How to Find the Perfect North Texas Wedding Venue: Your Ultimate Guide

​How to Find the Perfect North Texas Wedding Venue: Your Ultimate Guide

6 Steps to find your perfect wedding venue AND a free download just for you.

Choosing the right venue is one of the most significant decisions you'll make when planning your wedding. North Texas offers an array of stunning options, from rustic barns to luxurious hotels.

Here’s how to find the perfect wedding venue in North Texas, ensuring your big day is everything you’ve dreamed of.

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1. Determine Your Wedding Style

Before you start touring venues, it’s crucial to have a clear vision of your wedding style. Are you dreaming of a rustic, country wedding or a glamorous, city affair? Your chosen style will guide your venue search. Here are some popular options in North Texas:

• Texas Barn and Ranch Venues: Ideal for rustic, country-themed weddings. Think wooden beams, open spaces, and beautiful landscapes. These can be found in wide variety in DFW - from true repurposed barns that operate seasonally to avoid the heat/cold to elegant handcrafted details found in venues built with celebrations in mind. Hawthorn Hills for example was built to give a welcoming feel where your guests arrive to a flowing, manicured ranch setting only to walk indoors to find a elegant and timeless reception hall with crystal chandeliers and large open space for dancing.
• DFW Historic Chapels and Mansions: Perfect for a classic and elegant wedding. These venues offer timeless charm and sophisticated settings. Be sure to pay attention to capacity and policies as these typically include individual rooms, limiting guest flow/gathering and have policies in place to protect the beautiful history they hold. 
• North Texas Modern Venues: For a sleek and contemporary vibe, look into unique options, urban lofts or modern hotels in North Texas. These will typically include black and gold accents, subtle industrial touches as well.

Now - the greatest part about North Texas is that there are some truly unique venues to choose from - not into a barn style wedding venue but enjoy a gorgeous view? Check out Hawthorn Hills - we've perfectly blended the worry-free views with a modern, elegant interior that is gorgeous for photos, crafting your own design and does not require much decor.

2. Consider Your Guest List

Your guest list will significantly influence your venue choice. Here’s how to match your venue with your guest count:

• Intimate Wedding Venues: If you’re planning a small wedding, look for cozy venues that offer intimate spaces. Many North Texas venues have charming rooms perfect for smaller ceremonies and receptions. They should have a page dedicated on their website for such events, micro-weddings, and even photo examples for you. Here is an example of a micro-wedding venue option in North Texas.
• Large Celebrations - Wedding Venues for 150  or more guests: For a big wedding, you’ll need a venue that can comfortably accommodate all your guests. Check if the venue has ample space for dining, dancing, and other activities. Many venues, like Hawthorn Hills may set their wedding capacity lower than their true building capacity - this is for your benefit. That shows that they have the experience you need on your side to provide advice that will ensure your day is comfortable. If your guest count is over 300, your options will be limited and larger hotels that offer convention spacing may be a great fit.

Many family owned wedding venues in North Texas are able to accommodate a range of guests. At Hawthorn Hills we have hosted elopements of only 10 up to weddings for 230 people indoors, as well as larger events with 300 + outdoors (we love tented receptions!).

3. Wedding Venue Amenities and Services

When comparing venues, consider what each one offers in terms of amenities and services. Some key points to consider include:

• On-site Coordination or Management: Does the venue offer an on-site coordinator to assist with wedding day logistics? Now please take the time to read through exactly what services this includes. Your wedding venue should have a very descriptive and detailed definition for you outlining exactly what you can expect. As someone who has been in weddings/events for 15+ years this is extremely important.  Some venues do not have experience with coordination and offer a service that focuses on the venue back end whereas others offer an amazing coordination service that truly includes your timeline and support. In other words - you want to compare the on-site service to a third party vendor that offers wedding coordination as well.
• Catering Services: Some venues provide in-house catering, which can simplify your planning process. Ask about menu options and whether they can accommodate dietary restrictions. Be sure to also ask for information on what else is included. At Hawthorn Hills our all-inclusive or catered venue packages also include staffing, set up, bussing, bartending services and cake cutting. These are all crucial to your day and can easily become hidden expenses if your venue does not include them already. 
• Decor and Setup: Check if the venue includes tables, chairs, and basic decor. Some North Texas wedding venues offer customizable packages that include these essentials. We for example include backdrops, lanterns, vases, centerpiece decor, easels, yard games, whisky barrels and more to all our couples. When planning for 10 - 25 tables decor adds up quickly so having access to these ensures our couples can save their budget for other areas of planning.

Not sure where to start with this? Hawthorn Hills makes it easy to compare - feel free to browse our package options HERE where we list out most (feel free to email for our package guide for a full list of services) so you can see what type of services we are referring to. 
Our North Texas wedding venue has a reputation for providing the best services at a reasonable cost without all the extra hidden fees that couples should never have happen down the road.

4. Tour Wedding Venues in North Texas

Seeing a venue in person is crucial. Schedule tours of several North Texas wedding venues to get a feel for each one. On average couples tour 3 - 5 venues, any more and you may cause yourself unnecessary stress. If you aren't sure how to narrow it down we suggest asking these questions before touring (GRAB THE FREE DOWNLOAD HERE).

When touring, take note of:

• Ambiance and Aesthetics: Does the venue match your wedding style and vision? How did the venue team make you feel? It's very true that how a venue team treats you and talks about other venues shows a glimpse of what you can expect during planning. 
• Accessibility: Is the venue easy for your guests to reach from the main roads/highway? Consider proximity to airports, hotels, and major highways. Hawthorn Hills is located less than an hour from DFW Airport, Downtown Dallas, Downtown Fort Worth and Oklahoma. We're also only 10 minutes from I-35, a 4-star hotel, and 10+ additional hotel options. Guests love the convenience of our location, and are always surprised by the view as soon as they arrive, making them feel like they are hours from the city. 
• Photo Opportunities: Look for picturesque spots on the property where you can capture stunning wedding photos. These options are endless at Hawthorn Hills - between our numerous water features (5+ ponds, waterfall and brook, creek side nature trails, butterfly meadows the golden hour light is perfect just about anywhere. For your guests who lean more towards modern photo opportunities we also have strung lights, industrial features, modern accents and barn doors. Not to mention our two most popular spots - the hillside courtyard and arbor, and our sunset look out.

5. Understand the Costs

Understanding the full cost of a venue is essential. The tricky part is knowing what is NOT listed in the pricing to avoid extra costs you were unprepared for. Grab our pricing guide if you'd like an example to compare to so you see what to look for or ask about.

Here are some cost-related questions to ask:

• Package Inclusions: What’s included in the rental fee? Make sure to get a detailed breakdown of all costs.
• Additional Fees: Are there any extra charges for services like cleanup, overtime, or specific dates?
• Payment Plans: Does the venue offer flexible payment options to help manage your budget?

If you have not - grab our FREE venue guide with over 40 questions, why you should ask them and a worksheet to keep the answers organized here. 

You can also get an idea of our package options and pricing differences on our venue packages page HERE.

6. Read Reviews 

Before making your final decision, read online reviews and look for venue specifics. This can provide valuable insights into the experiences of other couples who have married at the venue.

• Online Reviews: Look for feedback on wedding-specific websites and social media platforms.
• Venue Specifics: In the reviews you want to pay extra attention to what the past clients mention - how was the venue team? Where there hidden costs mentioned? It's important to not only find a venue you think will look nice on wedding day, but one that supports you during the planning process since that is what makes the true difference.

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Finding the perfect North Texas wedding venue takes time and research, but by following these steps, you can make a confident choice that aligns with your vision and needs. Whether you're planning an intimate gathering or a grand celebration, North Texas has a venue that will make your wedding day truly special.

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Ready to find your dream venue in North Texas? Contact us today to schedule a tour and start planning the wedding of your dreams! We would be honored to chat with you and support you during your wedding experience. 

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