Research Wedding Venues

Now the time has come to research your dream Wedding venues! Maybe you already know where you want to get married, but maybe you don’t! Once you have your Guest List, Budget, and Date! You’re ready to reach out and get pricing from venues. Ask for a proposal and a contract so you can see all that your venue does and does not provide for your Wedding. We have put together the best questions to ask any venue to make sure you’re picking the right one!

Venue Questions 101

1. Does your Venue have a food and beverage minimum? Lots of Venues do and it’s good to know if you will hit the minimum. If you’re not close to hitting the minimum you can negotiate the minimum before you sign your venue contract.
2. What are the type of Chairs, Lines, and Tables that come with booking the Venue? Chairs and linens can get pricey when you start to have over 100 people. You may be able to cut some cost if the venue already offers the type of chairs, linens, and tables you want. Most venues provide the standard white lines and napkins. Some venues may have more colors to choose from and this can really add value booking one Venue over another.
3. Dose your venue have time restrictions? If you are booking a venue with outside space, they may have a cut off time. Some hotels will not go past 12AM for an outdoor space. If you are booking a private home they may have noise restrictions after a certain time, or you may need a permit.
4. How long will you be able to use the space? For a wedding reception you really want a venue that you will have access to the whole day of the wedding. Vendors will need time to set-up load-in and load-out. For a wedding reception you really want a venue that you will have access to the whole day of the wedding. Vendors will need time to set-up load-in and load-out.
5. What is the cancelation policy? This is usually in the fine print, but it’s good to know. Many Venus will give you your money back if you cancel within a certain amount of time.
6. What is the tax-and service charge? If your Food and Beverage Minimum is $30,000.00 your tax and service can be $3,000.00 or more.
7. Can you hire your own vendors? Some Venues only let you hire form the list of their preferred vendors. If you have fallen in love with a florist and they are not on the list, chances are you won’t be able to use them so make sure you know this before signing the contract.
8. Is parking included? Some venues, especially at hotels do not include valet and that’s an extra cost to you or your guests. Some Valets can cost upwards to $14.00 per car. That can add up fast!
9. Do they have any restrictions? Believe it or not some venues don’t allow children, or require a babysitter to be hired, among other restrictions.
10. Can you use your own caterer, and if you have food restrictions can they accommodate them? For example, if you need to have a Kosher Wedding, you want to make sure they use a repeatable Kosher Caterer, if you talk about this before signing the contract and you would like to use your own you may be able to negotiate this into your contact.
11. Do they have any construction or changes to the venue coming up or around the date you are booking? If the answer is yes, you want to know exactly what they will be doing and if it is something you’re ok with.
12. Find out everything that is included in the price. If you are having your ceremony at the Venue they may charge you a ceremony fee.  Do they have a cake cutting fee? Do they have Security Fee? Any rental fees? Etc.