The perfect venue???

This is really just personal preference. For us, it was having us be the only event for the evening, space outside for a ceremony/pictures, and a bridal suite to get ready in. We also were very concerned about food and bar so we wanted a place where we could have several courses, multiple passed apps during cocktail hour and a late night snack as well as an open bar without blowing our budget out of the water.

For us we made sure we were the only event that day, there was an indoor backup plan in case of bad weather, there was a hotel near by with a shuttle to and from the venue, how many people can fit, what is included in the price and how long can we use the space for. Also we asked about the can do's and don't for decorating.

You also want to ask if they have required vendors you have to use (catering, bartender). Also, what's the earliest and latest you will be able to use the venue, depending on your ceremony time. Do they have any packages with nearby hotels for out of town guests transportation?

View Quoted Comment Thank you so much for your feedback! So the deal breakers were it not being a private event, no special area for pictures, and/or no bridal suite. Very important aspects.. As well as the food! How much did you end up spending on that deal, if I may ask?

View Quoted Comment Thanks so much for your feedback, Jessica! Simple expectations, yet so crucial. Did you plan out everything you wanted for your wedding and then negotiated with what the venue was able to accommodate? Or the other way around?

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We planned on the number of people we wanted and had an idea of what we wanted out venue to be (outdoor ceremony, indoor reception and a fancy but rustic feel). We also knew we wanted everything to be included (tables, chairs, linens, ceremony cost). So we booked tours with a bunch of places we both liked, went and I took notes on just about everything they said plus most of them gave us a folder with info in it. We were planning on picking our top three and narrowing it down, but there was a venue we both loved and had everything we wanted so we canceled the rest of our tours and booked it!

View Quoted Comment Oooh thanks for mentioning my out-of-town attendees, Tonia!! I’ll definitely inquire about that accommodation. What are some pro’s & con’s for having in-house catering & bar?

View Quoted Comment Awesome advice!! Thank you so much. (:

For me it was price and options. then it was the size.

We are doing a small wedding with 50 -60 people. I wanted to have a room that didn't look empty because we only needed 5-7 tables.

I also wanted to get the most bang for my buck. I picked the place that had the space, bar options we needed, and included the linens, china, and other things.

View Quoted Comment Thanks so much for your input, Ashley! How much was your budget, if you don’t mind me asking?

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We would like to stay around 12,000 but since we have so much time before our wedding we could go up slightly.

I picked a place that I could hold the ceremony/cocktail hour/ reception all in one place so that transportation wasn't needed. It came down to they have all the linens, silverware, glasses, tables, chair covers, dishes. When she told me that by paying $10 more a person they would give us the top shelf liquor and the cake I was sold.

I am also working with the dj that is their in house dj and he gave me an hour for free for the ceremony so asking about their preferred vendors and such is also a good thing to ask.

View Quoted Comment Our venue total will be right around $15k for an estimated 110 guests.

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The pro's are not having to do a lot of research and all of the hidden costs are normally included with the fee of the venue. One of the big pro's of going with in-house catering is could be potentially be cheaper. The con's are not being to pick a caterer you want that's not associated with the venue. We picked a venue where we could bring in our own caterer and bartender as well as supply our own liquor. We were able to control our costs more.

Keep an on mind to both ideas. If a venue does have catering you have to use, get a list of the caterers and try their food before making a decision. That could be a deciding factor even if the venue is awesome.

View Quoted Comment That’s a decent budget for all of those things.. And asking about their preferred vendors is something I haven’t thought about. Thank you so much for your awesome advice!! Wish me luck (:

View Quoted Comment I see. What are your three biggest expenses?

three

View Quoted Comment You’re right! I’ll make better decisions by actually trying ALL of my options.. Which is why I’m planning so early, lol. Thanks so much Tonia!

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Oh our total budget is $12,000. I didn't really have a venue budget, but knew I should probably keep it to $5,000. It is about $6,000 with the DJ so we stayed close.

View Quoted Comment I see. Good luck with everything & I’ll keep in touch!

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Good luck. I had a lot of fun on my tour!

View Quoted Comment I hope I will too! I bet they’ll take a while.. But it’ll feel that much closer to the wedding (: