AC C O M M O D AT I O N When considering a venue it’s always best to have an idea of logistics for your guests coming from afar. It’s also good to know if they have a bridal suite for your first night and if any of this is included within the venue hire price. Some questions to have up your sleeve are: ■■ Is there accommodation onsite, if so how many can the venue sleep? ■■ If there’s no accommodation, who can they recommend in the local area and is there an affiliated discount? ■■ Is there a bridal suite or honeymoon cottage onsite and is this included in the venue hire? ■■ If you take the venue exclusively, will you need to book a minimum number of rooms? With regards to the last question, some venues will say that you can sell rooms back to your guests. Now this is all fine in theory if you think this is helpful for your guests, but if you are covering an initial room outlay then ensure this is all within budget and doesn’t rely on your guests ‘paying you back’ so to speak! This could make for some awkward conversations later down the line if guests don’t want to take the accommodation. VENUE FIRST A whopping 89% of couples have the wedding venue search top of the planning list and folks, I couldn’t agree more!
OTHER COSTS Some other costs to consider when booking your venue… ■■ Exclusivity - is there a premium for taking the venue exclusively? ■■ Late License - a late license can be requested at certain venues, however this may come at an additional cost so check out what this entails if you fancy partying into the night! ■■ Insurance - always take out wedding insurance. A cost that you hope will never come into play, but if it does then you’ll be so pleased you thought of this little expense. ■■ Pets at Weddings - is there a room charge for having your furry ones stay in the venue’s accommodation? ■■ Service - are staff included in the venue hire fee? If not, is this covered by the caterers or will this be an additional cost. ■■ Land - you might not think hiring some land could amount to much right? If you’re considering a marquee or tipi and want to place it in a field or within an estate, it’s probably best to look for the tent supplier first and then see where they usually pitch or if they can recommend venues and locations they work with. ■■ Marquee & Tipi - when hiring this type of venue do ask what’s included - consider toilets, generators, catering equipment, heating, tables, chairs, flooring, lighting and staff. ■■ Not required thank you! - make sure you are only paying for the items you want or need. For example, if chair covers aren’t your thing then do you need to be paying for them or are they an optional extra?
If you’re currently negotiating with a specific venue or there’s a possible sticking point, then ensure you have all of the terms & conditions ironed out, have agreed and signed contracts and are happy with all costs involved before you book any other supplier - particularly if they depend on your location and of course the date.
GUT INSTINCT Choosing a wedding venue is a very subjective process and it will be different for each couple. What one couple will love, another might not love. Therefore, if you’ve viewed a venue it’s really important to go with your gut. If you’ve fallen in love with the location but there’s something that doesn’t feel quite right, then delve a little further into what the issue might be, but don’t be frightened of walking away if it starts to feel too difficult. You take an important journey with your wedding venue and and it’s such a key relationship to a smooth planning process. Fall in love with the team as much as the venue.