What are the best questions to ask when booking a wedding venue?

Answer 1

The easy bits are...

Are they available on the date you want?
How much will it cost?
What is included in the price?
What is the capacity for seating and then the evening?
What facilities are there eg. additional rooms, somewhere for people to change etc?

Then I would also ask...

How much help will they give you?
Do they have preferred suppliers that you have to use for certain things?
How willing are they to work with you to get all the things that you really want?

Also ask to see photos of weddings and any recommendation/thank you letters from previous couples. I found the pictures really useful to see what it looked like full.

We found that we just got on really well with the guy who looked after us and that started everything the right way. Our relationship with them has been really positive ever since.

Congratulations and good luck
xxx

Answer 2

Always ask what the cost includes - some places charge for tablecloths etc. Is the wine/champagne for the reception sale and return? Some venues refund the cost of any unopened bottles of champagne and wine. Is there a room you can safely store your wedding gifts? If it is at a hotel, does the cost include a wedding suite for the wedding night. Are there any special accommodation rates for wedding guests. Are guests allowed to bring their own drinks? What time is the bar open until? Most venues will cut the cake and distribute it to your guests before the speeches are made, but you may want to double check this. Check what time the meal/buffet will be served, and ensure there is sufficient time between you arriving at the reception venue and the meal, so you have enough time to greet all guests and have drinks and canapés before. Check what activiities are available at the venue for children as they may get bored during speeches etc. Will there be a separate room available for mothers to nurse their baby as not all women are comfortable doing it in public. Make sure all table decorations and flowers are at the venue either the day before or early morning of the wedding, so everything is in place. Often, the bride or her mother will check the venue around 3/4hrs before the wedding, so there is enough time to rectify any problems. Check and double check seating plans - quite often these go wrong and sometimes there are not enough spaces. Always have a couple of extra seats for unexpected guests. And most importantly, enjoy your day. Appoint a good friend who is not a member of the wedding party to oversee things on the day, make sure they know the arrangements so if anything does go wrong, the wedding party don't have to worry.

Answer 3

Look at pictures from previous events.
Get references.
Request to visit when there is an event in progress (then take note of their ability to actually address you and handle the extra burden of your visit....we chose our venue because they were so organized that the owner actually came out and said hello again while we were on our event visit...he had things enough under control to stop what he was doing, trust his staff and come outside).
Sample the food on a day they are serving (make arrangements first).
When you visit find out how many people are being served that day (will give you a feel for how it will be with more/less for y our event).
Ask point blank....what is not included? What things should I be prepared to plan for?
Where is closest hotel? (Then contact the hotel and see if they shuttle its a great touch if y ou have out of town guests or the wedding party needs to stay.)
Whats the biggest event they have ever catered?
How many servers to a table?
How many busboys per table?
Who is on setup/cleanup?
What happens if dinner runs late? or other parts of evening are not on schedule (one venue had music pumped into all 5 dining areas for one hour and your dinner COULD NOT run late no matter how many ppl you happened to be serving...we didn't choose them--for some ppl it doesn't matter).
Ask them what decorations have looked nicest? there may be certain colors that just dont go with the decor, wall paint or lighting (if lights get hot).
Can you still talk when the music is on the dance floor?
How many restrooms per how many guests?

Just a plug here... we wound up choosing Gregor's Garden Grove which is an unassuming bldg from the outside....but the attention to traffic flow and guest comfort inside was very evident. We have a bridal suite with a safe, a separate lobby that is big enough for a quiet sitting area for older guests who might want to get away from the dance floor (but can still see through windows), coat room, outdoor garden and full bar. The layout puts the dance floor at one end of the rectangle shaped bldg and the head table at the other end so that people can still talk with the floor with flooded with lights/sound. We stopped in to taste the food and were delighted...prices were reasonable and all inclusive....thought maybe our selling points might also help you come up with some of your own questions.... Congratulations and God Bless

Answer 4

What is included with the cost?
Do you have an open bar option? Is it extra?
If not do you have to hire yur own bartender? Or bring your own liquor to the venue?
Do you make wedding cakes on site (my venue did for a small extra cost)?
Are hot and cold appitizers included during socal hour or are they extra?
How long do we have the venue for?


Personally I went with the venue that did just about EVRYTHING onsite. The cost included open bar, bartender, whatever colors I wanted for the table setting, centerpiece, wedding cake, etc...Saved me a whole lot of stress, all I had to do was pick out the cake and the menu and the appitizers

Answer 5

If places in you area are familiar to you then you should know if they are popular. Phone or email first and get the wedding brochure information pack from various places. After reading these you should have the basic information as in numbers venue holds, menus, exactly what the venue provides. If hotel often the Honeymoon Suite is free evening of the wedding, cake stand/kife suppllied, services of a MC etc. Some hotels offer addional things included in the cost as in personalised menu cards, table plans, place settings, flowers on the tables. At least by reading up beforehand you will know what each hotel is offering and then write down the questions you wish to ask at your first meeting. It can be so easy for forget. At first meeting you should find out if dates you are considering are available,initial deposits required, when final bill has to be paid. You should also ask you see the reception suite and also ask if you can see it again when set up for a wedding. If wine/bar lists have not been provided ask to have these price lists, Ensure vegeterian meal can be provided for anyone that requires it and price meals for children. Check time reception finishes as this can depend of their licence. Also if you tell hotel time of your service if not in the
hotel they through their experience after pictures etc will tell you at what time you should be sitting down to your meal. Good also to check colour of table linen if provided and if you decide to hire chair covers must it be from them. If hotel and you think guest may wish to stay over ask if they hold a certain number of rooms. That's probably more than enough for first meeting as you will be have several meetings prior to wedding when you can decide on menus, wine, toasts, what time your evening guests if you are having any should arrive and when the first dance is likely to commence and no doubt other points you wish to raise. You will also get a contract from the venue and you will see clearly all the terms and condition of hire, what you are responsible for exactly when deposits must be paid, when final account must be paid etc. Good luck.

Answer 6

I , being me would ask if they could give me the names of one or two people who have used the same venue. I would then phone them and get the truth from then. Once i have done that i would make sure their are no double bookings [ like someone mentioned already], the price, i would make sure that they know what they are doing and nothing much else you can do but hope for the best. :)))

Answer 7

Is the hall available that day?
What is the deposit?
When is the balance due?
What is the capacity of the hall?
Can I bring in my own centerpieces, etc? Is there a policy on centerpieces? (Yes, some halls DO have them - ESPECIALLY with candles, so be sure to ask!)
Is there catering available on-site or do I need to hire one?
Price per person?
Does the price per person include bar set-up? If not, what is the cost per person for bar set up?

Answer 8

what the max capacity of people is,
how much per head,
what is on the menu and ask for a copy of the menu,
how many sit round 1 table,
wether you have to bring your own table decorations (people often forget that one!)
what is the lighting like for the dj and will he have to provide his own speakers and decks etc.
do they allow you to bring your own drinks in or not
what time does it start and finish
smoking/non smoking
will there be a table for presants
will they cut the cake up or not

the list is endless but its worth it in the end when everything is just as you want it!!

Good Luck hope all goes well!!

Answer 9

One thing I would mention.

The sister of a colleague _booked_ a beautiful venue, and then found out they did not want under-12's on the premises.
that meant that half of the reception guests, would not be able to bring their kids.
She had to change the venue PDQ, and fight to get her deposit back.
Just something to consider

Answer 10

definitely ask if they have contact details for people who have booked the venue previously who don't mind being contacted so you can speak to them about how they found their experience at the venue.