Congratulations! You and your fiancé are starting the wedding venue search. This is such an exciting time for all newly engaged couples. If you’re like me, I’m sure you’ve already stalked all of your newly married friends’ Instagram posts to check out their venues and wedding styles. The knot.com and weddingwire.com are definitely in your most recent searches. And your Pinterest boards are filled with bridal photos. I’m sure you are anxiously waiting to plan each and every aspect of your special day. The first step is to select your wedding date and venue.
With so many different options available, searching for your wedding venue can be challenging! Of course you want to celebrate one of the happiest days of your life in a venue that speaks to you and your fiancé’s vision. You’ll also want to keep your budget in mind. On average, you can expect to spend about 50% of your budget on venue costs. It’s important that you and your fiancé understand the financial undertaking prior to signing your contract. I’ve compiled a list of 20 questions you must ask your wedding venue BEFORE you sign those dotted lines and commit.
This post is all about the must-ask wedding venue questions.
The Venue Basics
1. Is your wedding date available?
If you are looking to have your wedding on a specific date, your first question should be: Is this date available? If you are flexible with your date, you should still ask them what their availability looks like for the particular year or season you are hoping to get married in. You’ll want to ensure that the venue has availability for the dates that you are anticipating.
2. How many guests can the venue space accommodate?
Oftentimes, you can find this information directly on the venue’s website. If the information is not readily available, give the venue a call. The sales reps and wedding coordinators should be able to provide this info. It is important that you are choosing a venue that can accommodate the size of your guest list.
3. What is the cancellation policy?
Of course, you pray that you’ll never have to cancel your wedding venue. However, in the unfortunate, and the very unlikely, chance that you must cancel or reschedule you’ll want to be sure you are aware of their policies.
Wedding Food & Drink
4. Does the venue require you to use their catering services?
A significant portion of your wedding budget should be allocated to food and drink. On average, 50% of your wedding expenses will be spent on your venue, food, and drink. The standard wedding caterer will charge a per-person rate. The cost will vary drastically depending on the catering company you work with. Many of the venues that my fiancé and I looked at required couples to use their in-house catering, or choose from a list of provided caterers. Be sure to ask your venue what their catering requirements are BEFORE signing your contract.
5. Are hors d’oeuvres included?
Hor d’oeuvres are typically served during cocktail hour, just before the reception begins. This is usually when the bride and groom are taking their photos. Guests can mingle after the ceremony and have a small appetizer before their plated meal. Most venues provide three options for cocktail hour: a set number of passed hor d’oeurves, a set number of stationed hor d’oeuvres, or a combination of passed and stationary hor d’oeurves. Whichever option you desire, you want to ensure you have room in your budget to include them. Some packages do include hor d’oevres, but do not assume your package does without checking with the venue rep first! If your venue allows you to use an outside caterer, this is a question you will want to ask your vendor.
6. Can you provide your own alcohol?
From my experience, due to local laws, it is less likely that a venue will allow couples to bring in their own alcohol. However, that does not mean it is impossible. Be sure to ask your venue what their policies are in regard to alcohol. If you are required to use their bar services, check out their options for cash, consumption, or open bar.
7. Does the venue provide a wedding cake?
The venue that my fiancé and I chose happens to have a full-functioning bakery on site. Our wedding package includes a personalized wedding cake. However, many of the other venues we toured did not offer this same service. Most venues require that your wedding cake come from a licensed bakery. Ask your venue if they have a list of preferred bakeries.
8. Are there food and drink minimums?
This is important, especially if you are having a limited guest list at your wedding! Most venues have minimums that you must meet. Typically, Saturday evenings will have the highest minimum, followed by Friday evenings, Saturday days, or Sundays. On weekdays there tend to be more flexibility and significantly lower minimums. Fortunately, some venues will place their minimum rates on their websites.
9. Is there a food tasting for you and your fiancé?
Yay! Now we’re getting to the fun part. Once you’ve nailed down your venue, one of the next steps is to choose your menu. Many venues offer food tastings for the couple to try out their different options prior to making a menu decision. A food tasting is a pretty standard practice. However, you’ll want to make sure this is an option that is included in your venue or catering package.
Venue Taxes & Fees
As you probably have realized, many venues do not post their pricing online. Many require you to send in an inquiry form, speak with a sales member, set up a tour, and then once the tour has concluded, reveal the price point. My fiancé and I found this process exhausting, and more often than not, extremely frustrating. It is so disappointing to fall in love with a place only to realize it is WAY out of your price range. One thing I’ve learned from wedding planning is to ask for package proposals before setting up a tour. Even if a venue is categorized as affordable online, you have to remember we all have different ideas of “affordable”. Here are some fees to look out for when you’re narrowing down and comparing your venue list.
10. Are there any site fees?
Most venues implement a site fee. This is the cost to use their facilities for an allotted amount of time, with the typical cocktail hour and reception lasting about 5 hours. Oftentimes, the site fee changes based on demand. For instance, a winter weekday wedding will have a lower site fee than a Saturday evening in June. Venues should be clear about their site fees for the date you are inquiring about.
11. Is there a ceremony fee?
Some venues charge a fee to hold your ceremony on-site. This option is becoming increasingly popular. If you and your fiancé want to get married at your venue, make some room in your budget for those additional fees.
12. Is gratuity included in your wedding package?
Gratuity is the tip provided to the servers, bartenders, and other function staff at your wedding. Some venues include the gratuity in your wedding package. This will typically range anywhere from 15-22% of your food and beverage totals. It can be beneficial to have gratuity included in your package total because then you already have a set number in your head that you can plan and budget for. If your package does not already include gratuity, don’t forget to leave aside some cash for the staff serving you.
13. Are there any hidden administrative fees or service charges?
Administrative fees or service charges can sneak up on you. These charges can range anywhere from 5-30% of your total venue cost. That is a significant amount of money! Check the fine print of the venue packages to find more details about any possible fees that you may have initially missed.
14. What are the state and local tax percentages?
There is nothing you can do about state or local taxes. Those are non-negotiable. However, you can be prepared by asking exactly what the percentages are for your venue.
Wedding Day Extras
15. Is there a bridal suite? & How long do you have access to it?
When you picture the morning of your wedding day, what do you see? I definitely envision myself surrounded by my bridesmaids, mom, grandmother, and future MIL. All of my favorite girls are in one big room getting pampered by professional hair stylists and makeup artists. All while the photographer snaps candid photos of us laughing and basking in the moment. Find out if your venue has a bridal suite for the girls to get ready in or at least a space for you to gather yourself prior to walking down the aisle. Ask the venue rep how long you have access to the suite. Will you and your girls be able to go back in there to freshen up throughout the night?
16. Do the groom and groomsmen have a place to go prior to the wedding?
What about the guys?! If you and your fiancé aren’t doing a First Look then you’ll definitely want to ensure that you do NOT see each other prior to the ceremony. Ask your venue about options for the groom to relax before the wedding begins. After all, guys don’t have to spend hours on hair and makeup. so you’ll want to plan a space for the groom and groomsmen to gather together away from all of the girls.
17. Are there any accommodations on site?
Whether you’re planning a local wedding or destination your guests will want options for accommodations nearby. Does your venue offer lodging on-site? Do they have a list of preferred hotels in the area? Will you be able to coordinate a room block? Check out the area surrounding your venue and choose an option that suits your needs.
18. Is your rehearsal fee included in your package?
Most of the packages that I’ve viewed provide a time for your rehearsal to take place. The time will most likely be determined as your wedding date gets closer. Check if your rehearsal time is included in your package details.
19. How long is the reception?
One of the most important questions is how long is the party??? The standard reception is 5 hours, including cocktail hour. Ask the venue about their typical wedding day timeline.
20. Can I add additional time to my reception?
Some venues allow you to add additional time to your wedding. I have seen this option done two ways. One option is by the half hour. The second way is by the hour. Of course, an additional fee will most likely be incurred for the additional time. The pricing will vary by venue. If you are interested in extending your reception time be sure to ask your venue if extensions are available.
Planning your wedding is such an exciting and happy experience. Be sure to ask all of these wedding venue questions before officially booking your venue to ensure you and your groom get the wedding of your dreams!
Leave a Reply