17 Tips On Picking The Right Wedding Venue For You

17 Tips On Picking The Right Wedding Venue For You

1. The Right Location

The location of your wedding can play a huge role in how much you and your wedding guests enjoy the big day. Based off your guest list you need to consider where are they coming from? will it be easy to find the location? if necessary, is there enough accommodation available near the wedding venue? And don't forget if you have friends or family coming over from overseas to look out for the local airport and how close is it to the venue.

2. Make A List Of Must Haves & Non Negotiables

As a couple you will have a strong idea of how you want your wedding day to turn out. To make sure the potential venue lives up to your requirements it is recommended to list these down and make notes during each venue visit.

You could cover the following areas:

Budget - Can the wedding venue provide everything you need within your budget? is VAT included within the pricing and are staff tips included or optional. Also, it is recommended to ask about their payment term options before you agree on the total price.

Catering - Does the wedding venue provide the cuisine you want? what are there vegan / vegetarian / gluten free options? do they offer palette cleanser between courses?

Suppliers - Are you allowed to use your own suppliers (cake maker / photographer for example) ? What suppliers can they offer? Do they have any examples / case studies of the suppliers they are recommending?

Live Music Options - If you have a wedding band in mind, does the venue allow this? If not, do they supply any music and / or have any music options they do allow?

Entertainment Ideas - if you have any other entertainment ideas for your wedding such as fireworks, flame eaters, magicians etc it is recommended to ask the venue if they are happy for this.

3. Visit More Than Once

Just like when your viewing a house it is recommended you visit your potential wedding venue more than once. Getting over excited when you first visit is easily done, however, before you sign on the dotted line go back at least once to check you still get those butterfly's in your stomach.

4. View Multiple Wedding Venues

Again, similar to house viewings, check a wide range of wedding venues (different styles & different price points) before you make your decision. This will give you piece of mind that you made the right call when you decide your final venue.

5. Can It Hold Enough People?

Deciding the total number of guests at your wedding should be your first priority. The last thing you want is to have a wedding venue too small to fit all your guests. Our tips to combat this are:

Ask For Full Capacity Numbers

Ask For A Seating Plan

Ask For Photographs Of Past Events

6. Exclusive Use Of The Venue

To make sure you're not sharing your big day with another wedding party you may wish to ask about having exclusive use of the venue, this will usually add additional costs, however, it will mean you have the venue of your choice all to yourself.

7. Pick A Wedding Theme

Your chosen wedding theme will ultimately dictate which wedding venue is best for you. There are many different themes to choose from including a winter wedding theme, country garden theme or perhaps a 1960's theme, this all depends on your personal preferences.

8. Does It Match Your Wedding Theme?

Your chosen wedding theme will ultimately dictate your wedding venue decision. For example, if you want a glamorous wedding you may opt for a stunning modern mansion or if you're a lover of the outdoors you may go for a garden marquee or castle with large grounds.

9. Create A Venue Cost Spreadsheet

From fancy invitations to DJ's, wedding can be expensive, so to ensure you do not go over budget it is recommended to create a simple cost tracking and monitoring spreadsheet. All these small purchases can add up; therefore, this document will help you keep on top of your wedding costs so you can enjoy your honeymoon and life together without the added financial stress.

10. Is The Lighting Right?

Lighting plays an important part in any wedding, not only for creating the right mood but also importantly for the wedding photos. During the day you will either need natural daylight or the right lighting, at night you may prefer candles or a different type of light to create the mood. Either way, these are things that need to be considered to those memories are captured in the best light.

11. Leave Plenty Of Time To Book

Usually the best wedding venues get booked up months in advance, sometimes years! Therefore, it is recommended that couples book their desired wedding venue at least 12 - 18 months in advance to avoid disappointment.

12. Timing Matters

Like all events timing is everything, each element of the wedding day needs to be carefully considered in terms of timing from reception drinks to the wedding speeches. On average wedding last around 8 - 9 hours, any longer and your guests may get bored.

To make sure the wedding runs smoothly, ask your venue if they help with setting up and if this includes additional costs, also ask when you or your suppliers will have access to the venue / room and when do things need to be collected / dropped off?

13. Consider Weather Interruptions

If you are putting on an outdoors wedding or have any plans for any outdoor activity it is well worth checking the weather forecasts and have contingency plans in place with the venue just in case.

14. Do Your Own Research

Looking to get a photographer / band / entertainment for the wedding? Do your research and check their blogs / social media channels and see how well they did for previous weddings. This also goes for the venue itself, try to find images / videos of weddings that have taken place there and see how they perform on the big occasion.

15. Check The Fine Print

To avoid any nasty surprises, we suggest you read the fine print, no matter how long it may be. If you have any certain plans for the wedding, we suggest checking the fine print and if you are still unsure ask the venue itself, this could be anything from do they allow the use of candles to throwing confetti.

16. No Pressure

Do not get pressured into making a rash decisions, the wedding venue may continue to state they have limited spaces and they are running our quickly, however, take your time, you may regret your decision if you rush it, consider all your options and check the fine print before you agree.

17. Never Enough Questions

It is perfectly normal to have tons of questions about your dream wedding venue. Never feel pressured by the venue to leave with unanswered questions, and if for any reason you do send an email or give them a call. Not only will this put your mind at ease but it will also show you how good the customer service is at the potential wedding venue.

Resources: Hitch / Bride Book / Brides /Weddings Idea Mag / Bridal Guide

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