10 Things to Consider When Choosing Your Wedding Venue
Define your priorities - quiet setting, comfortable bathrooms, climate controlled, proximity to lodging & airports etc. One of the easiest ways to narrow down a venue search is to apply some of these priorities from the beginning of your search.
Is the venue’s capacity at least 10% more than your anticipated guest list? Your goal should not be to max out a venue’s capacity for the sake of comfort. You want space for mingling and dancing in addition to seating.
Does the venue have adequate parking for guests in the event that group transportation is not an option? If you are providing guest transportation, does the venue have easy access for large vehicles? A significant challenge with access is narrow streets/roads where a bus doesn’t have space to turn around. If this is any level of concern with your chosen venue, you will want to have this discussion with transportation companies that you interview to make sure that they will be able to service your wedding.
Are there spaces in the venue to accommodate a contingency plan in case of inclement weather (rain, winds, high heat or cold)? One of the easier contingencies to plan is a rain contingency. More difficult is for wind, a hot summer’s day, or cold at an outdoor or non climate controlled venue. It is important to note that barn venues are very difficult to cool and actually trap heat, making them an uncomfortable option for summer. No portion of the day should be planned without a contingency even if it is a short portion of the day, like the ceremony. Ceremony spaces should be planned for shade if the day is sunny for two reasons - the safety and comfort of your guests, and for the lighting of your photos.
Does the venue have a staging area for vendors/vendor supplies as well as the bridal party during down times? You and your bridal party will need a place to wait until you walk down the aisle, as well as store personal items. Your vendors will need a space for storing boxes & totes from decor and rest during breaks.
When you book with the venue, will you have exclusive use of the grounds? Once again, this depends on your priorities, but if having the grounds exclusive to your wedding is important to you, do check into this before booking.
Does the venue have adequate restrooms or at least provide a restroom trailer? This is purely one of my pet peeves as a wedding planner, but I believe that any venue that charges for their space, should provide a restroom option.
If the venue does not also provide catering, do they have a commissary kitchen for a caterer to use? This isn’t absolutely necessary, but it will limit the options of catering companies that would be able to serve you. The caterer would either need to have a mobile unit or be located within an hour or so of your venue to ensure that the food is served in safe conditions.
How much time does your rental of the venue include? Consider set up and decor pick up times. You will want to make sure that you have adequate time for rental pick ups as well as arrangements made for picking up your personal decor items. Most rental companies need to schedule their pickups for a least the day after the wedding if not two days later.
Does the venue’s restrictions on decor align with your needs? This question comes down to your desires for design. Common restrictions to be aware of are restrictions on real flame candles or on hanging design pieces. Make sure you review the contract and ask the venue contact for restrictions before booking to make sure that they are a good fit!