Planning a wedding is an exciting time. You’ve probably been excitedly chatting about an abundance of ideas you’ve both has since the engagement, and for some people, you’ll have dreamed of your wedding day for years. But when it comes to the important step of picking your wedding venue, there are a few things to consider before taking the plunge and booking.
So, before you start your search for your dream wedding venue, make sure you and your other half ask yourself these five questions…
1. Is it within your budget?
As you probably know by now, setting your wedding budget is the first step of any planning process. Once you know how much you have to spend, assign a percentage you are happy with to your venue. By doing this, you can whittle down your wedding venue choices to those that are within your budget – it will make choosing one much easier, we promise! If you’ve had your heart set on a particular style or size of venue, try altering your location choices. If you’ve been looking at venues in London and finding they are all a bit pricey, look at wedding venues in Kent, Essex, or any of the surrounding counties. Not only are they more affordable, but they are still usually incredibly accessible for you and your guests.
2. Does it have space for your guest size?
Once the budget side of things is sorted, it’s time to think about your guest list. If your numbers err on the larger size, you’ll want to pick a venue that can accommodate it. If you’re planning a wedding in the warmer months, considering an outdoor wedding will massively help as outside spaces can usually accommodate far more people that inside.
3. Do you love how it looks inside and out?
Though you will no doubt always remember your wedding day, it’s your wedding album that you will look back on, and perhaps even share with your children one day. With this being said, making sure you love the backdrop to your photos is more important than you might think. Regardless of the time of year you wed, photos will likely be taken inside the venue and in the grounds, so make sure you have a good look around and all the picture spots. It’s a good idea to take a few snaps on your phone as your are touring the venue, so you can look at them again once you are home with a clear vision.
4. Does it match your theme?
If like many couples you are having a particular theme, it’s important to make sure the venue fits your vision. If you want a boho style for your day, is there a beautiful outside space that captures the theme? If you are going for a wintery, elegant theme, perhaps a castle’s interiors will be the perfect compliment? We recommend browsing through pinterest ahead of choosing your venue to get a visual prompt for how you want your wedding day to look. After all, it’s very easy to get caught up in the moment!
5. Is there accommodation?
If you plan on partying the wedding night away, you’ll want to make sure your wedding venue has onsite accommodation, and perhaps even a local hotel nearby. Not just for you and your other half, but for your guests too – the last thing you want is your evening reception to be empty because all your guests have had to leave early to make it home.