Finding a wedding venue should be one of your primary concerns during wedding planning, influencing everything from how many guests attend to food and beverage options for the celebration.
Site visits provide an ideal opportunity to pose key queries about potential venues. Use this checklist to make sure all your concerns are covered.
1. Location
Couples visiting venues should come prepared with questions. This may include inquiring as to the capacity of each space as well as whether there is enough room for a dance floor, cake table, DJ or band, and more.
Be sure to inquire whether there is an alternate indoor location available, just in case bad weather reoccurs, as well as what transportation options exist between your venue and hotels or other accommodations where most of your guests will be staying.
2. Budget
Your wedding budget will be one of the primary factors in selecting your venue. From full-service venues with catering and decor included to renting just space, having an accurate quote of how much everything will cost will help narrow down the options available to you.
If your ceremony and reception will be at separate venues, inquire as to the distance between them as well as transportation options such as shuttle service. Finally, consider parking options nearby.
3. Style
Many couples seek an emotional connection between their wedding venue and themselves and its location, whether that is where they met, kissed for the first time, proposed to each other or it simply holds special meaning for them as a family unit. From rustic barns and elegant ballrooms to movie-theater marquees and even movie-theater marquees – couples will look to you for inspiration on how best to plan their perfect day!
Highlight the beauty and charm of your venue through marketing materials and tours, by connecting with local photographers who can share their work on social media, and offering pre-wedding prep tools (like 3D event diagramming ) on your website.
4. Amenities
An ideal wedding venue will provide amenities such as tables and chairs to help reduce the number of items you must rent for your big day, in addition to offering plenty of restrooms and a coat check area – essential components of a successful winter wedding event!
Travel options should also be carefully considered when inviting out-of-town guests to your wedding, including taxi and ride-share services as well as airport and major hotel transportation routes to and from your venue.
5. Flexibility
Flexibility in a wedding venue is vital to ensure a perfect celebration. From parking, accommodation (if needed), and setup/delivery/breakdown hours available – so many variables need to be considered!
Before selecting a venue, be sure to inquire about their response times, communication methods, and their flexibility in accommodating vendors of your choosing over any recommended professionals. This ensures you retain full control over your big day!
6. Time of Year
Understanding your wedding style is key in narrowing down venue searches. Once you find a space that embodies it all, all other details will fall into place naturally.
If you’re planning a destination wedding, be sure to factor in travel costs for your guests. Check cab availability as well as any major events taking place nearby that could alter traffic flow or cause road closures.
As part of your planning, your venue must offer indoor space as a backup plan in case of inclement weather. Furthermore, be sure to ask about cloakrooms, dressing rooms, parking, and bar area locations as well as any cloakrooms/dressing rooms/cloakroom/changing room needs that may arise during an event.
7. Requirements
Based on the type of wedding you plan, there may be certain specific criteria you must look out for when searching for venues. For instance, when planning a destination wedding there must be nearby hotels and accommodations for guests attending your event.
Also, consider catering (does the venue have an in-house caterer?) alcohol availability and music regulations when planning your event.
Some venues impose noise curfews as early as 10 pm, which might not suit couples looking for late-night dancing! Make sure that when touring each potential venue they inform you about any such restrictions.
