Tips When Choosing A Wedding Venue

Tips When Choosing A Wedding Venue: Many brides find that once they have a ring on their finger they want to get straight on with booking their suppliers. The best place to start is with finding a venue – this will be one of the most important details of the big day; the right venue dictates how many people you can invite, themes, timings and menus – it has to be right! Here are a few helpful tips on what to look for when searching for the perfect venue…

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1. You will need to plan ahead – Most venues get booked up months in advance, so bear that in mind when you start the planning process. We tend to see couples booking around 2 years to 18 months in advance.

2. Decide on a budget – there is no point in looking at a castle when you have a village hall budget. Keeping to a budget means you can choose something perfect that will please your bank account!

3. Location, location, location – your wedding deserves the best so make sure to take a look around the grounds of the venue too. Ask questions about whether you’ll have sole use of the venue, where photographs can be taken etc.

4. Decide on the date – you need to decide on the best date for you, your partner and guests, as well as working around the availability of the venue. Also, decide what season is best for the wedding e.g. summer vs. winter. If possible, try to be flexible on dates to avoid disappointment.

5. The number of wedding guests – you need to decide on the number of guest you would like at your wedding and see if your venue is suitable for that amount of guests as well as checking if your budget can cater for that number. A big party venue probably won’t suit an intimate party size and vice versa.

6. Take Photos of the venue – if you’re viewing multiple venues, it may be hard to remember what each one looks like. Taking photos enables easy reference when thinking about what else is taking place in the room, where everyone will be seated and can be easily compared to each other, visually.

7. Fine dining for two –Once a deposit has been paid and the menu has been chosen, a couple is invited to come along and sample their menu and wine in intimate setting. This is a lovely treat for the couple, and they get to experience the standard of service and quality of food. (certain restrictions apply with tastings)

8. What is best for guests? – When deciding what food to serve and where the venue will be, you need to think about the guests. Are you serving food that will be suitable for everyone? E.g. vegetarian options, dietary requirements. Is the venue located in a place that accessible for guests? If not, is there accommodation nearby for people that are travelling a long way?

9. Travel demands – Depending on whether or not you have decided already where to get married, you could see if your venue marries people as well as providing reception. If not, you need to check if the venue is close to the church/ registry office so that travelling to the venue is not a long process.

10. Find out who will be the coordinator for your wedding on the day itself. – It important that you can put your trust in this person and rely on them to ensure your day runs smoothly. No matter how beautiful the venue is, if the day is poorly organised, that is all you will remember afterwards.

By following these tips, the stressful process of choosing a venue will be a thing of the past. On the day of the wedding, you can leave your ‘bridezilla’ self at home, with peace of mind that your day will be perfect due to you being able to choose your picture-perfect venue.