Venues Dos and Don'ts

I would recommend to make sure the venue will fit all the people you want there. You would hate to book somewhere and realize you have to cut some people from your guest list because you cannot fit everyone. I would also make sure to ask about a bridal suite, times, dates, deposits, payments, and what all do they include for you such as the food, cake, dj... That way you know what you need to provide and what they will for you. Good luck and Congrats!

Daughter printed out a copy of her list of questions (I think she got it from "HereComestheGuide" or some other site) and took it to each venue we visited. After touring, we'd typically sit down with the representative and daughter just read right down her list and made notes about the answers. It made it really easy to make sure she asked everything and to keep track of what they told us. I think we did as many as four venues in a day -- I don't necessarily suggest that many, but depending on locations, it's doable. We generally did two or three in a day (we visited 10...). The venue she chose was the second we visited, and honestly, she and I both knew it was exactly what she wanted, but she had to see them all to be sure. Happy hunting!

Yes, I did two tours in a day, have them 2 or 3 hours apart though to give yourself time. I’m also a very a type person and get stuck in the Oohs and Aahs of shiny places as well so what I did before hand was create a questions list and bring it with a notebook and pen. Some VIQs were: what is included in the cost, is there liability insurance, do you have vendors we HAVE to use or a preferred vendor list, is set up and take away our responsibility or yours? If ours, when do we get to come in to set up, is it a flat fee to walk on premises or is it a per person rate, are there certain decor rules (a lot of places won’t let you tape or tac things, some do), how many weddings are done each day here, if more than one, how will the two weddings remain separate

I had all my questions written down ahead of time...and then oohed and ahhed...and now I have to go back and take pics because I forgot what a couple of the rooms looked like and the size of the main hall 😂

And make sure what they promise is in writing before signing. Remember they’re sales people. My fiancé knew the one I hate before we were to car. I didn’t ask questions. What’s included, is there an outdoor space, can we bring our own food (my nephew has his own salsa company) tax and tip cost?

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This is basically what I did. My list was hand-written, and the questions all came from my head, but I knew I would forget to ask something if I didn't have it all written down.

We toured three in one day, as they were all in the same town.

Just don't be afraid to ask something. This is what they do! One question I found helpful was asking what amount of time before and after the wedding do we get for booking? Example, will you be able to get in the day before to decorate? How much time afterwards do you have to have everything cleaned up? Does the venue provide a crew for set up/tear down, either as part of the package, or at an additional price? As long as you are organized going in, you'll be fine!! Good luck and happy hunting!

You can absolutely do two tours in one day! We had four venues we were looking at and got them all toured in a weekend I'm a little type A so I had a list of questions (and also googled for more questions I hadn't thought of) and printed out 4 copies so I could take notes during my venue tours, which made things so much easier. They'll spend the first bit of the tour getting to know you (vision, date, estimated guest list, how you met/got engaged) and then show you the space - listen in for the details they give you and soak it all in and ask questions as they come to you. At the end it'll get more into logistics and price - look at their packages and see what fits, see if they can do a custom package if necessary, and take home a sample contract. They'll typically tell you after the tour that they can hold your date until X time if you like the contract they provided, but don't rush any decisions if you're not ready

There are lots of questions to consider!

1. Personally:

- Does it fit your vision?

- Is there room for you to get ready there if you want it?

- Is the venue size the right fit (not just will it fit 100 guests...a venue made for 400 WILL meet your need, but feel empty)

- How do you want your wedding day to feel? Do you feel it?

- Is the ceremony space separate from reception or will the room be "flipped"? Is that okay with you?

- Are there any unique features you're looking for in a venue?

2. Logistically:

-if it is a frequent event venue, they'll easily be able to point out bathrooms, parking accommodations, areas with enough outlets/power for a DJ, if it is handicap accessible, etc.

- if it's outdoor - is there a rain plan?

- Do they have their own kitchen/where would caterers prepare?

- Do they have a list of preferred caterers, vendors, etc. that you HAVE to use?

- Do they have a list of vendors they frequently work with that you can reference?

- What venue staff will be present on the wedding day and what will their responsibilities be?

- Can you have a sample contract? What are payment options/down payment/etc.?

I did four in one day, so two is a great number! Go in mind with a ballpark number of guests and see what the venues have to offer for that number of guests. Interested in in house catering? Get a per plate number for seated and buffet meals, and see if the bar is included in that price or not. See if they include things like cake cutting, set up and take down. See if they include an on site day of coordinator. These things, in addition to how the venue looks, are why we picked our venue!

Sit down before you go and write out a list of things that are the most important to you.

When my husband and I looked, we prioritized the location, the food, the price, time availability and open bar. We were lucky enough to get everything we wanted (in the first location we toured), but not everyone is that lucky.