Touring Venues like a Pro: What to Consider and What to Ask, with Shannon Tarrant

This week on The Leap Lifestyle Podcast, I'm thrilled to welcome Shannon Tarrant, co-found of Wedding Venue Map and Venue Help Desk! With more than 20 years experience helping couples source venues, Shannon shares why choosing your wedding venue is one of the biggest (and earliest) decisions in the wedding planning process, and it sets the tone for everything that follows. In this episode, we’re breaking down exactly how to find a venue that truly fits you as a couple.

Whether you’ve just gotten engaged or you’re knee-deep in Pinterest boards and vendor outreach, we’ll walk you through how to start the search, what to look out for, and the questions you have to ask before signing on the dotted line.

What We Cover in This Episode:

 How to Begin Your Venue Search

• Where to start and now to avoid overwhelm
• The first conversation every couple should have: What kind of wedding do we want?
• Getting aligned on your must-haves vs. nice-to-haves

 Nailing Down Your Wedding Vibe

• Rustic barn? Modern industrial loft? Outdoor garden party?
• How your venue choice shapes the overall aesthetic and affect your wedding budget

Talking Budget Without the Stress

• Why your venue budget affects everything else
• Tips for being realistic about your wedding budget and what the means in terms of your wedding venue

Getting on the Same Page as a Couple

• Discussing values, priorities, and guest count to avoid venue regret
• Balancing dream venue vibes with practical logistics

Narrowing Down the Options

• How many venues should you really visit before choosing?
• Smart ways to research venues before scheduling a tour

Venue Tours 101

• The essential questions you must ask during each visit
• What to look for on your visit
• Decoding the cost of venues and how asking questions is a MUST

Decoding Venue & Catering Lingo

• What do “preferred vendors,” “food & beverage minimums,” or “site fees” actually mean?
• How food and beverage minimums really work

Listen Now If You’re:

• Newly engaged and not sure where to start
• Feeling confused by wedding industry jargon
• Ready to feel confident in choosing a space that reflects you two perfectly

You can find Shannon on the web at Wedding Venue Map and Venue Help Desk, and on instagram @weddingvenuemap and @venuehelpdesk

You can find Deanna on the web at Deanna Nash Events and The Leap Lifestyle, and on Instagram @deannanashevents and @theleaplifestyle .

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As always, thanks for listening!