Google search is a simple and powerful thing! Any newly engaged couple can readily search for something as open-ended as Nashville Wedding Venue. Or, if they know their preferences a bit more precisely, they can get more granular with something like Nashville Boutique Urban Industrial Venue. Whatever, we all know how to do a search, we probably do 10 every day.
So why some couples continue to use wedding websites like The Knot and Wedding Wire which are (the same company by the way) is a complete mystery to us. They pre-date Google search, but yet they linger on even after other listing sites such as the yellow pages have disappeared. Maybe it's because some couples are so stressed in the early stages of planning that they decide to depend on a wedding portal.
Why are wedding websites a problem?
Wedding websites are just paid listing sites! Being listed on them doesn't make the venue better than one that isn't on them. As with any advertising, to get placement on their site, venues pay the site. There's nothing wrong with that, but all of these sites purport to be the definitive site for all venues.
Since there are so many of these wedding listing sites, no venue advertises on all of them. The selection on any one of these sites, therefore, is not a real representation of the venues available in an area. Of course most couples would not knowingly choose to limit their venue choice, but that's what they're doing when they rely upon one of these sites. Nevertheless, these websites are forced to represent that their lists are comprehensive, that's how they attract couples and advertisers.
The primary way they do that is put every venue on their site in front of every couple, even if they don't fit a couple's search criteria. Let's say a couple search for venues in Nashville, TN. You would think this means that only results from the city of Nashville will be returned. But no. For The Knot and Wedding Wire, this means couples have to wade through venues scattered over the entire state of Tennessee - Memphis, Knoxille and other points 3 hours away. These sites think that this gets venues a lot of exposure to couples, and it gives couples a lot of venue choices, a double win in their mind of the wedding sites! Just take a look at out search for Nashville venues on The Knot in the cover photo for this blog. Nine of the top ten results aren't even in Nashville. Try it yourself. Planning a wedding is difficult enough without having your time wasted looking at venues that require a road trip to reach.
A second nuisance couples experience on The Knot/ Wedding Wire occurs once a they find a venue that interests them and they decide to contact the venue. The Knot/ Wedding Wire will then take that opportunity to recommend a dozen other venues that the couple might like. That sounds like a great feature! Who knew there were so many comparable venues? But let's say the couple selected a historic venue in Nashville. So you'll see a handful of Nashville venues that relate to your search criteria, right? Ah, but you would be wrong! These sites will recommendations a dozen farms and country clubs an hour or three away and spam them with a boiler plate email from the couple. That's a huge disservice to the couple. It's an even bigger inconvenience to the venues who have to respond to the couple as if the couple was genuinely interested in their venue. Again, try this for yourself.
What do the best venues do?
The best venues often don't advertise on many of The Knot/ Wedding Wire type sites. Apart from the reasons already mentioned, the best venues know that couples will judge them in part based upon the quality of the venues with which they are grouped, and being grouped together with venues that are very unlike theirs, geographically, by type and quality, is not appealing. After all, you're judged by whom you associate.
The best venues also don't want to be defined and limited by the one-size-fits-all templates provided to them by The Knot/ Wedding Wire and others. We're often contacted by couples who know very little about our venues and have clearly never been to our websites, even though everything may be found on our websites. All venues design their websites with the information, appearance, and voice that they think represents what couples should know about their venue. Having a third party website manipulate and reduce that message to a template is frustrating for good venues. Why couples would be willing to get only part of the information they're after is a mystery to us. Go to the source - the venue's website - not to the wedding venue yellow pages sites.
How Should I Find the Right Venue for Me?
That's an easy one.
- Do a Google search using the terms relevant to you.
- Sft through the handful of venues that emerge and visit three or four.
It will be far more productive and a better use of everyone's time, including your own! And know that if you have a good idea of what you're looking for with respect to venue size, location and style, you're likely to have only three of four great options.
