Reception Venue

Wedding Planning made easy!

ABIA Weddings is Australia’s largest wedding review platform, helping couples connect with trusted wedding vendors by displaying over 500K real wedding reviews and recommendations. From wedding venues, planners, photographers, entertainers and transport specialists, ABIA showcases the best wedding professionals across Australia. Explore ABIA’s Wedding Planning Inspo to get all the tips and tricks to help you with your wedding journey.

Set Your Priorities

Proposal was perfect, the ring is on and you’re buzzing with excitement…..what now? With so many tasks to complete and details to be worked out, planning a wedding can seem overwhelming. But, if you give yourself plenty of time, seek support from professionals where possible and manage your priorities, then wedding planning can truly become an enjoyable experience.

Budget is usually the first and most important consideration, ABIA recommends setting your wedding budget and the number of guests as early as possible so that you don’t fall in love with a wedding venue or vendors that are out of your price range or can’t accommodate the size of your wedding guest list.

Work out what is most important to you, write a list of your “must haves” and “nice to haves”. Whether it be an emphasis on food & wine, lavish styling, a cute church reception, an epic band, cinematography or so on. Working backwards from what is most important to you will allow you to budget accordingly. ABIA has a huge collection of highly rated vendors to suit all budgets, comparing a variety of vendors will provide you with a much clearer picture of what your wedding is likely to cost you.

When to Start Searching for Wedding Vendors & Services

The short answer is….the sooner the better! Some couples spend months – or even years – carefully selecting their wedding stylist, floral designer, or celebrant while others can bring their wedding dreams to life much sooner. Factors such as the season, day of the week and location all can impact greatly on how much lead time you may require when planning your wedding. Regardless of how long or short your engagement is, ABIA recommends locking in your venue as soon as possible, with popular wedding venues booking out 12-18 months in advance.

Which Wedding Vendors to Book First

In general, you should hire your wedding planner or coordinator and book your wedding venue as early as possible - at least a year in advance. If your venue doesn't have on-site catering, this is also the time to start researching your options. Next, book your MC, photographer, videographer, and your wedding band or DJ. After that, focus on finding the perfect stylist, florist, caterer, and cake designer. Transportation, photobooth, personal favours are all best booked months in advance.

How to Choose Wedding Vendors & Services

Choosing wedding vendors and services is very much about personal preference but knowing that your wedding vendors are trusted and highly reputable is critical to ensuring your dream wedding runs smoothly. The professionals you work with should make you feel comfortable, not stressed. Planning your wedding should be fun and exciting, and the best wedding vendors and service providers will be as enthusiastic about your Big Day as you are.

Browse our wedding directory of thousands of reviews, view inspiration and connect with vendors on ABIA. Ask prospective wedding vendors plenty of questions and be confident enough to walk away if you feel overly pressured to sign a contract. Your goal should be to find wedding professionals who can guide you toward the options that make your wedding ceremony and reception perfect for you.