I've spent years building relationships with venues across Ireland, Spain, and Portugal. Here's what I wish I knew on day one.

1. Relying on Google reviews alone

A venue with 4.8 stars might have terrible vendor coordination. The reviews are from guests, not planners. You need the inside track — which venues actually respond to emails, which ones let you bring your own photographer, and which ones nickel-and-dime on extras.

2. Not asking about off-season pricing

In the Algarve, you can save 40-60% booking October through March. In the west of Ireland, midweek weddings in shoulder season are criminally underpriced. Most planners don't ask because they don't know the local calendar.

3. Booking photographers without seeing full galleries

Instagram highlights ≠ consistent work. Always ask for 3 complete wedding albums before booking. The best photographers in Lisbon, Dublin, and Barcelona aren't always the ones with the most followers.

4. Ignoring logistics

A castle in Connemara looks stunning until your 80 guests need to get there. Factor in transport, parking, and nearby accommodation. In rural Spain and Portugal, this is the #1 thing that catches planners off guard.

5. Not having a backup florist

Flower supply chains in Southern Europe are seasonal and unpredictable. Always have a second florist on speed dial, especially for summer weddings.

I built The Wedding Vault to solve exactly these problems — a curated directory of vetted hotels, photographers, and florists across all three countries, updated monthly. No guesswork, just contacts you can trust.