Congratulations, you’re getting married!

The next steps towards the aisle require narrowing down your wedding venue options. Before you get swept up in the beauty and aesthetics of the setting, it’s important to ask your venue host the right questions. Getting the right information upfront helps determine if the venue and who you’ll be working with is a good fit for you and your vision.

We recommend that you call or email your potential host and ask them about these four major details:
 

Price

If you have a set budget in mind, it’s crucial to ask about the cost of the venue. Do your due diligence and add these questions to the top of your question checklist: How much is the deposit? What is the total, and what’s included in it? Are there any service charges, taxes, or other fees? How do you structure the payment, and what form of payment do you accept (ask your host about paying by credit card or ACH through Weven!)? What’s your cancellation policy?

Ensure that you fully understand the cost implications of hosting your event at the property and that you’re aware of any additional fees or charges down the road. No one likes surprises when it comes to money!
 

Availability

If you have a specific date in mind, question number two should be about availability. If you’re flexible around your wedding date, here are some alternative questions to ask the venue host: Are there surrounding dates available? Does pricing vary depending on the time of year or day of the week? What is the best time to host an event at your property?

Guest Count

If your limiting factor is guests, ask your host if they have a set capacity. Capacity numbers are typically set for the comfort and safety of your guests, so this is an important conversation to have with your venue! Another thing to consider is that some venues also price differently depending on guest count. While most weddings have fewer guests show up than invited, it is still important to be upfront about guest count with your venue.

Vendors

Equally as important as what’s included in the rental of the venue, you’ll also want to know what isn’t. That way, you can get a feel for what you’ll need to rent from outside vendors. You’ll also want to know your vendor options. So, early on in your search process, we recommend asking: “Do you have any required vendors? Do you have any vendor restrictions? Or, if you are open to outside vendors, do you have any local recommendations?”. Each venue functions differently, so understanding your vendor options from the beginning helps you confidently build the wedding of your dreams with the right partners for your vision!

 
Finding the perfect wedding venue isn’t easy, but by asking the right questions and doing your research upfront, you’ll find the suitable space for you - enjoy the process!