As promised, here are the first five, of ten questions, to ask your wedding venue when touring. Remember last week when we talked about searching for your wedding venue, it’s important to gather all of the data. Next week I will share five additional tips because we need all of the information.
1. First and foremost, does the venue fit your style and wedding vision theme?
Even though you may have a jumbled Pinterest board with all things wedding. You have a vision for your day. It may be a country barn with lace and mason jars, whimsical with greenery, or modern and grand. The venue may be a bargain in price but if it isn’t what you imagined, it isn’t the right venue. The venue sets the tone for the wedding, therefore very important to select the venue that fits your vision. Request pricing from the venue, what’s included in that price, and what additional add-ons are available.
2. Does the venue accommodate a rehearsal, ceremony and reception?
There are venues that book one wedding per weekend. This allows couples some flexibility. The couples can host their rehearsal and rehearsal dinner as well as decorate on Friday evening. Saturday would then only consist of getting ready, ceremony and reception, with Sunday for clean-up. In the event the venue doesn’t offer the whole weekend it would require alternate venues for rehearsal and ceremony locations.
3. Is the venue location ideal for family and guests attending?
Weddings bring family from all corners of the world together to celebrate the couple therefore it is important to find a centrally located venue. You don’t want your guests struggling to locate the venue after traveling to attend your wedding. Parking and handicapped accessibility are important for older guests. The Shenandoah Valley is a host to many barn weddings which may have on-site restrooms but sometimes don’t and require a portable restroom rental, which is an added expense.
4. How many guests will the venue accommodate?
On average 80-85% of your invited guest list will attend your wedding due to travel constraints or other scheduling conflicts. The venue accommodating your guest count seems common sense but very realistic. The venue will provide you with an estimated guest count that is ideal for the space. Since they host multiple weddings a year trust the venue’s suggestion on the guest count and space. If the venue is your dream venue and does not accommodate your guest count you could trim your guest list. If the venue is too large or accommodates too many guests, it may increase the budget unnecessarily.
5. What does the venue include?
Most venues have a daily or hourly rental rate and it is important to know the minimum and/or maximum rental time. A venue typically secures your date with a deposit, it is important to know what the deposit is and the reschedule/cancellation policy. Each venue has wedding packages and what they include. Request a list of the included items in the packages such as tables, chairs, linens, tents, etc. All of these items if not included will require a separate rental.
These are the first 5 questions to ask a wedding venue when you tour. If a venue passes these questions then check back next week for part 2 of questions to ask a wedding venue for a deeper dive.
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