As we come out of engagement season , it's officially time to dive into wedding planning, and let me tell y'all — I'm scared. Wedding planning is daunting and can get oddly competitive, especially if you want a late summer/early fall wedding. For me, the easiest way to soothe my anxiety and prevent bridezilla-itis was to lock down a wedding venue asap. My fiancé and I wrote down a list of qualities we definitely wanted in a venue, which is essentially our wedding's home, and began our search. Once we got to the touring stage, we were overwhelmed and very obviously green. Thankfully, we had a few helpful venue tour guides and by the time we settled on our venue (and put down that initial terrifying deposit), we were pros. So, my dear wedding planners , I impart my wisdom to you — here is everything you'll definitely want to as you search for you your wedding venue.