It's always a great idea to look for and book your wedding venue as early as possible.  Some experts recommend a year in advance in order to ensure the perfect day, date and time.

CAUTION... often, in order to seal the deal venue sales persons will promise you the world.  However, closer to your wedding day they will conveniently forget or even worse, your sales person may resign and the new representative will not honor prior word of mouth promises. 

So, here's the tip... for every promise, 'throw-in', 'complimentary add-on' get them to put it in writing AND have a senior manager sign off.  This ensures that just  in case your representative leaves the venue before your wedding takes place all of his/her promises will be honored.  You're being required to sign a contract, so make sure that your interests are well represented.