As a wedding planner, I see a lot of brides forget to ask some vital questions when considering a wedding venue. Although some are pretty obvious, like, is my date available, or
how many people can the facility accommodate? There are many questions that are
often forgotten and could unexpectedly increase the cost of the facility, or save the bride and groom some money if known prior to booking. Here is a list of questions I highly urge you to ask a
prospective venue.
1.
How many tables and chairs does the facility
provide? Obviously, if the venue does not provide enough of either tables or
chairs you will have to rent those from another company. Also, if you don’t
care for the chairs they provide you may want to consider renting chiavari
chairs, or whatever floats your boat.
2.
What time can my vendors start arriving and setting
up at the venue? Is it possible for any vendors to set up the day or night
before?
3.
Do you provide any of the linens? Some venues
will provide you with tablecloths and napkins, but usually they are a pretty
simple white or cream, so if you are hoping to incorporate your color theme,
you may want to consider renting these out.
4.
Do you provide an in-house caterer, and if so,
is it still possible to use an outside caterer? Many venues will not allow you
to use a caterer other than the in-house caterer if they provide that service.
5.
If I hire an outside caterer, is there a kitchen
available for them to use?
6.
Do you provide tableware or will I have to rent
plates and silverware?
7.
Is there a cake-cutting fee?
8.
How much is the charge for overstaying past the
contracted time. Many venues will charge you a couple hundred dollars per hour
you stay past.
One of the most important things to remember at a venue is
there is always a tax and service charge on top of the venue’s pricing. If you
don’t remember this, you will be in for a big surprise when you receive the
final bill.
~Taryn
