Independent by Design: Why We Created I Do Venues

There are plenty of wedding venue directories out there. So why did I decide California needed another one? And why create one that doesn’t charge venues to be listed?

Well, there’s a method to my madness. Usually. After years in the wedding industry, first as a caterer and later as a wedding planner, I came to realize something: falling in love with a wedding venue and understanding what it actually takes to produce a wedding there are two very different things. And somewhere between the beautiful photographs, the enthusiastic sales pitches, and the signed contracts, some rather important details have a habit of getting lost. That’s where the idea for I Do Venues began.

You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know

It’s something I’ve said to clients more times than I can count. “You don’t know what you don’t know.” And nowhere is that more apparent than when couples are choosing their wedding venue.

A gorgeous photograph can tell you what a property looks like on a perfect Saturday afternoon. It can’t tell you what’s included in the rental, whether your caterer has access to a proper kitchen, how far guests will walk between the ceremony and reception, or whether that fabulous candlelit dinner you’ve envisioned is actually permitted.

It certainly won’t tell you whether the seemingly reasonable rental fee is about to acquire a rather impressive collection of additional zeros. These aren’t necessarily the things couples think to ask. Why would they? Most people haven’t planned dozens, let alone hundreds, of weddings. But wedding professionals have. And that’s why experience matters.

The Fairy Godmother Versus the Wicked Stepmother

When I owned a catering company specializing in weddings, working with an event planner could be either my worst nightmare or my saving grace. The difference usually came down to experience.

I’ve always believed that when you hire a great wedding planner, you’re not simply paying for what they can lift, arrange, organize, or create. You’re paying for their judgment, their experience, and their Rolodex. Yes, I still say Rolodex.

An experienced planner knows that assembling the right team is just as important as creating a beautiful design. A caterer familiar with the venue knows where service can get complicated. A photographer knows when the light disappears behind the building. A florist knows which installations are permitted and which ones require a different approach.

And if the planner hasn’t worked at a particular property before? The smart ones surround themselves with people who have. It’s that collective knowledge that helps turn a gorgeous concept into a successful event.

Unfortunately, I’ve also been on the other side of that conversation. A couple would excitedly ask, “What if we did this?” And I’d find myself explaining that the venue didn’t permit it, that it would require additional rentals, or that we’d need to find a creative workaround to achieve something similar.

Suddenly, I was the wicked stepmother when all I wanted was to be the fairy godmother. Not exactly the role anyone hopes to play in someone’s wedding story. What frustrated me most wasn’t having to find solutions. That’s part of the job, and frankly, often the fun part. It was knowing that many of those conversations could have happened before the couple booked the venue.

Why We Built a Different Kind of California Wedding Venue Directory

That frustration eventually turned into a question. What if couples had access to the kind of venue information wedding professionals actually use?

Not just the photographs and romantic descriptions, but the practical details that determine how a wedding can come together. That’s the thinking behind I Do Venues.

We’re building a curated directory devoted exclusively to California wedding venues, approaching each property with an insider’s eye and a healthy appreciation for beautiful design. Because I love a spectacular ceremony backdrop as much as anyone. But I’d also like to know where the caterer is setting up, whether the tables and chairs are included, and what happens when the music has to stop.

Our venue profiles are designed to give couples a clearer understanding of the property they’re considering. We look at rental fees, furnishings, event spaces, guest capacities, catering policies, restrictions, and the details that can influence both the wedding design and the budget.

We also explore how a wedding day might move through the property, from getting ready and exchanging vows to dinner, dancing, and that last fabulous photograph. Not because there’s only one way to celebrate, but because understanding a venue’s possibilities is the first step toward making it your own. A venue isn’t just a beautiful backdrop. It’s the foundation for everything that follows.

Independent by Design. Not Pay-to-Play.

Now comes the part that occasionally raises a few eyebrows. We don’t charge venues to be included in I Do Venues.

Does that mean we aren’t interested in building a sustainable, profitable business? Of course not. I’m an entrepreneur, not a fairy godmother with an unlimited trust fund.

We’re exploring other revenue opportunities, but we made a deliberate decision not to build our directory around paid venue listings. Here’s why. I don’t believe a venue’s advertising budget should determine whether it deserves to be discovered. A charming little estate with a modest marketing budget deserves the same consideration as a luxury resort with an entire marketing department.

And I want the freedom to discuss a venue’s strengths, limitations, and practical considerations without worrying about whether those observations might upset a paying advertiser. That’s not a criticism of advertising. It has its place, and businesses investing in advertising should receive real value for their money.

But we’re trying to build something different. We want our editorial decisions driven by what makes a venue interesting, useful, and relevant to couples—not by what someone is willing to pay for placement. Our goal isn’t to sell a venue. It’s to help couples understand it.

Better Information Makes for Better Weddings

Here’s something I hope more wedding professionals will appreciate about what we’re building.

When couples understand their venue before signing a contract, everyone benefits. The planner spends less time explaining unexpected restrictions. The caterer can prepare for the property’s facilities and requirements. The florist can design with a realistic understanding of the spaces. And the couple can make decisions with a clearer picture of what their wedding will actually involve.

There will always be surprises in wedding planning. Anyone who’s spent a few seasons in this business knows that. But wouldn’t it be lovely if fewer of them came with an unexpected invoice. I don’t believe better information takes away from the romance of planning a wedding. Quite the opposite. It gives couples the freedom to dream within a framework that actually works. And it gives their creative team a much better starting point.

We’re Just Getting Started

I Do Venues is still growing, and so is our vision for what it can become.

We’re continually adding California wedding venues, refining our information, and looking for ways to make the directory more useful to couples and the professionals who guide them. I don’t pretend that a directory can replace the experience of a wonderful wedding planner or the knowledge of a seasoned vendor team. Nor should it.

But I do believe we can help couples arrive at those conversations better informed, with more realistic expectations and a stronger understanding of what matters. And I’d love for the wedding industry to be part of that process.

After all, some of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned came from fellow professionals who were generous enough to share what they knew. So, to my fellow wedding professionals: What’s the one thing you wish every couple understood about a venue before signing the contract? I’d genuinely love to hear your thoughts.

And if you’re a couple beginning your search, come explore I Do Venues. There are some pretty extraordinary places to get married in California.

We’ll help you look beyond the pretty pictures.

— Gloria Atherstone, Founder, I Do Venues