How to Choose the Perfect Wedding Venue

Weddings are a lot of work to plan. Continue reading to discover a few tips to help you narrow down your options.

Your Wedding Is One Of The Most Important Days Of Your Life

Your wedding is one of the most important days of your life. It is a day you will look back on in years to come, and speak fondly of to your children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren. You want your wedding to be a day you will never forget and everything to go off without a hitch. But the problem is, there is just so much to think about. There’s the guest list, the food, the entertainment, the rings, the vows, the speeches. And that’s not all. The wedding venue itself is an integral part of the day. Pick the wrong location, and you could be looking at a ruined wedding. 

There are several factors to consider when picking a wedding venue. You want it to be beautiful and photogenic, yet also convenient for everyone and within your budget. Wedding venues can be expensive, and often book up well in advance, so even if you find the perfect location, you are never guaranteed to get it.

In order to make the right decision and settle on a venue that meets yours and your partner’s requirements, it is necessary to start with the basics. Here are a few tips to help you narrow down your options.

Choose a location

If you’re willing to get married anywhere in the world, you have too many options. Try to make your search a little easier by narrowing it down to a preferred location and exploring your options within a certain radius. Practically, it makes sense to get married near where you currently live, but you may prefer to go with a more sentimental location. Perhaps your hometown or the place where you first met. You may even choose to get married in an exotic country you’ve both always wanted to go to. Once you have picked a rough area, you can start looking for specific venues and find local suppliers and entertainment options.

Set a budget

Wedding venues can be expensive, so it is a good idea for you and your partner to discuss how much you are willing to spend. By creating and sticking to a budget, you ensure that you don’t go overboard with your spending. Once you have a figure, you can then start to look for venues that fall within your price range. Don’t be afraid to be flexible with your budget if you find a perfect place that is a little more expensive. You may be able to negotiate a better rate or cut costs in another area of your wedding.

Think about guests

How many people are you planning to invite to your wedding? Will it just be close friends and family, or are you planning a massive party with hundreds of people? Either way, you will want your venue to reflect the size of your gathering. You don’t want to have a huge party crowded into a tiny building, nor do you want to have a dozen attendees milling around an enormous ballroom. You should come with a rough list of exactly who you want to invite to your wedding and choose a suitably-sized location.

Choose a date

Some wedding venues are so popular they can book up well over a year in advance. You may have a fixed date in mind for the big day, but it pays to be flexible before you have actually booked the venue. The date will depend on the availability of you and your partner as well as your guests. Make sure you let guests know the date as soon as you have booked it, so they don’t make any plans.

Figure out your priorities

What do you want from your wedding venue? The decision you make will depend on several factors. Think about the style of wedding you want: classic and traditional, or modern and unique? Do you want it to be child-friendly or pet-friendly? Do you need an outdoor space or inhouse catering? Perhaps you want somewhere with accommodation so you and your guests can just head upstairs after the party is over. Prioritize the aspects that you are most keen for your venue to have and order your shortlist accordingly.

Reach out to a few venues

Once you have narrowed down your list to a few options that you really love, it can be difficult to pick one. It is a good idea to contact each of the venues to express your interest and ask them a few questions. You will want to know the practical information such as their availability, capacity, and pricing. But you also want to get an idea of how helpful and responsive they are. If they take a long time to get back to you or send blunt responses, you might get a better experience elsewhere.

Visit your favourites

You will need to visit the venue in person before the wedding day to ensure it is the right choice. Photos do not always do a place justice. You will want to take a tour, looking at the layout and making it is a good fit for the number of guests and the format you have in mind. Talk to the venue staff to get a good feel for the atmosphere in the venue.

Make your choice

At this point, you may have two or three potential options, so you will have to weigh the pros and cons of each and make a choice. It is good to have at least one backup in case your favourite option falls through. Both you and your partner might have a different top choice, so have a frank discussion and ensure you are both happy with the final decision. As soon as you have come to an agreement you should get in touch with the venue to book your wedding on your chosen date. 

Congratulations, you now have a venue for your wedding. There are so many different options for the location of your wedding ceremony and party. Learn more about some of the different types of venues available to you.