Choosing a venue is arguably the most important decision you will make about your wedding. There are so many, many things to consider, is my date available? Does the match the theme of my wedding? What about location? These are just some of the questions that need to be answered before deciding on a venue. Once both bride and groom have chosen the venue, there are another set of questions that needs to asked. This is where a planner can be super helpful (shameless plug! Ha!), or you can google what to ask, the down side is, you’ll probably find a set of generic questions some of which may not be applicable and some very important questions for a particular venue may be omitted. An example of this would be heritage fees for a venue you might be considering or if your wedding is at a hotel roof top, is there a service elevator that can be used for transporting items?
Here are some questions you may not think about asking but should anyway:
1. Is there another wedding or event scheduled on the same day?
Staff and other resources may split to accommodate each event. In addition, it gives you an idea of how busy a particular venue will be.
2. Are there any hidden costs?
Because no one likes these types of surprises! Service charges, gratuity, cleaning fees, overtime etc. can be added to your final bill which may come as a shock if these issues were not addressed ahead of time.
3. Are there adequate bathroom facilities AND attendants?
I don’t know about you, but I hate using a dirty bathroom when I’m dressed to the nines (I hate to use dirty bathroom period!). This is an important part of the guest experience, the $200.00 centrepiece just doesn’t mean as much to your guests if the bathroom is filthy.
4. Are open flame candles allowed?
Most venues will not allow open flame for safety reasons. Drunk guests, open flame…you see where I’m going with this? So before you get your heart set on having certain candles at your wedding, check with your venue.
5. What time do guests have to leave the venue?
Some venues will charge you extra if your guests don’t leave at a certain time. Find out before you get charged for an extra hour.
Need help choosing your venue? We would love to help you! Call or email us and we would be happy to assist you. xogs
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