BYO Wedding Venues

If you choose a venue that provides few in-house services, it can mean a lot of extra work on your end. On the other hand, it will give you much more choice over the specific details of your wedding and can allow you to set a more concrete budget. Consider the pros and cons carefully before making your decisions.

Pros:

• Options: A BYO venue allows the couple to choose most or all of their wedding details from any source. This allows for endless customization and can free the couple to bring their friends and family in to help in some areas. Every detail, from the wedding favors to the type of wine served, can be turned into an opportunity to express something personal and unique about the couple. Moreover, by taking charge of the details, a couple can visit vendors on their own and make decisions about the best cake, the best flowers, and other items without having to simply use whatever the venue has on hand.
• Bargain Shopping: One of the joys of self-planned weddings is the opportunity to hunt down great deals. Looking for wholesale centerpieces online, or bartering with a photographer friend for reduced-cost wedding pictures is a great way to save serious money in the budget.
• Price: Since a BYO venue provides fewer services, it is generally less expensive than a full-service location. While this means that the couple is responsible for hiring vendors and buying supplies, it can still lower the bottom line of the budget considerably. Since couples are not locked into a package deal, it also frees you to leave out any package items deemed unnecessary for your wedding. So if you don’t want toasting flutes or a gift card birdcage, you aren’t forced to pay for them as part of the package.

 Cons:

• Stress: Okay, the downside to a BYO venue is that it throws a whole bunch of decisions on the couple. You become responsible for finding vendors, hiring them, and coordinating with them. It may mean many more meetings, tastings, and emails. Ask yourselves very seriously if this is the type of thing you find fun or stressful. While some couples may truly enjoy making these decisions on their own, others may find it endlessly tedious and source of numerous arguments. Know yourselves well enough to determine if you’re up to the extra commitments of a DIY wedding before deciding to go in this direction. For the couple that loves to plan, on the other hand, a BYO vendor may be the only way to go to make sure that everything is just as you want it, with no limitations.