Woohoo you are engaged and now you have a wedding to plan! Typically, the first vendor that you will book will be your venue. The venue choice will also tell you how formal or casual your wedding will be or maybe lend itself to a fun theme. I have some suggestions and items to consider when booking the venue. I have worked for both a wedding venue that did about 100 weddings a year and large resorts doing weddings and events.

Here are some of the tips that I give brides looking for their wedding venue. Also, all of the scenarios I am referencing below are all things that I have encountered when doing events.

1. How many guests will you be having? This is an important question because this will limit the spaces you are able to look at. I have had some events that were huge, and we had a very hard time finding the venue that would hold that many people.
2. Do you want an indoor or outdoor wedding? We live in the gorgeous PNW so many clients want to have an outdoor event or at least some outdoor area available. Yet, we do get rain.  Make sure that the venue either has an indoor option or ask if they offer tenting or will allow you to provide a tent. Also ask what they do if it’s a gorgeous sunny day and they are set up for an outdoor event and a big raincloud shows up. How does the venue handle this? Do they have the staff and equipment to change it to an indoor event quickly?
3. Typically, most venues will only let you have a limited number of hours for your event. Some venues will even do 2 weddings a day or multiple at the same time. This usually happens in larger hotels. Make sure to ask if the time starts when you arrive or when your vendors arrive. Are you allowing your vendors the amount of time they will need to set up what you envision? Typically, if you need the extra hours you will have to pay for them yet, sometimes when initially negotiating the space agreement you might be able to get some flexibility.
4. Make sure you are ok with the end time and that the venue is clear as to when that is. Some venues located in residential areas are not allowed to go past a certain time set by the neighborhood. Yet, they may expect everyone to be cleaned up and gone at that time vs just the music turning off at that time. Your vendors will need time to load out and clean up.
5. Pay attention to your surroundings. When touring the venue note whether is it near a busy road or is it in a flight path or by Railroad tracks? If so, are you ok with the chance that an ambulance or train will go by with horns blaring during your ceremony?
6. Does the venue have a place for you and your bridal party to get ready or will you have to do that offsite? Many venues these days offer both bridal and groomsmen dressing rooms. Some even go as far as having TV’s and billiards for the groomsmen. If this is the case, make sure both rooms are locked once everyone has left. This is for two reasons. One is to protect your belongings and the second is to prevent the groomsmen from going back to the room and hanging out to avoid dancing and other wedding festivities.
7. Does the venue provide the catering? This is usually one of the top questions for a venue. Many make the food on site (hotels) or have a contract with a specific catering company, and they only work with them. Then there are the venues that allow only a few select catering companies. The reason for this is because they have vetted and worked many times with these companies and know that they are reliable, have great food and work well with the venue.  There are the very few venues that will let you bring in your own food. With that it usually has to be a professional company with the training and insurance in case something was to happen.
8. Does the venue allow alcohol? Some may say yes but not go into it further. Make sure you know if they can serve hard liquor or only beer and wine. Also find out when the bar can open and has to close. Typically, the bar will close before your end time. Do they provide the bartenders and glassware?
9. Is the gratuity included? Many venues will add on a gratuity based on the cost of the food. Since this is typically your biggest cost at an event this gratuity of at least 18% can be a big hit to your budget and something to be prepared for.
10. What happens if you have to cancel? Make sure the venue is very clear in writing what their cancellation policy is. Many have become more lenient since Covid but make sure you know what deposits you may lose upon cancellation. Also make sure on their end if for some reason the venue had to cancel then what happens to the monies you have paid. Many venues require an insurance rider for the event. Yet, you can purchase additional insurance that can protect you upon cancellation.

These are my top 10 items to be aware of when booking your wedding or event venue. There are many more details I could go into but, I don’t want this post to turn into a novel. Yet, many of these items will be addressed by hiring a professional wedding or event planner. Whether your event is at a lavish resort, a tent by the beach or a cabin in the woods you are prepared to book that venue with confidence.