Introducing our Wedding Checklist Series! We are excited to offer these tips (and more to come over the next few weeks) to assist you in planning your perfect wedding. Today’s topic:

Selecting Your Venue

The answer is “Yes!” and now you both are looking forward to your big day. Once you have established your wedding date, budget and the number of wedding guests, it’s time to select your venue.

Here are some important questions to ask potential venues as you search for the perfect fit!

1. Is the venue available on your wedding date? Seems obvious but it will save you time to establish this when first contacting a potential venue.
   

   Venue: Events @ 1418

2. How many people can they accommodate? If the venue is too small, your guests will feel cramped. Ask for the range of an ideal guest count for their space.
3. Does the venue offer catering? If the venue does not have an in-house catering service, ask for a list of preferred caterers.
4. Does the facility rental include tables, chairs and linens? Do they have vendors they can recommend for what is not provided?
5. What is the liquor policy for the venue? Not all venues will allow you to bring your own adult beverages so it is best to know from the beginning. There are also liability issues when alcohol is served so ask the venue if you should purchase additional insurance.
6. In additional to the facility rental fee, are there other fees to consider? Is tax and gratuity included?
7. Is the venue conveniently located?  Many of your wedding guests will come from out of town, so you may want a venue that is easy to find.
8. Are there any other weddings on the same day? If there are, this can save you money or it can be an unwanted distraction from your big day.  Make sure you understand the timeline from arrival time to expected to departure time.
9. Can you get ready at the venue? Many venues will ask that you come hair and makeup ready.  Is there a separate space for the bride and her entourage and the groom and his buddies? Is there an extra charge to use these spaces?

Venue: Legacy Farms, Photographer: Ace Photography

Tips for making the selection of a venue a good experience:

• Bring a camera to record the details so that you can reference them later if needed.
• Take notes of everything. There is no such thing as a stupid question so ask away.
• Don’t be forced into making a hasty decision. Give yourselves time to digest what you have learned. A good venue prefers that you are completely comfortable with your choice before booking.