Tips for Finding Perfect Wedding Venues

Popular wedding venues are sometimes booked one to two years in advance. If your heart is set on a particular location, book as soon as you decide on the wedding day or month. Having said that, if you keep an open mind, whatever time you have for finding a venue should be enough. And there’s a silver lining—couples who are unable to book far in advance may benefit from a last minute booking discount.

How to Get Started Looking for Wedding Venues

Your first decision is whether to get married in a church or other religious setting, a register office, or licensed reception venue. When choosing the first two options, aim for no longer than 15 to 20 minutes for the journey to the reception venue. Getting married in a licensed reception venue offers the convenience of having the ceremony and wedding reception in one place.

When choosing a wedding venue focus on finding an affordable setting that will be comfortable for the bride, groom, and important guests.  This may seem obvious, but sometimes the pressures of tradition, dreams, and well-meant opinions can complicate the process.
Consider the following locations for a ceremony and/or reception:

• Manor or other historic house with gardens, banquet hall, and accommodations for overnight guests.
• 17th century castle warmed by large fireplaces and candlelight; with beautiful grounds and romantic architecture.
• Modern hotel with full amenities, such as gym, swimming pool, spa, dining facilities, dance floor, etc.
• Outdoor ceremony, wedding breakfast, and dance in a festively decorated marquee on a country property.
• Rustic country barn or hall, fully equipped for wedding celebrations.
• Golf or other sports club, with recreational facilities, large kitchen, dining room, and party rooms.
• Zoo or safari park with parklands, gardens, and exotic animals to visit and photograph.
• Ship, yacht, or luxury liner.

Having a personal checklist, will help you to choose a wedding venue that has all of the amenities and services you require.  Naturally, the very first detail that needs to be settled, besides the date, is the number of guests who will be invited to the ceremony, reception, and evening activities.  Make up a preliminary list and determine whether you’ll need room for 50, 100, 200 or more guests.

Next, write down questions about services and facilities you’ll require, such as:

• Is there a chapel on site?
• Will the wedding be outdoors?  If yes, what indoor space will be provided in the event of rain? 
• Is there a dance floor and are there hook-ups for a live band or DJ? 
• Is there an alcohol license or a corkage option?
• Does the facility have kitchen and wait staff or do you have to arrange your own? Are you allowed to hire your own private caterer?  Are there buffet facilities?
• Will guests have the option of staying overnight, or will they have to go elsewhere?
• Will there be other weddings taking place at the same time or is this an exclusive use location?

Finding perfect wedding venues involves knowing what you want and asking the right questions. Some of the following questions may apply to you:

• What is included in the contract price? Consider all of the items that you’ll need, such as lighting, decorations, flowers, furniture, cutlery, entertainment, and staff. Be clear about who is arranging and paying for each item.
• When does the bar close or the music stop playing? Some venues close at midnight. If you want to party longer, find a hotel or club that stays open into the morning hours.
• Are candles allowed?
• Is confetti allowed?

Make a list of important questions to have on hand when interviewing potential venue providers.

Enjoy Your Search for Wedding Venues

Although there are many details to consider, enjoy the process of planning one of the most important celebrations of your life. Allow yourself to browse the full realm of possibilities and then narrow down to specific types of venues, such as small city hotel, full service mansion, rustic banquet hall, romantic castle, or beach resort. Enjoy visiting a few places, asking questions, and finally, have crucial contract terms put into writing.