: You would be surprised how many exist.  Fresh Coast Weddings was on that helped me identify quite a few options
• Vacation rental properties:  I used VRBO to find the venue I landed on.  You can search based on area and property type.  Most places do not allow big weddings, but it is worth a try!
• Local vendors: Ask around--I got some of the best advice from photographers and florists that have worked at different venues
• B&Bs: My wedding is a tad bit too large for most B&Bs, but I think it is a great place to look.  B&Bs are so unique and offer an intimate environment
• Exclude the word weddings from your search:  As I was searching for barns in Michigan, I was able to find a lot more options when I just typed in "barn rental" into the search
• Follow links to other links: My sister did a lot of searching for me and she continued to find the coolest, most unique places in Michigan by following links in one site she was on to another

Things to consider when selecting a venue:

   

1. Budget - set a realistic budget with all of the costs prior to making a decision.  You will be surprised at how quickly things add up, especially when you are building your own venue
2. Capacity - is there enough space for all your guests?
3. Distance from home - this was a big con to the venue we ended up selecting.  Think about vendor meetings and your guests having to drive a long distance
4. Connection with property owner - personalities need to jive.  You will be working with them quite a bit
5. Meets your must haves - you do not want to regret your decision.  Make sure your and your fiances biggest must haves are available at that venue
6. Venue flexibility - make sure you are able to bring in the vendors that you want to use and there are options to make the space your own
7. Indoor v. outdoor - we knew that we wanted an outdoor ceremony, so this limited our options quite a bit
8. Time to build you own venue - in a build your own venue situation, you will have to do a lot of the work the venue would typically handle on your own
9. Accommodations in the area - our venue has limited accommodations nearby, but there are just enough!
10. Catering options - at a DIY venue, you will need to bring in your own caterer.  There are limited options in the area, but I think we are close

How did you go about selecting your venue?  Do you have any suggestions for finding a unique venue?