You may have already visited a venue or two in your excitement of being newly engaged, or you may have just searched online for options at this point.
Lots of venues have held open days this past couple of months and may continue to do so for another month or two, so it’s a great time to visit venues as you can see them fully set up for a wedding.
Therefore, I thought it would be useful to provide some questions you can take with you to ask which may help you narrow down your search to find your perfect venue!
1) What are the indoor and outdoor options for the ceremony?
If you’re looking to have an outdoor ceremony for your wedding, then do also remember to make sure you’re happy with the indoor option in case the lovely English weather is not on your side! You don’t want to be disappointed or stressing in the lead up to the big day if the forecast is not looking good.
2) Do you have in-house catering or are external providers allowed?
Many venues have an in-house catering company they use or preferred suppliers for catering so it’s definitely useful to chat with venue staff about the choices of catering for your wedding breakfast and check they align with what you are thinking you’d like. If you have a specific type of catering you’d like to bring in then do ask your venue as they may have the flexibility to allow an external provider if the supplier can meet the venue’s requirements.
3) Can you bring your own wine and do you charge a corkage fee?
Depending on how important it is for you to be able to select the type of wine you’d like with your wedding breakfast then don’t forget to ask that this is possible, and if there is a corkage fee that it will work within your budget based on your guest numbers.
4) What types of confetti are allowed and where can it be thrown?
Some venues can only allow bio-degradable forms of confetti such as dry petals and may only allow it to be thrown outside as opposed to inside. This is a useful question to ask and pass the information on to your guests via your wedding invites or wedding website, and also to your photographer so they can schedule when is best for your confetti photos to be taken.
5) How long can a particular wedding date be held?
Venues may differ in how long you can provisionally hold a date so if the venue you are visiting is top of your list then do ask this question. Some may have the flexibility to hold a date for free until another couple makes a serious enquiry for that same date. This is different to paying a deposit to actually book your date of choice. Having a date on hold for a few days means that you can check with your local register office that you can book a registrar for the date and time you need for the ceremony. In relation to this, make sure you check with your venue which local register office they are under so you have the right one!
6) What access is possible prior to the wedding day?
If you’re getting married on a weekend day in peak season and it’s a popular venue, it’s likely the venue may have weddings either side of your day, therefore meaning your access times are more restricted. Make sure you know these times and are happy they can fit into an appropriate timescale for your wedding day. Most venues allow for deliveries and drop offs within the week leading up to the big day and can store items for you which are then made available on the wedding morning for set up.
7) Is there anywhere on-site for getting ready on the wedding morning?
Many venues now offer somewhere for at least one half of the wedding couple and their party members to get ready on the morning of the wedding. Some can offer a room or area for both members of the wedding couple to get ready separately so they can’t see each other prior to the ceremony! Find out what is or isn’t available so you can plan in advance who in the main wedding party will get ready where and you can ensure hair and make-up suppliers arrive at the correct location on the morning of the wedding.
8) Do you have any accommodation on-site?
More and more venues, particularly ones with grounds, are expanding their offer to include accommodation on-site such as a barn house or glamping pods. It’s important to know if there is a bridal suite on-site and any accommodation for a small number of close family and friends on the night of the wedding. If there is nothing on-site then it’s useful to be informed of what local accommodation is nearby and what transport can be arranged, such as taxis, for wedding guests. Within this, do also check what the parking arrangements are for the venue so you can include this information on your wedding invites or your wedding website.
9) Do you have recommended suppliers, and do we have to use them?
This is particularly important if you have or will be hiring a wedding planner to help source the best suppliers for your special day as you want to make sure you can bring your ideal suppliers with you. Usually venues have a recommended supplier list but you are able to bring suppliers of your choice. Other questions which fall under this include finding out if there are any decor restrictions, such as whether flame candles can be used, and what linen, crockery, and table/chair set up is included within the venue hire costs, or that you can bring in alternative options to fit your wedding style.
If you’re planning your wedding over a year in advance then it can be a good idea to visit your venue (proposed or booked) in the season you’ll be getting married so you can really get an idea of how you can expect it to look on your wedding day. Perhaps plan for your photographer or florist to attend with you so they can know what to expect too and this can inform the photos they will take or influence the choice of flowers used.
I hope these tips have help you in preparing and enjoy all the venue visits!
If you’re looking for professional assistance with your venue search, then why not contact me for a free consultation to see how I can help you. I’d love to chat!