Venue

Spending a little more money on a venue can actually save you money in the long run. If you tour a few venues you may notice that a lot of these venues look good on their own without any decorations. Venues try to look beautiful without decorations because that’s how brides come through to tour them. While it usually costs a little bit more initially to book the venue (most in East Idaho run about $1000-1300) this saves you so much time and money on the back end. For example, say you’re using a free church building, you rent all the decorations inside including, ceiling treatments- $500, arch- $75, tablecloths - $100, centerpieces - $100, guestbook decorations- $50, tables and chairs- $250. We’re already at about the same price you would pay for a venue with very minimal decorations. Now with that same amount of money you could also rent a venue that already has chairs and tables, most already have tablecloths, doesn’t need the ceiling covered, is already decorated beautifully, and the best part is you don’t have to setup or takedown!

Some venues also offer a selection of their own decorations to choose from that don’t cost anything extra including chairs and tables, tablecloths, centerpieces, signage, florals, etc. Choosing a venue that matches your vision for your wedding can actually end up saving you quite a bit of money on equipment rentals and wedding decorations. One example is Sarah at the Avenues. Sarah sits down with her brides and gets their vision for the day. Besides having a beautifully remodeled building, Sarah has a whole room dedicated to decorations at their venue that are as diverse as the weddings she holds there. The best part is you can add this on to your wedding package for a very affordable price and they will take care of the rest!

Other venues offer similar packages so it’s not a one size fits all. There is such a variety of venues in East Idaho that you should have no problem finding a venue that fits your wedding and your budget. These places host a lot of weddings and will be able to offer you a lot of good resources such as speakers, tables, chairs, tablecloths, lighting, decorations, and a venue that is already beautiful and requires minimal work so you can ultimately save money. Shop around, tour some venues, find the one you like and get it booked because they go quick!

Another option, especially if you’re having an outdoor wedding is to find an outdoor wedding venue. This works best for warm weather weddings in the early summer of fall for East Idaho. Keep in mind that the weather can be unpredictable so always have a backup option. That being said, many venues like The Blue Heron Inn and Labelle Lake make beautiful outdoor venues for your wedding. Moving your wedding outdoors with a scenic view is another way to save on decorations as minimal decorations are needed with a backdrop like that! Do keep in mind that there may be some additional costs such as an event tent or dance floor which can get expensive, but talk to your event coordinator and see where they usually get these items from. Some venues will even include it in the rental price.

Whether your wedding is indoors or outdoors, finding a beautiful wedding venue can save you so much time, energy, and money in the long run. These venues and their event coordinators are a resource that is very underrated. Adding minimal decorations and small details to a beautiful wedding venue can save you so much money in the long run vs trying to cover up a not so beautiful venue that feels more like putting makeup on a pig. Always weight out the costs and benefits, shop around, and consider booking a nicer venue to save money for your wedding.