Boy do I have some great tips for those of you
planning your own wedding. These are all based on my own experience.
The first few things you should do is
1) Make a Wedding Email-- not even kidding you-- you will sign
up for a million different venues/flower arrangement companies/
DJ's/LED lighting/ cake companies/ etc. Trust me, this way you
van also stay organized and keep all your wedding
companies/vendors in one place.
2) Find Your Venue, or at least start visiting them/making lists/
writing down the pros and cons of each location/ make any
appointments to meet up with a coordinator to show you around--
whether it be a Hotel or a Park, or Winery. They will give you the
whole tour and be able to answer any questions you may have.
Your reception venue really sets the tone for your wedding. It is
the first thing your guests see as soon as they arrive, and it's
also where they are going to be spending most of there time. ( 4-6+ hours)
Here are some questions when visiting a venue you should ask. ( First of all bring a notebook and pen- you'll want to write down answers to questions asked, and cost estimates, and all that good stuff you may forget down the line) :
Q) How many events do you host a day? & Do you host more than one wedding at a time?
If your wedding is in the morning( AM) , you may feel like you’re being rushed if the venue needs the space for an afternoon party. Or if your party is later in the day, you could show up to a
banged up venue and a tired cranky staff.
Q: Is there a day-of coordinator that comes with the package or
do I need to find my own?
Is there going to be someone to promise that the tablecloths will be white and the napkins will be periwinkle and there will be a table with purple cloth for your guest book—or whatever—it’s best if there’s someone from the venue on the day of your wedding to make sure all the little details fall into place, and to make sure all the vendors show up on time, and have a backup plan.
Q: What’s the maximum number of guests you can accommodate in your ballrooms for the reception?
Someone should be able to tell you how many people the venue seats comfortably with tables and chairs in the location, and what the maximum number of people is based on fire code ( also another question to ask if you are expecting to have candles). Some venues will say 200 people, max, and then be willing to slip in 10 or so more, as long as it’s
legal. You should definitely know what the cutoff is. Some may have a few ballrooms available to accomodate different amounts of people.
Q: What’s the site/food per person fee? And what does that include? Is there a minimum revenue? Taxes?
Some venues will charge you $5,000 just for the space, others will include tables, chairs, and table linens. Some may include cake, and flowers. Don’t assume anything’s included—you may even need a permit for some places-- and at some venues, you even have to rent portable bathroom stalls! Yikes!
Q: Is there a space for me and the bridesmaids to get ready? Does it come with the package or is it extra? Do the Bride and Groom get a room the night of the wedding?
Many venues have a special room for the bride and her
entourage, but if your venue is a hotel, your only “getting ready”
area might be your room—and it will be a bummer to end your amazing wedding night back in the room that you, your bridesmaids, and your moms spent four hours trashing earlier in the day.
Q:Can we bring in our own alcohol?
You’ll save a whole lot of money if you BYO—even if the venue charges a small corkage fee to open each bottle. Most Winerys only allow there own wines to be served or only allow wine and beer- no liquors. Make sure to find out if it's allowed! In most cases, they don't allow it-- because they are ultimately responsible for the alchohol license.
Q: Will we need to bring in a projector, microphone and speaker equipment?
Event venue spaces, such as hotel ballrooms and country clubs, usually have there own built-in speakers, so all the band will have to do is bring their instruments and plug in. If you’re considering getting married in a winery or museum, you might have to spend additional money on microphones.
Q:Will our guests have to pay to park?
If you’re checking out a space in a state park or beach and often some hotels have valet—or anywhere visitors normally have to pay to park—they’re probably planning on charging your guests. You can usually offer to pay for them ahead of time. So plan your budget around that too
Q:Are the facility and bathrooms handicapped accessible?
Even if all of your wedding guests are able-bodied today, you'll never know about tomorrow! Things happen.. Your
venue should at the very least have ramps in case—god
forbid—someone can’t use the stairs.
Q:How many hours do you allow a party to be here?
A five-hour wedding is pretty standard—half-hour ceremony,
cocktail hour, hour for dinner, and two and a half hours for
dancing. Some venues will charge by the hour if you want a
longer party, but don’t count on it. You might have to clear out to
make room for another wedding, or their policy might be to close
shop at 11 p.m., no exceptions. Good question to ask for it to be open till midnight if possible.
Q: Is there a noise ordinance we should be aware of?
My cousin had her wedding at the park and the police showed up at 10 pm to make sure the music stopped. How late
you can stay will affect the rest of your day, so you should be
aware of the limitations.
Q:Can we choose the vendors, or do you work exclusively with a
certain set?
Some venues give you a list of photographers or DJs or caterers
they work with, and you’ll be stuck picking your vendors from their list. Make sure you’ve read up on the vendors ahead of time if this is the case. Ask questions, some may be willing to let you choose your own.
Q: Are we allowed to bring in decorations? How ’bout candles?
Museums, for one, often don’t allow streamers or anything that
would make holes in the walls. And lots of venues don’t allow
open flames. Usually hotels have a fire policy and only will allow a certain amount, or you will have to pay a fee to use candles.
Q: If the venue is a hotel: What room rate can you offer our guests?
Generally hotels block off a certain amount of rooms at a discounted rate. I would let your guests know ahead of time to start booking as soon as you find a venue and code.
Hope this was all helpful to you! IF you think I may have missed any questions that would be helpful let me know! Shoot me a message I'd love to help you out!
