WEDDING VENUE ADVICE

Questions to Ask

WHEN VISITING A VENUE

HOW MANY DOES IT ACCOMMODATE? q You need to find out how many people your venue can accommodate. The venue will be one of the first things you organise, and wedding plans change constantly, so even if you know you’re having a small number of guests, ask this question. It might only accommodate for 20 and you want 80. WHAT ARE THE FULL COSTS/EXTRA FEES? q Unfortunately, many venues have hidden costs that you really need to be aware of. Ask about the rental fee, cancellation policy, the payment plan, overtime fee and everything else you feel they might charge you for. This avoids any nasty surprises and gets all the awkward questions out of the way. DO YOU OFFER CATERING? q You may have already arranged for a wedding caterer, but it’s still worth checking if the venue supply one. It may be a lot cheaper or better quality. It’s good to keep your options open. Remember to ask about hidden fees here too! Some venues have a ‘corkage’ fee if you bring your own alcohol. If you hire your own caterers, ask if there are kitchen facilities available - if caterers have to bring in their own refrigerators and ovens, they might charge extra.

MONEY SAVING TIPS

n Don’t get married on a Saturday. This is the easiest way to save money on your wedding. Not only does it cut the costs down on the venue, but all of your suppliers. Have it on a Friday! n Have your ceremony and reception in the same place, maybe in the same room. It makes the venue cheaper and you only need one load of flowers. n Get married in a register office. If you’re not too worried about a big ceremony, this is a good way to save money. n Book well in advance. If you take your time and have a really long engagement, the monthly payments are easier to manage and you can do loads more research and comparison. WHAT DATES ARE AVAILABLE? q

If you have your heart set on a particular date and your venue is available on that day, still ask this question. You might discover they’re available on a bank holiday weekend or the price is considerably better on a different day. Weigh up all your options. DO YOU HAVE A LIST OF SUPPLIERS? q Sometimes venues will have a list of ‘preferred’ or ‘recommended’ suppliers. It’s important for your suppliers to work well together so it might be worth referring to this as much as possible. Also, if your venue recommends them, they are probably good suppliers to use. CAN WE SETUP THE DAY BEFORE? q This is a question your suppliers may ask you. Find out when you first book with your venue, and plan your day logically in your head. Ask them about how the whole process works. n