Pick Your Vendors vs. All Inclusive Venue: Pros and Cons

You’ve started touring venues. One hands you a single price that covers almost everything. The next hands you a floor plan, a vendor list, and a friendly “the rest is up to you.”

Both can lead to a lovely wedding. They just ask different things of you.

Here’s the short answer: An all inclusive venue bundles the space with catering, bar service, rentals, and often decor in one package. A pick-your-vendors venue rents you the space and lets you hire each vendor yourself. All-inclusive means fewer decisions. Picking your own means more control over the food, the look, and where your money goes.

Below, we’ll walk through the pros and cons of each. That way you can choose the one that fits you (not the one a sales sheet says you should want).

Image By: Cassondre Mae Photography

Who’s Behind The Barn on Hubbard?

We’re The Barn on Hubbard in Callicoon, New York. The Gabel family built our barn in the mid-1800s. They farmed this land and even ran a shoemaker’s shop inside the barn.

We restored it with help from family and friends. That meant repairing beams, stamping concrete, and installing railings, one project at a time.

We’re a pick-your-vendors venue, so yes, we have a point of view. We’ll still give you honest pros and cons for both.

Want to see the space in person? Schedule a tour and walk the property with us.

Which of These Two Couples Sounds Like You?

Let’s make this concrete with two made-up couples.

Maya and Jordan both work long hours. They want good food, a pretty room, and a break from decisions. When a venue says “we’ll handle it,” they feel relief.

Sam and Priya have a favorite taqueria (the one from their third date). Priya’s aunt arranges flowers. They want the wedding to taste and look like them, even if that takes more planning.

Neither couple is wrong. They simply want different things. Keep them in mind as you read.

What Is an All Inclusive Venue?

An all inclusive venue provides the space plus most of the vendors and items you’ll need, all under one contract. Hotels, country clubs, and banquet halls often work this way.

A typical package might include:

• Food and bar service from in-house staff
• Tables, chairs, linens, plates, and glassware
• Setup and cleanup
• A venue coordinator
• Sometimes cake, flowers, or a DJ

What’s included varies a lot, so always ask for the full list. The Knot’s guide to all-inclusive wedding venues is a helpful place to start.

Image By: Tonjes Carly Watson Photography

What Does “Pick Your Own Vendors” Mean?

A pick-your-vendors venue rents you the space and lets you hire your own team. You might also hear it called a venue-only, raw space, or bring-your-own-vendors venue.

You choose the caterer, florist, photographer, DJ, and rentals. Most venues ask vendors to follow a few rules, such as carrying insurance. Many also share a preferred vendor list to help you get started.

What Are the Pros of an All Inclusive Venue?

• Fewer decisions. You choose from set menus and options instead of vetting a dozen vendors.
• One point of contact. Every question goes to one team.
• Staff who know the building. They already know where the outlets are and how the kitchen runs.
• Simpler budgeting. Pricing is often per person or a flat rate, so the math is easier to follow.

For our imaginary couple Maya and Jordan, this is a very good fit.

What Are the Cons of an All Inclusive Venue?

• Less choice. You work within the venue’s menus, vendors, and style.
• Harder to make it personal. Your favorite local chef or florist may not be allowed in.
• Bundled pricing. It can be hard to see what each piece costs, or to drop what you don’t need.
• Weddings that look alike. When every couple uses the same linens and centerpieces, photos can start to blend together.

None of these are dealbreakers. They’re trade-offs to weigh.

Photo By: Leah Kay Photos

What Are the Pros of Picking Your Own Vendors?

• Your food, your way. Sam and Priya’s taqueria can cater, as long as it meets the venue’s licensing and insurance rules.
• A wedding that looks like you. You choose the florist, the colors, and the feel. (Wildflowers in old bottles? Tall tapers in glass hurricanes? Your call.)
• Control over the budget. Spend more on food and less on flowers, or the other way around.
• Room for meaning. You can hire people you already know and trust.

This is where intention over theme gets easy. You choose each piece because it matters to you, not because it came in the bundle.

What Are the Cons of Picking Your Own Vendors?

• More planning. You’ll research, compare, and book each vendor yourself.
• More paperwork. Venues usually need a certificate of insurance (COI) from every vendor.
• More moving parts. Someone has to make sure the florist, caterer, and rental company all know the timeline.

The good news is that each of these has a fix:

• Hire a coordinator. Even a day-of coordinator keeps things on track. (We require one at the barn, and couples tend to thank us later.)
• Start with a preferred vendor list. It’s a shortcut to people who already know the venue.
• Collect COIs early. It saves a last-minute scramble.

Need names? Browse our curated Catskills wedding vendor list.

How Do the Two Options Compare?

	All Inclusive Venue	Pick Your Own Vendors
Planning time	Less	More
Vendor choice	Limited	Wide open
Personal style	Within the venue’s options	Fully yours
Budget control	Bundled	Line by line
Best for	Couples who want ease	Couples who want to customize

Is an All Inclusive Venue Cheaper?

Sometimes. It depends on what’s bundled, your guest count, and which vendors you’d hire on your own.

An all inclusive venue may cost less if you’d use everything in the package. Picking your own vendors may cost less if you’d skip things you don’t care about.

To compare fairly, ask each venue for an itemized quote. Then price the same items with outside vendors. Check for service charges, gratuity, and tax on both sides.

Planning around a number? Read how to host a 100-person Hudson Valley wedding for around $35K.

Curious what our packages start at? See what’s included and our starting rates.

How Do You Decide Which Is Right for You?

Ask yourselves:

• Do we already have vendors we love?
• How much time do we really have to plan?
• Would we rather pick from a menu or build one?
• Is there one thing (food, flowers, music) we’d be sad to compromise on?
• If we had fewer choices, would we feel relieved or boxed in?

If you sound like Maya and Jordan, an all inclusive venue may suit you. If you sound more like Sam and Priya, look for a venue that lets you pick.

Touring soon? Bring these 12 questions to ask your wedding venue.

Photo By: Melinda Anita Photography

What Does Picking Your Own Vendors Look Like at The Barn on Hubbard?

Here’s how it works with us:

• Bring your own vendors. Each one needs a COI at least 30 days before your wedding.
• Use our preferred vendor list if you’d like a head start.
• A licensed caterer handles food and drinks. They provide at least one bartender and all serving staff. Our prep kitchen is for staging and warming, not full cooking.
• Take your time. Our 100-guest and 100–200-guest packages include the day before, the wedding day, and the day after. (Want the weekend version? Read why a weekend wedding in the Catskills is worth it.)
• Style with our vintage props. Our collection is yours to use.
• Get help with flowers and decor through our add-on services, if you’d like.

The setting also does a lot of the decorating for you. Hand-milled beams, the silo bar, the garden alcove in the cornfield, and lantern-lit paths at dusk don’t need much help. For ideas, read Barn Wedding Decor Ideas That Feel Elevated, Not Cliché.

One couple wrote in their review that the barn “wasn’t your typical cookie-cutter venue.” We’ll take it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can an all inclusive venue let you bring outside vendors?

Some can. Others charge a fee or don’t allow it at all. Ask before you sign, and get the answer in writing.

Do I need a wedding planner if I pick my own vendors?

It helps a lot. Someone needs to run the timeline and be the vendors’ go-to on the day. At The Barn on Hubbard, we require at least a day-of coordinator.

What is a certificate of insurance (COI)?

A COI is a document from a vendor’s insurance company showing that the vendor is covered. Venues ask for it so there’s a policy in place if something goes wrong.

Is a preferred vendor list the same as a required list?

No. A preferred list is a set of suggestions. A required list means you have to use those vendors. Ask each venue which kind it has.

Can we bring our own alcohol to a pick-your-vendors venue?

It depends on the venue and local rules. At our barn, a licensed caterer’s bartender must serve all alcohol.

Photo By: Melinda Anita Photography

So, Which Should You Choose?

Choose the one that lets you enjoy the planning and the day. An all inclusive venue trades choice for ease. Picking your own vendors trades a little more planning for a wedding that feels like yours.

If you’re leaning toward building it your way, we’d love to show you around. Schedule a tour of The Barn on Hubbard, and bring your list of must-haves. We’ll help you figure out what fits.