Useful Advice for Choosing Your Wedding Venue

Arguably the most important decision you'll make for your wedding day, your ceremony and reception venue choice can leave any bride-and-groom-to-be feeling a little anxious. But the reality is that there are a world of wonderful choices available for your perfect day whether it be church, a registry office, a castle, a village hall or even a tropical beach. Often considered as the pivotal starting point to planning your whole wedding, once you've chosen and secured your venue(s), you can get on with the rest of your sourcing and organizing, working your theme and style into the setting of your venue(s). But before you book any viewing appointments, here are a few pointers to help you on your way.

The Ceremony

Although this part of the day is fulfilling your legal obligations in order to be married, the ceremony is the most special and meaningful part of your wedding day. This marks the point at which you both vow to be together for the rest of your lives, declaring your enduring love, commitment and respect for each other. As the very beginning of your married life, your family and friends are there to both witness and celebrate your union, so the room in which your ceremony takes place is going to have a special place in your heart for the rest of your lives. Choosing it well makes it especially memorable.

The Reception

Whether you're having a smaller day reception and a larger evening reception or an all day reception with the same number of guests, this part of the celebration is your first formal introduction as husband and wife. your reception is the time to let your hair down and have a great party with all your nearest and dearest - this is one of the most joyous days of your lives, so your reception venue is another important, but highly personal, choice. Don't get hung up on glossy magazines and other people's view of what your reception should look like - what do you and your fiance want? And what does your budget allow? Be it a glamorous 5-course dinner and formal dance in a stately home, a sophisticated cocktail party, a buffet in a village hall, an afternoon knees-up in the local pub or a huge marquee in sprawling grounds...it's your idea of 'wonderful' that counts.

Venue Checklist - Must-Ask Questions

Book your venue as soon as possible, popular venues can be booked up to 2 years in advance!

First and foremost, is the venue available on your chosen date? Check this before you make an appointment -  you don't want a wasted journey, especially if your date is non-negotiable

Is the price of the venue within your allocated budget?

Is your venue big enough to accommodate your intended guest list?

If your ceremony and reception venue are in different places, are they near to each other? What practical transport issues might any distance pose?And how will this affect the enjoyment of yours and your guest's day?

Will there be any other weddings held on the same day? If so, what is the distance apart in terms of timing? Remember that your cake and flower suppliers will need to arrive earlier - so you don't want any unnecessary delays.

If your venue has accommodation, will your guests receive any discount? What number of rooms will be held for your wedding and how long for?



Will your venue(s) accomodate your choice of entertainment, decoration and any other themed ideas?

If you have any members of your wedding party with mobility difficulties, how will the venue(s) accommodate this? Make sure that you also check outside the venue, there may be cobbles, steps or slopes which may cause problems.

Does your venue have a license to sell alcohol? Is there any flexibility with regards to bar closing times?

Will you be allowed to move any pictures and other furnishings to allow for your choices of decoration?

Are there any noise pollution regulations in the area where your venue is located? You might want to party untill the early hours and your entertainment may have to stop  at midnight.

Do your venue quotes include VAT, any service charge or booking fees? Request a clear breakdown of costs - you don't want to find out after the fact that linen, bar staff, waiters and crockery weren't in the original quote.

How much will your deposit be and is it refundable?

What is the venue's cancellation policy?

is there a minimum fee for the venue? Some venues will charge for all facilities, even if you don't use them - especially if you have exclusivity on the day.
If your wedding breakfast is being held in a restaurant, will you have the room exclusively for the duration?

Be flexible

If you've set your heart on a particular venue and it's booked on your chosen date, then allow yourself to consider alternative dates. If it's a popular peak season venue, then chances are that you could have a wait on your hands -  so think about picking a Friday, or other weekday. As long as you can give your guests enough notice, those most important to you will be happy to book a day's holiday to celebrate your wedding.

Contracts

Once you've chosen your venue, make sure that you have all the necessary details included within your
contract and always check over the 'small print' before you sign. Better to be safe, than tearing your hair out because of some missed detail, or unexpected contractual hitch.

Humanist Ceremonies

If you'd like to hold a ceremony which is not restricted in terms of your beliefs, personality, location and overall ambience you could opt for a humanist ceremony. This could then be followed by a celebration befitting your personal preferences. a humanist ceremony isn't recognized as a legal marriage, so you should officially marry at a registry office, (before or after your ceremony).

Location, Location, Location!

If you and your fiance are from different towns, counties or even countries, choosing an ideal venue location can be a tad tricky, (not to mention political!). There are a few ways in which you can tackle this etiquette issue -  one is to find a neutral location which is somewhere in between both family locations; preferably as equidistant as possible. But if the distance between the two is too great for this to be practicable, then perhaps one family could play 'host' to the other family.
Obviously, this will depend on your families' personalities and preferences, so talk through your options with all involved.

Overseas weddings
If your preference is to marry abroad, it's likely that only a relatively small number of family and friends will be able to make the journey. If you feel you'd like to celebrate with a wider number of people, you could perhaps throw a wedding celebration party on your return.

Plan B

If you choose a predominantly outdoor event, you'll need a 'Plan B'... just in case the heaven's open. Make sure that your venue can accommodate a sudden need for cover!

Priorities

Work out with your fiance what your joint priorities are in terms of your dream wedding day. this will help you to shape an idea of what style, size and location of venue you want. Start with questions such as:-

Do you want a formal or relaxed atmosphere?
Do you want to get married indoors or outdoors?
Do you want a small or large guest list?
Do you want to get married abroad, or at home?
Do you want to be as near to both families as possible?
Do you want tasteful modern settings,  or something more olde-worlde with character?
Do you want an unusual venue, with a real 'wow- factor'?
Do you want a civil or religious ceremony?

Each question will assist you in narrowing down the type of venue for you.


Recommendations

Nobody will give a good reference for something as integral as a wedding venue, if they've had a bad experience. ask family, friends or acquaintances who have recently married, for any useful connections or specific recommendations. You can also check out wedding forums for more information on potential venues.

Research

Rather than making countless trips around potential venues, do some research on the internet before stepping out your front door. source venue websites, testimonials, forums and request brochures. Most venues will provide a reasonably comprehensive information pack, from which can shortlist your favorites.



Seasonal Choices.

Depending on the time of the year, your venue choice may be best served reflecting the season you've chosen to marry in. For example, beautifully landscaped gardens and waterfalls will be better in the summer months whereas grand halls and roaring fireplaces will be more suited to winter weddings

Source; Myriad Brides Guide- Advice On Planning The Perfect Wedding (www.myriadbooks.com)

Do you have any more ideas you can add to these, we would love to hear from you
xxx

(http://guidetopublicwriting.weebly.com/wedding-toasts.html)

Sarah O       


Estilo Moda Bridal

Unit 11 JM Farms

Broughton Grounds Lane

Off Newport Road

Milton Keynes

MK16 0HZ

01908925152  07534041173

Email:  info@estilomoda.co.uk

Website:  www.estilomoda.co.uk