How to Find the Perfect Wedding Venue

One of the first things you should do when you start planning your wedding is finding the perfect venue. Some of you will have dreamt of this since you were a child, some of you may have a few options already in your mind and the rest of you won’t have a clue. That’s where we come in.

Timing

Before you go to visit any venues you should first set a date, or at least have an idea of the year, and month you want to get married in your mind. You should also be prepared to be flexible on these dates as venues, especially popular ones, get booked up months, or even years in advance so you may not get the date that you want. Also bear in mind that most couples choose their venue 12-18 months before the date of the wedding!

 

Location, location, location

Are you getting married in a Church? If so you need to make sure that your reception venue is an easy commute from there. Alternatively if you are having both the wedding ceremony and reception in the same venue, make sure that it is easily accessible for you and your guests to get to. It’s ok for the bride to be fashionably late, but 2 hours late might not have the same response!

Space

How many guests will be present at your wedding? Would you like a sit down meal? A drinks reception? A dance floor? Are you having a civil ceremony? You need to consider how much space you will need to fit all of these elements into the wedding.  You will want the venue to be logical and won’t want your guests to all be squeezed into a corner whilst the staff are moving dining tables into the ceremony room. That is why it is important for you to take the time to consider whether it is the right venue for your needs.

Privacy

What kind of person are you and your future spouse? If you are the kind who like their privacy choosing a venue in a public place is not for you. That means that you should avoid parks, restaurants, and anywhere else that an uninvited member of the public has the chance to wander in to. Instead why not choose somewhere in the middle of the countryside?

Theme

Are you planning on having a theme for your wedding? If so it would be a good idea to think about what it will be before you start researching venues so that it can be in keeping with the tone of the venue before you book it. For example, there is no point in having a Marie Antoinette themed wedding in a barn; it would be a lot more suitable in a Stately Home, or Palace.

Budget

Finally, you have to consider your budget when looking at your venue. This is very important because you could be left heartbroken if you find your perfect venue, but can’t afford to hold your wedding there. Including food and drink couples tend to spend 50{b73dba2f17de0d6747e2a4e2a5d8cd71a65ae593e6462933d3c03b3044ece260} of their wedding budget on their venue so bear this in mind when researching potential venues.

Credit: The Wedding Location, The Guardian, We Do Dream Weddings, Tournorfolk, Cocoweddingvenues, Cavendish Banqueting