Top 5 things to consider when choosing a wedding venue

Congratulations on your engagement.  Exciting times ahead!  Least of which will be the wedding day itself.  So much to do, so much to think about - you are probably wondering “where do I even start “!

The image for this blog was provided by Smart, check out the link below

https://smartphotocourses.com/wedding-photography-shot-list/ 

I agree that planning a wedding is not for the feint-hearted.  There are a lot of things that need to be considered, scheduled and booked in advance.  And every bride who has every walked down the aisle will admit that it can be time consuming, stressful and in some cases expensive.  But with a little bit of organisation, the inevitable “to do” list and some ingenuity, it can all come together relatively easily.

I believe most brides-to-be have considered their wedding day in some way, shape or form, since they were little girls playing in their bedrooms with their Barbie dolls.  Whether you are aware or not, in your mind’s eye you probably have some idea of how you would like the day to play out - and that’s exactly where you can start.

Every journey starts with the first step. 

So, besides your choice of groom :)  the first step is most likely to be the wedding theme and venue. 

To help you on your wedding day journey we have outlined below the top 5 things we suggest you consider when choosing a wedding venue.

1.           Capacity - How many guests would you like to invite?

The first consideration for any wedding day function is going to be the number of guests you would like to invite to help you and your partner celebrate your big day.  You may have a large family with aunts, uncles and cousins aplenty, or be lucky enough to have copious amounts of friends.   Your partner may have informed you that he would like to invite all the members of his footie club or 10 of his best mates from work.  

Start with a list and work out your guest numbers, as once armed with this, you will be able to begin looking at possible venues that will accommodate those numbers.

The venue capacity is important as it needs to accommodate all of your guests for dinner or buffet, but bear in mind too that you may also need an area for cake cutting, a children’s area or dancing.

A good plan of action is to Google possible venues first up and collect as much information as you can.  If you need more, email them directly with your questions.

2.         Affordability - what budget are you working with?

Your budget is most definitely going to influence your wedding theme and venue choices.  Once your guest list is finalised you will be able to work out your budget and affordability.

Some things you may like to take into consideration when budgeting are :

•    dresses, suits and rings

•    venue hire

•    decor

•    catering costs

•    alcohol

•    flowers

•    photographer

•    transport

•    cake

3.         Availability

Depending on the date, season and time of your wedding day celebrations this may or may not be a problem.   If you are choosing to get married on St. Valentine’s Day for example, you may need to book 12 months in advance (at least).  The date of your wedding will definitely influence the availability of whatever venue you choose. 

Most dates probably won’t be a problem if you are organised and not leaving things to the last minute. Remember too that there are any number of wedding venues to choose from these days from upmarket Perth restaurants, to country wineries to destination weddings in Bali.   There is definitely no shortage of suitable venues.

4.         Theme - will the venue accommodate your theme?

Time to think back to the little girl I mentioned earlier.  Not every venue will accommodate every wedding theme so choose a venue that will suit yours.

If you have found a venue that you truly love.  Visit your venue at the time of day you will be there with your guests and get the feel for the place, checking out the lighting, the vibe and the ambience.

In-door or out-door, classic or country, traditional or destination…. the choice is yours ….just keep it in the forefront of your mind when visiting possible venues.

5.         Ask your friends

We truly hope your wedding day is a unique and joyous occasion.  A day to rejoice and celebrate with your loved ones. 

Our final tip which may help with your venue choice is to ask your married friends for their suggestions.  A personal recommendation from a friend you trust for a venue they were inspired by is a starting point at the very least…. and may be exactly what you are looking for and of course the suppliers will be able to guide you to ensure the style you want is achievable.