Questions to ask the "RIGHT"
venue
DJSPACEBAR have been to many halls and venues along
with clients scouting for ideal wedding reception
locations. We've seen reception held in stately
homes, mansion houses, large and small hotels,
banqueting halls, social clubs and even in the back
garden of celebrity houses. The
type of venue you choose depends on your budget and
how many people you wish to invite to the wedding
reception.
In all the situations
that we've seen, common themes crop up and
it's important to understand the significance of
areas that could cause concerns for your special
day.
It's wise to ensure the venue is close enough to the
church / place of worship / registry office. This
may be les of a problem if the facility of a civil
marriage on the premises is offered so your guests
will find it easily, particularly if the area is
unknown to them and you wouldn't want them getting
lost/stuck in traffic which could have an impact of
the running of the day. Its a must to check for the
last thing on your mind - adequate parking for your
guests
Once you've identified
favorite venues that you like the look of which
match your style and budgets, take a look at some of
the questions below to ask them what they can do for
you. Looking and Booking venues should be your
number 1 priority...many venues get booked months
and almost years in advance.
Its also important to
understand that the management, although perform
weddings every week, they are on your side, so ask
them as many questions as you wish - that's why they
are there.
So lets start with some
checklists...
The Venue
- What's the decor
like? Does it fit your wedding style?
- Make sure you visit
the venue and spend good time looking around?
Remember that the camera does lie, and rooms can
look very different in real life than they do in
photos.
- Will you have to spend a lot of money on flowers
and decorations to make it beautiful?
- Do they have an in-house caterer, and do you like that food? While an
in-house caterer makes things easier, and usually
cheaper, sometimes the hall can be beautiful, but
the food - well?
- Do they have a limitation on which caterers you
can use?
- Do they have adequate coat check and bathroom
facilities?
The Bar
- Do they have a liquor license?
- Will they allow you to bring your own
drinks/wine?, if not why not?
- Check out the prices
at the bar? Some venues like to raise their bar
prices in order to maximize the profits from wedding
parties, but too-high prices can mean disgruntled
guests. For example, ask them how much a large coke
will cost. If it's unreasonable to you then most
likely will be unreasonable for your guests too.
Contracts &
Agreements
- Have you arranged transport between the church and
reception venue (if you're
- What's the cancellation policy?
- Is there a payment schedule? What kind of deposits
are required?
- Are there any hidden costs? Before you sign the
contract, read it carefully.
- What are the overtime charges?
- Is there room for a band and/or dancing?
- Is there a space for the bride and groom to change
and/or relax?
- Where will you take photographs?
- Where will you take
photographs if it's raining?
- Who will be supervising and troubleshooting before
the day of your wedding?
- Who will be
supervising and troubleshooting on the day of your
wedding? Can you meet them now?
- Make sure you speak
to the staff who will be on duty during your wedding
(or at least to the person responsible for providing
staff), and satisfied yourself that they seem
friendly and professional?
- Where can your guests park?
- Are there extra fees
for parking?
- What are the Noise
restrictions, particularly if held in a residential
area,
- Any Licensing laws?
- What is their Disabled
access to the venue
- Opening and closing
hours
- Whether overnight
accommodation is available; if so, are there any
restrictions on who can stay
- Make sure you know
what is (and not) included in the price!
- What provisions can they help with/make for
children, TV/DVD, Bouncy Castle, Recreational
activities, what options do they have..
We only get
one chance to impress you! We will not let you down!
