Questions to ask.

What is important to you in a venue? Max number of guests, alcohol restrictions, bridal suite, inclusive-tables, linens, cutting fee, corking fee. If your venue is an outdoor venue then you'll want to know the plan b....

Aside from the venue being beautiful..

How many people do they typically do weddings for? If they typically do them for 100, and you have 180 guests, they may not be able to handle the wedding well or comfortably. Also, if they provide tables and chairs, you may have to rent additional if they only have 100 on site.

Do they provide tables/chairs? If so, ask what kind and how many (if you have a large wedding). If not, ask if they have a specific rental partner so you can contact that person and figure out what the cost will be prior to booking the space. Bare in mind that one of the biggest costs can be pick up and delivery, so if they only allow for two hours of set up time prior to the ceremony and everything has to be out at night, it could be an extra $300 in delivery costs.

Do they do on-site catering? If not, do they have a preferred caterers list?

Do they include anything additional (i.e. linens, votives, etc.). These are small but add up.

If you're looking at an outdoor venue, you'll want to look at the rain plan. We all hate it, but if it does rain, will you be happy with the rain plan?

Ask about the rental times. Does the venue give you an 8 hour block (2 hr set up, 5 hr event, 1 hr clean up), or will you have access to the site the day before to do some DIY decorating?

If it is an outdoor venue like a barn: Will you need to rent bathrooms, a dance floor, tent, or lighting?

This is all excellent advice. I would add the following:

- Do the linens include napkins? Believe it or not, this actually came up here with another WW bride. Make sure they specify what "linens" mean, and what colors do they offer in linens?

- Are the bathrooms private or open to the public? Some venues remain open for other functions so your guests may share bathrooms with other events. Not a big deal unless you plan to get ready/freshen up there, or have bathroom baskets for your guests.

- Do they provide a coordinator as part of their fee? Even if they do, you will still want a "day of" person just for you - a DOC.

- If they do provide tables, what are the dimensions and do they offer both round and long? How many people fit comfortably at each table?

- Do they have noise restrictions? For instance, many places in Napa/Sonoma music had to end by 10 p.m. Some allowed it up to 11 p.m. - this varies by the type of music too - band vs. DJ.

- What time can your reception go until?

- If they have a list of preferred vendors, can you still hire vendors not on that list? If so, what are the requirements? For instance, my venue required my vendors to carry $1 million liability policy.

- Do they book more than 1 wedding for the day/weekend?

Hi Danielle! Here are some good lists:

The 12 Questions to Ask a Wedding Venue BEFORE Booking

8 Questions Every Couple Forgets to Ask Wedding Venues

If they have in house catering, make sure the service charge is based only on your food and beverage spend amount, not the rental fee. It's a sneaky trick to boost venue profits!

What do they cover? What do they NOT cover? How many events do they hold per day? What is the service charge amount, and what does it cover? Do they have recommended vendors, and do you have to use them or can you bring in your own? How many guests can they accommodate? If you're doing anything outside, what is their backup plan for inclement weather?