How to Pick the Perfect Wedding Venue
Picture this...you walk in the room and all your guest faces light up; they are in complete awe of the decor and set up of the venue you chose to have your grandtabulous event (yes I made that word up it's GRAND and FABULOUS combined, you can coin it as well).
Think of that while your using your imagination—when you are searching for the perfect venue to house your event.
The venue should at best have these essentials: parking, basic accessibility for all your guest needs, enough space to house all your guest you've invited, proper heating or cooling, basic lighting, adequate restrooms, all licenses and certificates in place, properly insured, and allot you ample time to set-up and break-down for your event without extra charges. If you're using an outdoor space and inclement weather happens, they should provide a secondary option as well.
When you have a specific theme for your event, your venue should have elements of that theme or you should look for a raw/blank space where you can create what your imagining. You should feel good in the space and it should be functional. Be aware that now-a-days you can rent anything (tables, linen, chair, pillars, bars,etc); so don't worry if your venue doesn't provide these items. However, if you find a venue that includes those items in the rental fee, you did a great job. Renting items on a small budget can become costly. But you have other options in 2016 of "Standing Ceremonies" and limited seating for the elderly and disabled during parties.
When talking to the salesperson for the venue, please ask questions! Any concerns you have are valid such as
- “What's can you bring in to enhance the space?”
- “Can I move the furniture around?”
- “What's can't I bring in from the outside?”
- “What's the delivery procedure?”
- “Can we decorate the night before?”
- “Can we use candles?” (some venues forbid open flame)
- “Do we have exclusive access to the venue?”
- “If the event last longer then the schedule end time is there a fee, if so what's the cost?”
- “Does my personal caterer have access to the kitchen before and during the event?”
- “What am I held responsible for at the end of my event?”
- “Can we store items overnight or pick up the next business day?”
You don't want any unexpected surprises the day of.
If your using the "in-house" caterer NEVER book without a full tasting of what you will be serving your guest (most places provide this for free). If you’re using a venue where there will be one or more events going on at the same time as yours, ask if the space provides proper signage to direct your guest to your designated area. If you plan to have your wedding in any space, you should ask if they will allow you to rehearse the day before the event and the time alloted. Make sure you get a contract with everything in writing so you have a reference in the case things don't go as planned or you don't receive what you were promised.
At the end of your event, do a final walk-through to make sure that there aren't any damages to the property and to ensure you have all your belongings. Sign any final paperwork pay/collect any final fees/deposits (if you don't receive deposits back the same day as what is the projected turn around for you to re-receive your payment) and make sure your guest leave respectfully.
Trust me if you do the work in the beginning and ask all the right questions the day of you can have a great time and enjoy the moment all of them! :-)