What questions should I ask the coordinator for my ceremony/reception venue?

Well, my aunt told me to ask the venue if for some reason a person doesn't show, do you get to take their plate home(doggy bags). She said if you are paying per person, it should be yours.lol

Do they have any preferred vendors?

What is the policy if you have children? Is it half price. My venue stated children are half price only if we meet our guarantee. If we are either at the number or under the children are full price.

Its hard to give you questions when we don't know what you already want to ask.

Packages include...

a la carte items...

getting ready areas....

when do you get access to decorate....

food ..on or off site catering...

parking....

hours room/area is available.....

linens included?...

cake...included?

booze...open bar, based on consumption, corkage fees....

Its normal to go, see the place have a crap ton of questions and then forget them all, then email them the next day and get your answers. I did that

Is rehearsal included

Additional fees/taxes

Gratuities included or not

Tables/chairs/linens/chair covers - included or not

Cost for vendor meals

Do they have tables/for DJ to use?

Rain plan?

Depending on your decorating plans - can stuff be put on the walls? Can you use candles?

Onawho...that's a good point. Sorry, I didn't include what my current questions were:

Is there a cake cutting fee?

Can we bring in extra desserts? (The FH owns a bakery...our guests will expect it)

We need a midnight buffet...what are our options?

Bar details..how much is upgraded open bar and what are fees affiliated with open bar?

Napkin colour options? Candles allowed?

Which tables/chairs will be used, how many seated per table?

Ceremony options and are we allowed a string quartet?

Do they provide location cards to include in our invites? (apparently some nicer halls do)

If I have my shower there is there a deal?

Are there any restrictions I have to let me Photo/Video people know about?

All the other questions are awesome...feel free to keep them coming! Thanks!!!!

"Who is your back up?"

Is there a service charge and if so, is that the tip?

We were mortified to find out that a 20% service fee at one venue did NOT include the tip and that the servers were not given any portion of the service fee. If we were to tip that meant we'd be paying 40% of the cost of the reception in service fees/tips. We were like WTF and didn't go with that venue (even though it was our first choice) because of the fees.

Other places do that too.

Ask to see a typical contract so you can read it and compare venues.

MrsPope....what do you mean backup?