First a big congratulations to all of our newly engaged brides! It's a big time for us in the industry - engagement season. I've already written some advice to our new brides (To the newly engaged) and I'd like to share a bit more regarding ways to find your perfect venue.
1) Read Blogs
Personally I think you're off to a good start on this one since you're reading this blog! Blogs are so popular now, so be sure to crawl some sites like Blogger and Word Press for terms like 'wedding', 'wedding reception', 'wedding venue' or the specific venues you are looking at. It's a great method to get real reviews from real people.
2) Check out their website
You don't know how many people call us because they saw us listed on a different website but they never went to ours! Do some research before hand to see if you like the venue. I hesitate with venues that don't list much information on the website - especially if they're missing photos!
3) Search them on Twitter
Another great way to get real opinions from recent events. Do a quick twitter search for venues to see if anyone has posted pictures or if they have any feedback from attending the event.
4) Pick up some literature
You know those bridal magazines you keep seeing? Go get one. Personally, I'm a fan of Atlanta Occasions and the Brides regional editions (like Brides Atlanta) when it comes to searching for reception sites. Brides Atlanta has one of the largest published lists I've seen. Atlanta Occasion is the prettiest magazine I own. There are plenty of other magazines out there, so spend an afternoon at your bookstore with a coffee to browse through and see which ones you like.
Good luck out there!
