St. Louis Wedding Venues: What They Don’t Tell You About Vendor Lists

And one of the biggest factors? Your catering.

Choosing your venue has a major impact on your catering choices—it’s one of the most important decisions you’ll make in the entire planning process. Not only does your space set the tone for your celebration, but it often determines what (and how) food can be served. From venues with exclusive or preferred caterers to those that allow full flexibility, your options for cuisine, presentation, and even service style can vary widely. If amazing food is high on your priority list—and let’s be honest, it usually is—making sure your venue aligns with your vision for what you want to serve is key to creating the experience you and your guests will remember.

SCROLL DOWN FOR A FREE LIST OF ALL VENUES WITH OPEN CATERING

and also a Caterer Comparison Worksheet.

👀 Before You Say “Yes” to a Venue… Read This First

Touring venues is exciting—Pinterest boards start coming to life, and you can finally picture your big day

💕 But here’s what most couples don’t realize:

👉 Your venue doesn’t just set the scene…

👉 It can control who you hire, what you spend, and how your day actually feels

When a venue gives you a “preferred vendor list”… it can mean a few different things. And not all of them are obvious.

OPTION A – You Must Use Our Caterer – Some venues—like banquet centers – require you to use their in-house catering or exclusive partner.

PRO: Super Easy Planning & Fewer Decisions

CON:

- Pricing is bundled (less flexibility) and many may be more expensive
- Your food options are limited
- You don’t get to shop around

OPTION B – Choose From Our Short List

PRO: Smooth event execution, trusted vendors

CON:

- Some venues allow only a handful of approved caterers
- Fewer choices often means fewer ways to customize pricing and stay within budget.
- Your “dream caterer” might not be included

OPTION C – Here’s Our List…But You Can Choose Others as Well

PRO: You have flexibility and can bring your own

CON:

- You may need approval for those vendors NOT on the preferred list
- There may be extra fees for “off-list” vendors
- The preferred list will probably influence your decision

OPTION D – Bring Anyone You Want

PRO: Total freedom to choose

CON:

- Full control over your vendors
- More budget flexibility
- More cost friendly options available

CLICK HERE to view all 334 wedding venues and those offering OPEN CATERING

CLICK HERE to GET Your Caterer Review Checklist (A quick easy 1-page form to compare catering companies.)

HERE’s the SMART BRIDE STRATEGY

BEFORE you book your venue:

👉 Meet vendors FIRST

Why?

Because:
✔ You’ll know real pricing
✔ You’ll find your favorites
✔ You won’t feel “stuck” choosing from a list

Questions You NEED to Ask Before Booking

Bring the Caterer Review checklist with you when talking with vendors

Are we required to use specific caterers or vendors?

Can we bring in our own vendors?

Are there extra fees for outside vendors?

How many vendors are on your preferred list?

Can we meet or taste-test vendors before choosing?

Want the EASIEST way to meet vendors?

Come to a Bride St. Louis Wedding Show 💍

Instead of scrolling for hours…
you can:

✨ Meet vendors face-to-face
✨ Compare options in one place
✨ Ask questions and get real answers
✨ Discover vendors you won’t find on every list

St. Louis Wedding Venues: What They Don’t Tell You About Vendor Lists