Now you're choosing a venue hundreds of miles away, with the clock running. And when you do find one you like, the doubt creeps in: is it right for us, and what are we missing?
Search it yourself and Google, Pinterest and Instagram hand you hundreds of beautiful venues — none confirmed, no way to rank them. The places that don't market well never reach you at all.
The free directories look like the answer. But they're free because venues often pay to appear: advertising, dressed as a recommendation. You can't tell what's good from what bought its spot — and never see what's left out.
And the 'best of' lists look curated by someone who knows. But 'best' is one person's taste — you can't see what it's based on, and it still leaves venues out.
Another couple's spreadsheet is the one list people trust, because no one had anything to sell. But it was built around their wedding, sees only what they found, and no one keeps it current.
You're not missing a venue. You're missing a way to choose — from the outside, with your own eyes, without feeling like the naïve foreigner.