finding the perfect venue (part 2)

One of the first things I did after the engagement was go out and buy TONS of wedding magazines. At that point, I was already an avid wedding blog reader (much to the future mister's chagrin). For months I had been making a mental list of any venues that fit our criteria. I'll start with the venues that were on my wish list, but didn't make the cut for some reason or another.

1. Neverland Farms - I think I first saw this wedding featured on one of the wedding blogs I read. It was also featured in The Knot - Georgia. It was perfectly rustic. I loved the ceremony site, as well as the barn used for the reception. Perfect. Except it was over 2 hours from where we live.

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2. The Inn at Serenbe - I'm not sure how I first found out about this venue, but it appeared to match all of our criteria. Then I started looking at the pricing. And then I saw that once again it would be over 2 hours from our home. It sure is beautiful though.

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3. McGuire's Millrace Farm - Mostly I liked this one because it will be my future last name (I was told that the owners might even be distant relatives). However, it is in North Carolina and kind of in the middle of nowhere - i.e. it wouldn't be very convenient for our guests. We'll have a lot of guests flying in and the two closest airports are both over 2 hours away. I do love that main staircase and can totally picture myself and my new husband walking down to make our grand entrance.

4. The Farmhouse Inn - If we would not have found something, this venue might have been next on our list of places to visit. It's not too far from where we live and not too far from the airport either. I like that it has room for up to 30 of your guests to stay on the property.

All of these places are definitely beautiful. Next, I'll show you the places we did end up visiting and of course the one that we ultimately decided on.

What criteria did you use to choose a venue?