Don’t delay when it comes to searching & booking a venue! After the rock is on your finger & you have set a date….then it’s time to find the perfect place for your big day to take place. Time is of the essence and most cities, like Yakima for example have a shortage of great venues. Prime dates in the spring, summer & fall often go quickly and if you plan to have your wedding during one of those seasons, ten months to a year in advance is necessary.
Here are some very important questions you will need to ask when “shopping” for a venue!
1.Do you have my wedding date available? You want to make sure this is one of the first questions you ask. Just in case the venue doesn’t have that date open, you don’t want to fall too in love with the place, since you can’t book it. At that point, you either have the venue look up an alternate date (if you have one) or you move on to the next venue.
2.How many guests can the space accommodate?
3.What are the different ways the venue can be set up? See if the venue actually has some pictures or layouts of the set up, so you can get a good idea of what it will look like.
4.How many hours does the rental fee cover? What are the overtime charges? Be sure to ask about whether set-up and clean-up time in included in the stated hours.
5.Is there an in-house caterer? Or a list of preferred caterers or can I bring in any caterer?
6.Are there any cooking restrictions? Some venues restrict caterers from cooking on-site and just allow the warming of food that is prepared elsewhere. Make sure to ask for a tour of the kitchen facilities & then double check with your caterer to see if this works for them.
7.What kind of rental items/equipment do you provide or offer? Is there a dance floor available? What about other items like a piano, maybe for a band to use? Make sure to ask if there is an extra charge for any of these items. Don’t assume anything is free.
8.What else is happening or booked at the venue the day of my wedding?
9.What are the minimums? Watch out- venues that have on site catering and require you to go through them, may also require you to pay a minimum amount of catering, no matter how many guests you have. Such minimums are most common during peak wedding seasons.
10.How late can we play music?
11.Who will be my contact for this venue?
12.What types of decorations are allowed and what types aren’t? There are some venues that are very strict about what is allowed when it comes to decor. You want to make sure what you are envisioning for your day is allowed at the site you choose.
Happy Planning,
Mal
