Touring Venues like a Pro: What to Consider and What to Ask, with Shannon Tarrant
Tue Aug 19 2025
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 overwhelmThe 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 budgetTalking Budget Without the Stress
Why your venue budget affects everything elseTips for being realistic about your wedding budget and what the means in terms of your wedding venueGetting on the Same Page as a Couple
Discussing values, priorities, and guest count to avoid venue regretBalancing dream venue vibes with practical logisticsNarrowing Down the Options
How many venues should you really visit before choosing?Smart ways to research venues before scheduling a tourVenue Tours 101
The essential questions you must ask during each visitWhat to look for on your visitDecoding the cost of venues and how asking questions is a MUSTDecoding Venue & Catering Lingo
What do “preferred vendors,” “food & beverage minimums,” or “site fees” actually mean?How food and beverage minimums really workListen Now If You’re:
Newly engaged and not sure where to startFeeling confused by wedding industry jargonReady to feel confident in choosing a space that reflects you two perfectlyYou 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 .
Want More Planning Help?
Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming episodes on budgeting, timelines, vendor tips, and more!
As always, thanks for listening!
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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 overwhelmThe 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 budgetTalking Budget Without the Stress Why your venue budget affects everything elseTips for being realistic about your wedding budget and what the means in terms of your wedding venueGetting on the Same Page as a Couple Discussing values, priorities, and guest count to avoid venue regretBalancing dream venue vibes with practical logisticsNarrowing Down the Options How many venues should you really visit before choosing?Smart ways to research venues before scheduling a tourVenue Tours 101 The essential questions you must ask during each visitWhat to look for on your visitDecoding the cost of venues and how asking questions is a MUSTDecoding Venue & Catering Lingo What do “preferred vendors,” “food & beverage minimums,” or “site fees” actually mean?How food and beverage minimums really workListen Now If You’re: Newly engaged and not sure where to startFeeling confused by wedding industry jargonReady to feel confident in choosing a space that reflects you two perfectlyYou 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 . Want More Planning Help? Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming episodes on budgeting, timelines, vendor tips, and more! As always, thanks for listening!