17 Questions You Need to Ask Before Booking Your Wedding Venue
Your wedding venue is the backdrop for your big day! You need to find a space that echoes your relationship, reflects your personalities, and that cultivates a welcoming atmosphere for you and your guests.
Your dream venue should be both breathtaking and highly functional. Whether your backdrop is Colorado mountain-chic or a modern cityscape, you should consider the following questions before you commit to a venue.
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Questions to ask your wedding venue
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Whether you are picturing an intimate elopement or a big day hosting 200 of your favorite people, venue capacity is vital. The capacity of your venue directly correlates to the number of invites that you can send. You can anticipate 10%-12% of guests declining - if your venue’s capacity is 200, you don’t want to invite 300 guests….even with the percentage that is likely to decline, that would put you well over your venue’s capacity.
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You’ll want to know what time you, your wedding party and your guests can arrive at the venue. The answer to this question will also help your other vendors know when they can arrive and when they’ll need to be packed up and off of the property at the end of the evening. Pay attention to the “Last Call at the Bar” and the “Last Song Played” times in your contract so you know those details.
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Having access to your venue space for a ceremony rehearsal is a game-changer! Use this time to iron out any kinks and ensure that everything runs smoothly, especially if you are planning a destination wedding and are yet to see your space in person.
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Will the venue have someone on-site who knows the space well? If not, ensure that your wedding planner is thoroughly briefed on your venue, so that they can manage any behind the scenes logistics.
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Are you picturing a dreamy ranch wedding with Fall-colored mountains in the distance? Seasonal timing is vital.
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Ask whether the venue has on-site areas for your wedding party to get ready. If not, then research local boutique hotels or Airbnbs and book rooms for you and your guests before they fill up!
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Will you have access to their kitchen areas? Can you select your own bartender and bar menu or does the venue have an in-house bartending service? You don’t want to have your heart set on a dream caterer only to discover you can’t accommodate them.
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Ensure that you have read over the fine print. You don’t want any sneaky surprises on the day.
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Venue Rental fees might differ seasonally (winter is typically less expensive than summer & fall). You’ll also want to know what tax, service charges, or gratuity may be added to your final bill.
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Ensure that you know the required contracts and payment procedure before you start your booking.
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Make sure that you know their payment requirements upfront so that you can build a financial plan around it.
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A damage deposit is typically in addition to your venue’s rental fee. Be sure to factor this into your financial plan.
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Wedding day insurance is becoming a standard practice and many venues you tour will likely require you (the couple) to obtain it for the day of your wedding.
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Knowing the refund policy ahead of time is crucial. You don’t want to enter into the booking process without knowing your opt-out options.
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You might find that the venue has helpful relationships and discounts with certain vendors that can help you bring your dream wedding to life.
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You might find that the venue has helpful relationships and discounts with certain vendors that can help you bring your dream wedding to life.
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Knowing the date of your final walkthrough will help you to create a mental work-back schedule for all of your bookings and planning.
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Is professional cleaning covered in the rental price, or will you need to consider this separately? Ensure that you are aware of the venue’s clean up requirements so you can make a plan for the end of your reception.
What’s next?
Now that you have our Top 17 Questions to Ask Your Wedding Venue in hand you might be asking yourself, “Is this everything I need to know?” And the answer is…not quite! In addition to the 17 Q’s above, we have a few more that you’ll want the answers to so we’ve created a Free Venue Guide PDF Here. Print it or save it to your phone and bring up each time you tour a new space!
With these core questions at hand (and our free PDF), you'll be set to conquer venue logistics during all of your tours - and you’ll be able to spend more time dreaming about the pretty planning details (yes, please).
