9 Questions You NEED To Ask Before Booking Your Wedding Venue

The excitement and butterflies that hit you when you first see you venue and decide it is ‘The One’ is awesome.
Once the excitement calms, business, money and organisation take over, but what do you ask? What do you say? What is happening?!

Here is our must see guide to the 9 questions you NEED to ask before booking your venue:

1. How many guests are we inviting to the ceremony?
Sounds pretty basic but many venues have multiple rooms that can be booked for weddings depending on number of guests, for example up to 50 guests you will book ‘The White Room’ and over 50 guests will be ‘The Victorian Room.’ This can change the price by possibly hundreds of pounds. Make your list, then make it again. Then again.
2. How many guests are we inviting to the evening do?
The Evening Do invite is great for inviting those people you aren’t massively close to you but whom you still feel you need to invite. Again, like the ceremony, if you go from 50 guests in ‘The White Room’ for the ceremony to 90 guests for the evening do, some venues may put on a charge to move rooms. Many don’t but you need to clarify this to avoid any unexpected expenses.
3. Does the venue cater to special dietary requirements?
Coeliac, egg, gluten, dairy, peanut, halal, vegetarian, vegan…

4. Is there a room available to get ready?
Some venues supply a room for the bride to get ready in on the morning of the wedding, especially if you are getting married at the venue, some do not. If you are having to travel quite a distance it might be a good idea to find out so you can arrive early and get ready at your own pace.
5. Can we supply our own wine?
Always a good question to ask. Wine per glass per guest can be pretty pricey, especially for a house wine that you may not be a) fussed on, or b) have the budget to stretch to 2 or 3 glasses per guest at the meal. If they do, you can save a small fortune on picking up some fizz for each table and keep it flowing.
6. Is our honeymoon suite included in the price?
Usually standard but it’s always best to check!  Don’t take anything for granted, always clarify.

7. Do you allow dogs?
You want your pooch there as a ring bearer more than anything… but does your venue allow it? With more and more pets being involved in weddings, venues are becoming more relaxed with rules regarding animals but it is something you must verify.
8. How long do we have to pay off our wedding?
Weddings are expensive, (in case you didn’t notice…) and the last payment date should be one of the first questions you ask. It may feel a bit tight but once the excitement of seeing your dream venue calms down, it comes down to cold, hard cash. Some have a six months before, some are a month, some are 1 week. Check, then check again, then go buy that piggy bank.
9. Can we pay off our deposit?
Another awkward question but if you don’t ask, you don’t get. Deposits are a hefty lump, probably the biggest lump you’ll pay out to your venue in one go. See if you can spread it over 3 or 4 months. Many are happy to oblige, if it means they get the business.
By Rebecca Armstrong, Excalibur Press

AUTUMN/WINTER 2017 EDITION AVAILABLE TO BUY ONLINE NOW