Find your dream wedding venue
When you start to consider all the elements you want to include on your wedding day, your planning checklist might start to feel a little on the long side, exciting though the time is. One of your earliest steps will be to find your dream wedding venue.
Don’t rush or underestimate this step. Naturally, your wedding venue is so much more than just a building. It’s the backdrop for your big day. Not to mention it will feature in all of your photographs; set the tone for the rest of the day, and even dictate how many of your ideas will be possible. Unsurprisingly it will also eat up a large proportion of your budget. When you set out on the trail to find your perfect setting, do so with your budget and theme in mind. This will help you to rule out venues that simply won’t work for you. It’s also worth choosing a rough location before drawing up your shortlist. Whether you choose to marry close to home, near your favourite holiday spot, or at the same venue your parents married.
Give yourselves a little time after the proposal to enjoy the newly engaged feeling and celebrate with your friends and family. Then set about choosing your venue. Once you have whittled down your venues to the very best few, ask these questions to find the one for you.
FIND YOUR DREAM WEDDING VENUE by asking these questions:
- Is the venue available on your chosen date or time of year you plan to marry?
- Will you have exclusive use of the venue?
- Can you hold your ceremony and your reception at the same venue if you wish?
- How many people can attend during the day and how many additional guests can you invite in the evening?
- What is included in the package? (Here you can avoid unexpected bills. Check if VAT is included and what’s other items are included. This can prevent buying things twice, too! Things like table linens, easels, a cake knife and centrepieces may be included at some venues).
6. Is there accommodation available on-site and for how many guests? (Also check if the venue has plenty of on-site parking).
7. When will you get access to the venue to set up decorations before the wedding?
8. Are candles, fireworks and sparklers allowed?
9. Can you throw confetti? (Because some venues only allow paper confetti and only allow biodegradable, petal confetti).
10. Are there any restrictions on decorating the venue?
11. Does the venue only allow recommended suppliers or can you choose alternatives?
12. Can you bring in your own caterers if you wanted to?
13. Can you taste the menu before the wedding day and how does the venue cater for special dietary requirements?
14. Is there a music curfew or any restrictions on live music?
15. Is there a bar curfew and what time do guests have to leave?
Book your venue AND SET THE DATE
When you think you have decided and you’re ready to book your venue, go back for a second viewing. At the first viewing you will be super excited, especially if you think the venue is the one. On your second viewing you have the chance to see the venue at a different time of the day, possibly in different weather too, and be one-hundred percent certain that this is the place!
With the venue booked and your date set, you can start to plan everything else! Of course, the time of year will dictate some of your decisions, like what you both choose to wear and the varieties of flowers that will be in season. Your choice of venue will also affect other decisions, too. You wouldn’t want to wear a huge ballgown to a beach ceremony, and, likewise, decorating your venue will be totally dependent on the space. Once you have a date, let all of your guests know, by sending out save the date cards, getting guests excited about your upcoming nuptials too.
