Four Questions to Ask When Viewing Wedding Venues

Your choice of wedding venue plays a huge role in how your big day looks and feels. It’s a central part of your day that affects how much planning you’ll need to do, as well as how easily the day flows for you and your guests. It can also be a vital part of making the day align with your values, whether that’s having a sustainable celebration or having a big wedding with all your family.

It’s important, therefore, to get this decision sorted early on, so that all of the other arrangements can fall into place. But how do you make such a momentous choice?

In order to be confident in your decision, you’ll need to ask the right questions that help you get the magical feeling that this place is ‘the one’. In this post, we share four things you should be asking when you visit a wedding venue.

What exactly is included in each package?

Price plays a huge part in choosing a venue. If you’ve got a specific budget in mind, you’ll need to be sure that your venue is going to deliver what you’re looking for, for a cost you can afford.

Make sure to ask what is included in the different wedding packages on offer – for example, some may include food and drink, while others just cover venue hire. These all-inclusive packages can be great value for money, and make your life easier; but if you’re having a smaller wedding or want to be more adventurous with your food, you’re potentially better off choosing a more streamlined package.

How will the bar work?

Getting the drinks flowing at your wedding helps keep your guests refreshed and in the party moods, allowing them to enjoy the day and feel relaxed and comfortable. But who should pay for the drinks?

If you’ve got a larger budget, you may want to pay the whole bar tab, or at least put a certain amount of money behind the bar so your guests can get a few free cocktails. However, if funds are tight, you might need to simply serve wine on the tables and ask guests to pay for anything else themselves. Checking the different options with your venue and budgeting accordingly helps avoid any expensive surprises further down the line, or awkwardness on the day.

How involved will the venue staff be?

Planning a wedding is no easy feat, and it can daunt even the most confident and prepared of couples. Whilst some people hire an external wedding planner, others rely on the venue planners to help them get everything running smoothly. If this is the case for you, make sure to enquire about what tasks the venue staff can help with so that you feel supported right from the start of your wedding journey.

Are there any restrictions I need to be aware of?

Finally, check in with the venue to see if there’s anything you need to be aware of. Inner-city venues, for example, may require some logistical maneuvering with parking or deliveries. You’ll also want to check when you’d be able to get in and set up your decorations, and when they’d need to be taken down by. Getting as much information as you can will allow you to make the right choice, and feel more confident and relaxed during the wedding planning process.