After you’ve said “yes” and decided on your destination wedding location, the next step is finding the venue of your dreams. This can be easier said than done as there are a number of factors to consider when choosing a wedding venue: Can it accommodate your number of guests? Do they have availability for your date? And, perhaps most importantly, is it in your budget? Thankfully, there are tools out there to help you narrow down the hunt for the perfect place to say “I do.”

Above Venue: Bel Air Bay Club

Wedding Spot is a website that lists various wedding venues across 15 states and allows you to search, compare and price options all in one place. The site works directly with the venues to ensure they have up-to-date and accurate information. Pick your state of interest and you can search based on budget, location, style and guest count. Once you’ve found a few strong contenders, you can get a more in-depth price estimate by selecting different services and options you might want to choose. Seriously interested? You can easily book an appointment to view the venue with one click.

We asked Wedding Spot to weigh in on what couples should look for when booking their wedding venue. So, here are ten tips for finding the perfect wedding venue!

Think about what venue would make it “your” wedding.

Oftentimes, the best venues are somewhere sentimental. Choose a place that is meaningful to you as a couple, and the wedding is sure to bring even more happy tears than it already would.

Narrow down a location.

Select just a few options to avoid being overwhelmed – are you looking for a beach wedding in Hawaii or a city wedding in San Francisco? It may also be helpful to rank your desired venue styles, just to confirm where you’d like to really focus your energy.

Look at your finances and put together a reasonable budget.

You may end up over budget, but it’s a good place to start and gives you an idea of which aspects of the wedding you want to invest or save.

Decide the non-negotiables.

It’s important to decide up-front what you need your venue to provide or accommodate. If you have a big family, want the event to be held until the wee hours of the morning or want to bring in your own alcohol to save money, some venues will have restrictions. Having a few non-negotiable aspects of your wedding can help narrow down your venues.

Price your selected venues.

Use online services like Wedding Spot to easily search and price out venues and get all the information you need in one place. You can find out a general price filtered by number of guests and other non-negotiables that you decided in the previous step.

Figure out your guest count.

It’s never too early to start thinking about your guest list. Having an idea of how many people you plan to invite to your wedding will help you narrow down the right venue. For destination weddings, there are so many different types of packages and locations available and the first thing you’ll need to know is how many people you will need to accommodate.

Ask the important questions.

If travel plans allow, meeting in person with the wedding planner at your selected venue can help answer questions. If not, a phone call or email is essential to learn about noise limits, catering options and anything else you need to make your day perfect.

Book a spot.

The most popular venues get snatched up a year in advance, so start looking early. Once you’ve booked, you can get to planning the rest of your wedding day!

If you chose a destination wedding, figure out travel for you and your guests.

Are there direct flights to and from the destination? Do you need to rent a car? Costs can add up for you and your guests, whether you’re on a remote island or close to home.

On the note of travel plans, don’t forget about your honeymoon!

It’s never too early to plan your trip, so take your honeymoon destination into account when picking your wedding location. i.e. Get married on one Caribbean island and honeymoon on another.

For more information on Wedding Spot or to begin searching for your dream venue, visit wedding-spot.com.