What to consider when choosing your wedding venue

You’ve just got engaged and you have all the butterflies and excitement that comes with it.

Then comes the time to start doing your research and figuring out how you want your wedding day to be.

First things first………..your venue.

This will be one of the most important first steps in your planning journey and there are several factors to consider.

You might choose to work alongside a wedding planner, or you might choose to take this on yourself.

Either way, we’ve put together some top tips to think about when searching for your dream venue.

And so, the adventure begins…

Before your start your search, there are some key elements to think about.

Guest numbers

Your final number may fluctuate a little during your planning process, however, drawing up a guest list and getting a good idea on your numbers is a really great place to start.

This will help determine whether a venue will have the capacity for your guests for each part of your day including the ceremony, drinks reception, wedding breakfast and your evening party.

Location

This might be a super easy decision for you to make.

It might be the area you grew up in or somewhere that means something to you as a couple. For example, where you met, where you had your first date.

You might not have a specific location in mind and are open to ideas. If this is you, there are a few things to bear in mind:

• Is it easy to get to for site visits?
• Is it easy for you and your guests to get to on the day?
• Are the transport links to your venue good?
• If you are looking to marry in a church, are you able to marry in that particular parish?

Dates

If you can be flexible with your date then this might help when it comes to securing an available date with your dream venue.

Whether you are flexible with your date or have a specific date in mind, there are a few things to factor into your decision, so you have a rough idea before you start your search:

• Is there a particular season you would like to get married in?
• Are you looking for a midweek date or a weekend?
• If needed, how long will you need to save up for your wedding?
• Are there any factors that might affect your immediate family members or any bridal party attending your wedding (for example, are they teachers?)
• Are there any dates you can’t do? For example, do you have any personal commitments or work commitments? Do you have any milestone celebrations of friends or family that you want to avoid?

Think about what is important to you

This is something we always ask each of our couples.

What is important to you?

When it comes to the venue, this can range between anything from;

• the look of the venue itself (are you looking for a traditional country house, a contemporary barn, or a blank canvas warehouse?)
• to the features of the venue (is it full of character? Do they have onsite accommodation? What times for their licence run until?)
• to the ‘feel’ of the venue (are you looking for a venue that has a relaxed atmosphere or something a little more formal?)

It is always worth noting what things you definitely want from your venue, the things you can’t do without, and a list of things that you would like, but aren’t necessarily a deal breaker and maybe aren’t quite as important for you.

Whatever your list of ‘must haves’ and ‘desirables’ looks like, remember there are usually some things that you might need to compromise on to find the ‘perfect venue’ for you.

Searching for ‘The One’

There is possible a lot of research you will need to do when searching for your venue.

Search engines are a good place to start as well as social media platforms. There are also some fab venue directories that can really help too.

Checkout the images of weddings that have taken place at that venue before, as well as other detailed photos of the venue to see what the spaces are like and if they fit with your vision for your wedding.

Compile a list of venues that meet all or most of what you are looking for and then work on narrowing this down.

We recommend viewing 3-4 venues in person. Any more than this can become really overwhelming and the different information from each venue can start to roll into one another.

Take it all in

When visiting the venues, you want to take in as much information as possible.

There can sometimes be a lot to think about so take notes, take photos, take videos if you feel this will help when digesting the information at a later date and eventually making your decision about which venue to go for.

• Take a note of how the spaces in the venue flow into one another and from one part of your day to the next.
• How often each space will be used on the day and how it will/can be used.
• If you have your heart set on some or all your celebrations being outside, make sure your wet weather options are just as amazing as your dry weather options.

This way, if the weather isn’t quite on our side on the day, you won’t feel like you are compromising on the space you are using.

Think about each part of your day and where that is going to be taking place. This will include everything from your guest’s arrival, ceremony, drinks reception, wedding breakfast and the party in the evening.

• Will any of the rooms need to be turned around and repurposed ready for the next or another part of the day?

If yes, how long will be needed to do this? Where will you and your guests be while this is happening?

Eat, drink (and be merry)

When it comes to the catering, your venue might be happy for you to bring your own caterers on board. Some might have a selection or specific dedicated caterer(s) that you must choose from, and others might have in house caterers.

Check what your options are and if there and if there any additional fees for bringing another caterer onboard if this is a possibility.

Likewise with your drinks, does the venue stock and staff the bar, is this something you must do yourself or do you have the option to do this yourself should you want to?

Suppliers (AKA – Your dream team)

It is also worth checking to see if the venue has a list of suppliers that you must choose from for your wedding day or are you able to source and book your own?

The majority of venues will allow you to bring your own suppliers in for your wedding, however, it is always good to check this before you set your heart on any suppliers for the day.

Somewhere to rest your head

So many couples are now opting for a 2 or 3 day wedding event to allow for pre and post wedding day celebrations.

With this, often comes the requirement for accommodation.

• Does your venue have this onsite and/or are there plenty of good options close by?
• If there is accommodation onsite, when do you have access from and until?
• Is this included in your venue hire fee and is there a requirement to book a minimum number of rooms?
• Will this fit within your budget and is this something you can redeem back a little fro your guests if they are also using the accommodation?

How long do you have?

It is important to know what times you will have the venue from and until, especially when thinking about the set up.

• Will you have access the day before the wedding, allowing your/your suppliers plenty of time to set up?
• Will you have access only on the day of your wedding itself? If so, think about the size of the team you will need to get everything set up on time.
• What time does the venues licence run until and is there an option to pay extra to extend this with a late licence should you wish to party the night away into the early hours?

What’s included?

Make sure you check with the venue as to exactly what is and isn’t included in your venue hire fee.

Sometimes the cost of a venue looks really enticing, however, you might then need to account for hiring the tables, chairs, cutlery, crockery, glassware, linen, lighting, sound production, staffing etc. The costs can soon eat into your budget if everything, but the kitchen sink, needs to be hired in and added on.

If you are clear on this from the get-go, you will avoid any unwanted budgeting surprises later down the line.

Other venues may initially seem pricier, but they also might have a lot more included.

This leads us very nicely onto the final, but definitely the most important, factor to think about when doing your venue search...

Your budget

I want this to be the first thing you remember after reading this blog which is why I have saved this for last.

It is where your venue search will begin and something you should try to nail down or at least have a clear idea on before you start.

How much do you want to spend on your wedding overall and how much of this budget do you want to apportion to your venue?

When deciding on your venue budget, make sure you still have enough of your overall budget left for the other suppliers you would like for your wedding.

If your venue includes things such as tables, chairs, tableware etc. but these don’t necessarily fit with the vision you have for your wedding, you may then decide to dedicate some of your overall budget to hiring these items in.

Likewise, if you are going for a venue that nay require additional lighting and/or sound production, make sure this is accounted for within your budget.

Looking for help planning your dream day and bringing your vision to life?

Or maybe you have all the details in hand but would like an experienced Event Manager to ensure the day itself runs smoothly?

We would love to catch up to discuss your needs.

Just click here for more help.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Xxx

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