Scheduled to look at our first venues

We are in New York

We are scheduled to see Villa Russo, Grand Prospect Hall and Charisma Ballroom. Any helpful tips would greatly appreciated

The more detailed the better...my venue contract was extremely detailed, from decorations...outside alcohol....security....times....etc. Do these venues have Facebook pages? Read the comments, look for pictures from other weddings at these places- you could even msg other brides and see if they were pleased with the place.

I would be very careful to see what exactly is included and at what cost, what are the hours you and your vendors will have access to the venue, what are you responsible for as far as cleanup goes, depending on your venue how well your event will be closed off from the public, if you have to use their vendors/catering or if you can bring in anyone you want. That's all I can think of right now. Good luck!

Check to see if you can hire outside vendors or is there a set list to use. Are there any discounts if you use that set list. If you use your own vendors, do they have to have a set amount on insurance. I know some venues require that each vendor hold a set amount in order for them to be used.

Thanks Janis V, Mrs. E and Jennifer S. These are great tips

Make sure the person you meet with actually has the expertise/authority to execute what they promise, and get what you want in writing before putting down any money. At our reception venue, our first meeting was with someone whose main job was not coordinating events because their main person for that was on vacation. Although he didn't mean any harm, he promised things the venue couldn't actually deliver (like customizing packages, ceremony start times). It worked out fine, but because of this we had to move our date and have our ceremony at a nearby park (which now I actually love) in order to have the reception time we wanted. So definitely verify all those details before you make any final decisions. Good luck!

^Agreed