5 Tips for Picking a Wedding Venue that’s right for you

1. Determine a budget and stick to it

You must be tired of hearing the word ‘budget’ thrown around all the time when shopping around for your wedding. It can be tedious, we know, but financial planning is fundamental when organising a wedding, and one of the main costs will be your venue. Request quotes from as many venues as you wish, but when making the final decision, bear in mind the overall cost, the capacity of the venue and whether or not it comes with a caterer. Discard all your “dream venues” if they go over your budget and/or cannot accommodate your full guest list – you’ll thank us later.

2. Be happy with your choice

While not exceeding your budget is important, so is being happy with your choice of reception venue. Don’t settle for anything just because it’s proving difficult to find what you want with the budget that you have. If necessary, go back to the drawing board and tweak the overall look and feel you wanted to achieve at your reception – if a garden wedding is what you dreamt of but none of the gardens you want are available or affordable, rather than settling on a garden you think looks mediocre and spending lots of money to decorate it, consider a venue with a view instead?

3. Check for compulsory caterers

A number of local venues have exclusive wedding caterers, which could be a blessing and a curse all in one. On one hand, one hugely important supplier gets ticked off your list from the get-go, which is awesome, but on the other, the caterer your venue works with might be way out of your budget or not your top caterer of choice. Gather all the information you need to help you make a decision – ask around, speak to the venue’s coordinator and to the caterers themselves to ensure you’re happy with this crucial supplier before sealing the deal on the venue.

4. Don’t be afraid to ask for a good deal

Venue suppliers might be willing to help you find a day or time of year that’s less costly than peak days or months in the year if you’re really after their service. Don’t be shy to ask for a better price or for options that might better the end price for you. Fridays could be cheaper than Saturdays or Sundays, and so are the leaner months of the year for weddings, namely from November to April.

5. Establish a good rapport with the venue’s personnel

Once you make up your mind and secure your venue (YAY!), you’ll be going there multiple times to figure out what kind of lighting you need, what décor will be suitable and so on. This means that you’ll need to establish a good relationship with the on-site coordinator or owner of the venue, who will be your go-to person for the many questions you will have related to logistics, floor plans, décor options and so much more.