Wedding Venue Checklist

Choosing the perfect wedding venue is going to be one of the hardest decisions you may make during your planning.  I’m going to even argue that your top two hardest choices to make while planning your wedding is going to be your venue and your wedding photographer.  One gives you a backdrop of your day, the other captures the beauty of it for you and your husband (and families) to remember for a lifetime.

Because I believe choosing the perfect wedding venue is such a huge task, I want to share with you my wedding venue checklist of questions you should ask to make sure the wedding venue you are looking at meets your needs.

Ask this first

• • Do you have my date open?

• • How many guests can the venue accommodate?

• • What all is included in the price?

• • Will there be a venue coordinator on the day of the wedding?

• • Who’s the point of contact during our planning?

• • What time are we allowed to arrive on the morning of the wedding?  How long do we get the space?

• • What time do we have to leave by?

• Do I need to pay for event insurance?

Coordination

• • Is there a getting ready suite for the Bride and Bridesmaids?  Groom and Groomsmen?

• • Where do my guests park?  Is there valet parking?  What’s the fee?

• • Do I have to hire my own security guard or are they provided?

• • Am I allowed in the day before to decorate?

• Are there options for tear down/clean-up?  What are those fees?

Facilities

• • How many restrooms are on site?

• • Is the venue handicap accessible?

• • Are there any private rooms/suites available during the wedding?

• How child-friendly is the venue?

Ceremony

• • When will the ceremony rehearsal take place?  Is there a charge to have it on property?

• • What time does the ceremony begin?

• • Is the ceremony and reception in the same location?

• Who is responsible for transitioning the room if locations are the same?  Is there an additional charge?

Reception

• • Are tables, chairs, linens, plates, silverware included in the rental fee?  If not, what is the rental fee?

• • What type of tables are available?  (Long or circle)  How many people fit a table?

• • Do you have examples of the sitting arrangements available?

• • Can I rearrange?  Or do things have to stay in place?  Is there a fee to rearrange?

• • What are the decoration guidelines?  Policy on candles and hanging things from the wall.  Can we through confetti?  What about sparklers?

• Are there any decorations or furniture (cake stands, gift table) provided?

Food and Drinks

• • Is there an In-house caterer?  Can we pick our own?  Or do we have to pick from a preferred list?

• • If I hire my own, will they have access to the kitchen facilities?

• • What is the policy on alcohol?

• • Do you have packages for food?  For Alcohol?

• • What are the beverage choices?  Both non-alcohol and alcohol?

• • Is there a minimum?  What happens if that is not met?

• • We have guests with dietary restricts, can their needs be accommodated?

• What is the cake cutting fee?

Vendors

• • Do you have a preferred list of vendors?  Do I have to hire exclusively from this list?

• • Does each of my vendors have to show liability insurance?

• • When can my vendors arrive to begin setup?

• What restrictions are there on the vendors?  Specifically a photographer/videographer?

The Party

• • What time does the music need to be shut off by?

• • What time does the bar close?

• • What kind of send-off restrictions are there?

• • Where does the dance floor go?

• • Can live bands be accommodated?  DJs?

• • Where does the band/DJ setup?

• • Are there noise restrictions?

• Are we allowed to extend the party?  What is the hourly rate if so?

Accommodation

• • What type of accommodations are there for guests?  What time is check in/check out?

• • Is there a Bridal Suite?  Is the price included?

• • Are there any rooms provided for the parents?

• Has the venue partnered up with any hotels in the area?  What type of discount do they give?

Making it Official

• • What is required to secure the date?

• • How much is the retainer?

• • When is the final balance due?

• • What form of payment is accepted?

• • Will I receive a reminder when the balance is due?

• • Is there a discount for the slower months?

• • Is there a price break for Friday or Sunday weddings?

• • What are the additional costs we need to know about?

• • What is the cancellation policy?

• Do we need any special permits?

This is a long list to look through on a screen!  Wouldn’t it be so much easier if you could print it out, and make notes on it?  Yes?  I thought so, too!  That’s why I created a free PDF you can download just by clicking this link!!

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