When choosing your wedding venue, there are a few key considerations to think about before signing on the dotted line.
The venue you pick will determine the number of guests you can invite. Your decor, your vendors and your wedding date and have a big impact on you wedding budget, so it’s important to get it right!
Finding the perfect wedding venue is likely to be at the top of any newly engaged couple’s list. With the venue playing a vital role in the success of your day, it’s the big decision you really need to get right. And there really is so much choice!
At Priti Raichura Events, we not only manage certain venue’s, but also help our couples make the right choice.
Whether you have a dream venue in mind or are at the start of your venue search, we have the tips and questions to ask your venue that are essential to know.
A bit like finding your wedding dress, when you find your ideal venue, you just know. You’ll be able to picture yourself there on the day and the style of the building, both exterior and interior, will work with the theme of your wedding. But there are still some very important criteria that you must keep in mind when looking around venues.
Deciding whether you want an all out large capacity wedding or if you’d prefer or you’d prefer a smaller and more intimate wedding venue is something you would both need to have a chat about. Although they say, size is not everything, it’s really important for you to determine what is affordable. The bigger the venue, the bigger the budget you may need to consider. A venue that is too small, but with large guest numbers can also feel claustrophobic, and anything too big with small guest numbers can feel cold and empty.
Start to make a rough guest list so you can immediately to help you decide on options. Just remember it’s easy to underestimate how many people you (or your parents!) will end up inviting and you can suddenly find you’ve got too many RSVPs, so having the discussion amongst yourselves and your family members is really important.
When a venue is empty it is hard to imagine how it will look when filled with tables. For this reason we would always advise viewing a venue when it is set up for a wedding. If this is not possible, ask to see photographs. Most venues should have a photo book or slideshow.
Another tip is to ask for a seating plan of the room at capacity, this will give you a good idea of how much space there is and how comfortably your guests numbers will fit.
You are likely to have an idea of what your day will be like and the venue needs to be able to live up to this. For this reason, before viewing any venues sit down with your partner and discuss any non-negotiables. These could include:
- Budget – Will the venue be able to provide everything you need within your budget, is VAT included in the price, are staff gratuities added and if so are they optional?
- Catering – What type of cuisine would you like? Can the venue provide this? Can you take in your own caterers? Read the small print on this.
- Suppliers – do you need to use their recommended suppliers?
- Live music – If you would like a band, does the venue permit this? If you would like a string quartet during reception drinks, do the venue allow music outside?
- Fireworks, sparklers, flame eaters etc. – If you have any different entertainment ideas check your venue will allow it.
Questions to Ask Your Wedding Venue
When you start to plan your big day, there are some essential questions to ask your wedding venue. You’ll need to find out what is permitted and, most importantly, what is not at your chosen venue.
1. Ask About the Flow of the Day
Make sure the venue representative talks you through how a typical day runs. The flow of the day is crucial, any long pauses or delays and your guests will become bored.
- If your ceremony and reception is in the same room, how long does the turnaround take, where will the guests be and what will they be doing? This is also relevant between the reception meal and the evening dancing.
- The weather in the UK can be unpredictable to say the least! If it does rain does the venue have indoor space for the reception drinks?
- Do they provide a master of ceremonies/manager? This takes the stress off you and is the best way to make sure all your guests are where they are meant to be at all times.
Planning the timings of the ceremony is a big decision, and sometimes, more than likely it’s always great to run your preliminary plans and thoughts past a wedding planner. For those of you that would like that extra help in hand, contact our award winning team for packages, tips and idea’s.
Priti Raichura, Wedding Guru www.pritiraichura.com
