Choosing Your Wedding Venue

Before you book appointments to tour local wedding venues...before you start ordering wedding favors or invitations...you and your partner need to determine your entire wedding budget. The first thing you need to establish is the approximate number of guests you plan to invite to your wedding. Since so many venues charge by-the-person, the number of guests is key to seeing how far your money will go. Here's a tip: Add a few hundred $$ cushion to your wedding budget to account for hidden fees or last minute emergencies.  

Next, you and your partner need to determine where you would like to get married and what type of wedding you want to have.  In the city?  Rural area?  A country wedding? A garden wedding? Traditional or modern? 

Once you have those questions answered, you can begin looking at venues online.  Look at their picture galleries very carefully.  Do those cross-back chairs come with the venue? Do those 8-inch round or rectangle tables come with the venue?  How many guests can be seated in a room at the same time?  Pay attention to small details like 'seats 100 people ballroom style' versus 'fits 100 people standing room only'. There's a big difference so pay close attention!  

Most venues will give you a little more than just a roof over your head, but please understand that all-inclusive does not always mean ALL-inclusive.  You need to find out if the venue supplies a wedding coordinator, caterer, DJ, florist, photographer, chairs and chair covers (how many?), tables and table linens (how many?) and cake.  Is there an extra fee for cake-cutting? Can you bring your own cake? Can you bring your own anything?  Is there a separate room rental fee if you are having your ceremony in the same location. Are plates, chargers and eating utensils included? Is there a break-down/clean-up fee?  You may be surprised as to the things that are not actually included in an all-inclusive venue.  

Here's a tip: Ask if there will be more than one wedding on your date.  This may determine how much setup time you will be allowed and if you will be rushed out of your space once your time has lapsed.  If you are the second wedding for the day in the venue, what will happen to your event if the first wedding runs over time?  Make sure you nail down setup/breakdown times and know if that's included in your overall time.  If you have selected an outdoor venue, ask about their bad weather protocol.  Ask if you can drop off decorations the day before and if the answer is yes, ask how your items will be stored.  Can you imagine items coming up damaged or missing on your wedding day? Ain't nobody got time for that!

Here's another tip: Try not to sign the contract immediately. Don't be pressured.  Ask for a copy so that you can have time to read it over.  These venues are first come, first serve, so I'm not saying you should sit on it for days.  I'm saying you might want to take it home, read ALL the fine print before signing.  Make a list of questionable items and go over the questions with your venue before you sign. Make sure you get an executed copy of your contract as well as any other supporting documents. Go over the cancellation policy in detail.  Remember, no question is a dumb question, so ask away! Good luck on your search!
#behappy

~Your Favorite Wedding Officiant~
www.sweetheartweddingvows.com