Those who don’t know what questions to ask a wedding venue should consider three categories. Here is a list of all the questions you should be asking venues before booking them to ensure that they’ll be perfect for your wedding.
We have also included the considerations you must have before signing that contract. And later on, you can read about how far in advance should you book a wedding venue.
Here Are What Questions To Ask A Wedding Venue Before Booking One
Ask questions about your wedding needs
Your first wedding venue questions should be about the non-negotiable wedding factors like your preferred date and guest list size. You also want to clarify if you can do the ceremony and other wedding celebrations in the venue other than just using it as the reception.
- Are you available on our wedding date?
- What are the dates the venue is available during the season we want?
- How many people can the reception accommodate?
- Will the wedding venue also allow for us to have our ceremony here?
- Does the venue also allow for wedding rehearsal dinners or after-wedding brunches?
- Are there areas where we can prepare for the wedding morning?
- How much time is allocated for us when we book the venue?
- What is your weather contingency plan? (i.e., if you’re planning on booking an outdoor location for the wedding)
Clarify information about the venue price and contract
Your venue questions checklist should include all your queries regarding the venue’s contract and policies. Make sure to stick to your budget and secure the liability and cancellation policies.
- What is the rental fee for this wedding venue?
- What are the inclusions in your package?
- What are the packages you offer for the venue?
- How much is the overtime fee?
- Is the deposit refundable?
- What is the due date for the deposit?
- What is the wedding venue’s preferred payment form?
- What is your cancellation policy?
- Do you have liability insurance?
Ask questions regarding planning the wedding elements and vendors
The final questions to ask a wedding venue are regarding the wedding vendors and elements. Not all venues provide everything, but they might have rules regarding their clients bringing their own caterers or decorators.
- Do you provide the wedding caterer, or do I need to provide my own?
- What are the spaces available for my caterer?
- What is the service charge if the venue will provide the servers?
- Will the venue provide the tables, chairs, and silverware?
- Do we need to bring our wedding cake and liquor? (You can also ask about the corkage fee, wedding ba, and bartender fees)
- Do we need to bring our own clean-up crew?
- Will you provide the wedding venue decor?
- What are your decorating restrictions if we’ll decorate the venue ourselves? (e.g., check if you can use candles, sparklers, etc.)
- Do you provide equipment for the wedding DJ or band?
- Do you have outlets, tents, heaters, and other items for the outdoor venue?
- When can we decorate on the wedding day?
- How many restrooms do you have?
- What are your noise policies?
- Is the parking complimentary?
- Do you assist with the shuttle service?
- Do you provide overnight accommodations?
- Is the site accessible for guests with disabilities?
What Is Most Important When Selecting A Wedding Venue?
There are three non-negotiable and most essential aspects when deciding on a wedding venue. More than asking the wedding venue questions above, you shouldn’t modify these things to get a venue you like.
Wedding budget
When planning the wedding, the first thing you should do is set the budget with your partner. After that, you must stick to it to avoid compromising important wedding aspects.
And as for the venue, it’s best to allocate 30 to 40% of the total wedding budget for the venue. This will ensure that you’ll get your dream wedding location without losing money for the other wedding expenses.
Wedding size
The wedding venue should also accommodate the size of your guest list. For example, if you want a wedding with 100 guests and don’t want to lose anyone on the list, select a venue that would be ideal for this size.
However, it’s possible to lose the plus-ones if a particular venue ticks all your boxes, but its size is not ideal for your current wedding guest number. You will also be saving on costs if you’re not choosing a very big venue.
Wedding season
You have probably selected a specific date for your wedding, so it should be available for the wedding venue. If not, you can try and adjust to another week or day.
Some wedding venues may also be cheaper during a specific season. Learn when is the wedding peak season to avoid issues with venue availability during the booking.
Wedding Venue Checklist
- Space for the wedding size
- Accessibility for the wedding guests
- Safety for the event
- Availability for the wedding date
- Aesthetics for your wedding theme
- Privacy for the celebration
- Areas for various wedding activities
- View for wedding pictures
- Parking for everyone
- Utilities for comfort
Conclusion
Was this list helpful? To recap what questions to ask a wedding venue, you must check the non-negotiable wedding factors, payment and contract, and wedding vendors.
We hope these three categories will help you find your dream wedding venue. Let us know if you think we missed other vital questions that couples should ask their wedding venue.