Wedding Venue Hints and Tips

• The Logistical and Compliant Bit

  1.    Check whether your venue has public liability insurance. It’s a pretty worrying sign if they haven’t. All major venues should have it in place. You need maximum protection for you and your guests.
  
  2.    Read the Terms and Conditions fully to make sure you know what would happen in the event that your wedding has to be cancelled in unforeseen circumstances (Act of God, fire, safety issues, Liquidation and so on). Would they offer you a refund? Will they cover other costs you have incurred ?
  
  3.    If you’re holding a civil ceremony at your venue, make sure you know which local authority’s jurisdiction it comes under. You don’t want to book a registrar from the wrong register office! The venue should be able to point you in the right direction here.
  
  4.    Many places will have a noise limit which your band or DJ will have to adhere to. If your venue has limiters in place, they will automatically cut off anything that goes above this decibel level and there’s nothing worse than having the plug pulled when everyone’s on the dance floor!

  5.    On the day, make sure someone knows where guests will congregate as they arrive and guide them through to your ceremony.
  
  6.    Venues come in all shapes and sizes and whilst wedding ceremonies are rather generically set out with all chairs facing the front, think about what the space is like and how the seats will be positioned. Will every guest have a good view or are there obstructive pillars in the way? This is particularly important in smaller venues with limited numbers of guests
  
  7.    One of the biggest things brides worry about is their entrance.  This is particularly important if you’re getting ready offsite, as you’ll need to know which entrance to pull up to and who will be meeting you. You want to make sure that everybody has a good view when you arrive
  
  8.    Don’t forget that room capacities include everyone in your ceremony, not just your guests. Make sure there is room (both numerically and physically) for your photographer, videographer and musicians. This is a common oversight, but the venue management will be really hot on it
  
  9.    Make sure you know what the turnaround times are likely to be if the same room is being used for ceremony, wedding breakfast and reception. This is an extremely useful time to take photographs but also you need to consider an alternate area for your guests to wait
  
  10.    Don’t be afraid to ask whether there’s a room that just you, as bride and groom, can use throughout the day. Most venues will try and allocate a room each if they\’re available. ( usually at no extra cost )
  
  11.    Make sure you know your venue’s policy on younger guests – not all allow children in every area
  
  12.    At the other end of the spectrum, is there a quieter area for older guests to get away from the noise of a band or DJ
  
  
  
  
  

• Odd Bits

  1.    Confetti. Every venue has a different rule about what you can and cant throw and more importantly where you can and cant throw. This is especially true at civil venues

  2.    If you need to plug anything in – be it an iPod for your ceremony songs, a projector for your speeches or all the equipment for your band – make sure there are power points for it to all be plugged in. Allow time in the morning to get somebody to check it.

  3.    Is there going to be adequate air conditioning or heating? A barn in the middle of winter can be freezing and you might need to bring in extra heaters; historic houses tend not to be equipped with modern air conditioning, which can make the height of summer seem even hotter. Your guests will thank you for advising them on that well in advance

  4.    Are there any access restrictions for larger guest vehicles such as minibuses and coaches? Generally though, consider parking restrictions ?

  5.    Don’t overlook your less able guests. If your venue has disabled access, make sure that doesn’t just mean one ramp. Ask about their access facilities throughout the building and ask the guests it will affect if they’re happy with it. This is especially true when trying to move the entire party for Photographs

  6.    The condition of the toilets will give you a pretty good indication of the standards throughout the venue. Make an excuse to slip to the loo and check if they are tired and worn, well stocked and so on.

• The Fluffy Bits

  1.    Fireworks, before you decide to wow your guests, make sure they are allowed. Some places may be fine with professional displays; others will require a special permit (possibly from the council, which you will be responsible for obtaining, not them).

  2    What’s the naked flames policy ? Candles are a wonderfully romantic addition but who’s responsible for lighting and/or maintaining candles throughout the day? Does the venue supply candles or do you need to source them yourselves?

  3.    How will the décor, colours and statement pieces in your venue affect the style of your wedding? You might also want to check if there will be any extant flower arrangements or decorations, particularly for Christmas weddings. What you see when you visit may not be what you get on your day

  4.    Think about the light that is available throughout your venue. Natural light is a photographer’s best friend, so we will want to know if there are any really dark rooms. Check what lighting is in place in each room – overhead, moveable lamps, chandeliers – and whether any of it is on a dimmer switch. If the lighting is harsh, unflattering or vaguely coloured, you might want to hire some better lighting.

  5.    Chairs and chair covers can become an all-consuming issue for some brides. Have a look at the chairs your venue offer – if they’re hideous, do you need to hire in something different? Think about the colour choices they have to offer – do they match your theme ?

  6.    Build a picture in your mind of what photographic locations are available. Beautiful gardens are useless if there’s a monsoon; gorgeous opulent rooms are troublesome if they’re badly lit. Make sure there are lots of different options you can use.