Choosing Your Wedding Venue: Our Top Tips + Free Printable

One of the first things you are going to have make a decision on when it comes to your wedding planning journey, is choosing a wedding venue. But with thousands and thousands of options across the UK just how do you choose one? When you know, you know, doesn't just apply to wedding dresses. It applies to wedding venues too. But where do you start?

Here are our top tips on picking your wedding venue.

Have a budget in mind

Your absolute first job after you have got engaged is to decide on a budget. As part of that task you need to breakdown those costs into the different categories. If you have done this, you will have a good idea what kind of price range you're looking at. When researching venues, keep this in mind. There is no point falling in love with a venue that is £10k over budget.

One loophole here though. Bare in mind what is in the package for that cost. If you have budgeted £8000 for a venue, £3000 for food and drink, £1500 for venue décor and £500 for accommodation the night of the wedding. You then find your dream wedding venue for £12,000. On first glance it is way over budget, but then that price includes food & drink, accommodation, and your ceremony and wedding breakfast décor. All of a sudden, it is under budget, leaving you extra pennies for other things!

Have a vision

When you start planning a wedding, you need an idea of what that wedding looks like. Visualise what yours and your partners dream wedding is and make sure that stays at the forefront of your mind when searching for venues. If you are hoping for a modern, boutique, hotel vibe, a barn isn't going to work.

Have a rough guest list

This doesn't have to be exact, but you need a rough idea on the number of guests you will have attending the wedding. Split this between day guests and night guests if that is applicable to your plans. Most venues have a capacity limit so you need to look for venues that can accommodate all your family and friends.

Is location important?

This all depends on your personal circumstances. If having a wedding local to yours and/or the majority of your friends and family's home town is important to you, refine your search to sit in that radius give or take a few miles.

Have a list of potential venues & visit them all

Choosing a wedding venue doesn't happen overnight. Unless, of course you already have one in mind. Take your time in your search. Keep an open mind too. We mention a non negotiable list later on in the post but sometimes you will surprise yourself. Your original ideas and plans may change as you navigate through this process. When I got married I was having a beach theme, so wanted my venue to be light and bright, somewhere the sun could penetrate through glass ceilings or big windows. I ended up getting married in an old fort. The windows were big enough for a canon and that's it! Oh and it absolutely chucked it down all day anyway!

Is it suitable for any weather conditions?

Speaking of weather, you need to make sure your venue has a weather back up plan. There is nothing more unpredictable than British weather so if an outside wedding is what you're dreaming of, make sure you and your potential venue have a plan if the weather isn't on your side.

Another point to note here; if you are getting married in the middle of nowhere, or having a winter wedding, what is your venues policy should the worse happen in relation to flooding and snow?

How much freedom do you want?

Do you want your venue to look after everything for you, or do you want to DIY your entire day and outsource other suppliers and vendors. The answer to this question will streamline your search massively. If for example you want everything done for you, a tipi wedding in the middle of a field might not match up perfectly.

Do you want Exclusive Use?

So many venues offer exclusive use these days, but you will need to check. Some will allow it providing you book out a certain percentage of their rooms, some categorically won't and other wedding venues use it as their unique selling point. If exclusive use is high on your list of priorities, it is worth double checking each venues policy.

Do you need accommodation?

This isn't a game changer or really need to go on the non negotiable list. There are hotels everywhere, but if staying at your venue the night before or the night of your wedding is something you're looking for you will need to check whether that venue offers accommodation. Or at the minimum has options very close by.

Do you connect with their coordinator?

On the surface this may not seem that important. But it is crucial! When you meet a wedding venues wedding/events coordinator you need to make sure they are on board with YOUR vision. Knowing you are going to get a prompt and personable response to enquiries and that they 'have your back' is key to a smooth wedding planning experience.

Read The contracts

When you visit each venue ask for a copy of their contract and read it from cover to cover. The last thing you need is any last minute surprises you didn't realise because you didn't read their contract properly.

Establish what is included at each wedding venue

We mentioned this before in the budget section. Make sure you get a list of everything that is and isn't included in a wedding venues packages. This is where some couples can trip up. Not so much on the big items but the more minor but equally as important details. For example; your venue may provide chairs for your ceremony and reception. But they could be basic plastic chairs without and chair covers or ribbon. That might work for you but it also might not.

Availability & Flexibility

This one is on you! If you have absolutely no flexibility on your chosen wedding date, your venues availability matters before you even visit it. Many couples pick a wedding date based on something sentimental but if you are wanting a very popular wedding venue, you are going to need to either book well in advance, or open up your flexibility. Have you not seen Bride Wars?!

Photography Opportunities

When exploring your venue short list, make a conscious effort of scoping out photograph opportunities. Not only does this help you envisage your day and where your photo's will be taken. But make a note of them and send it onto your photographer too. They can then plan that into their work timeline and you will get all the pictures you want in the timeframe that works with your photographer.

Do the logistics match your vision?

Does your venue flow the way you see your wedding day flowing?

That sounds strange but hear me out:

Your vision - It's 9pm at your wedding reception, the dancefloor is buzzing, those that aren't into hitting the dance floor are sat in the separate bar with some jazz music playing. They're catching up with other family they haven't seen for a while. Wait! Your venue doesn't have a separate bar? Vision gone!

Or - You want your wedding guests to effortlessly move from space to space as your day goes on. Wait! Your venue only has one room that needs to be rearranged after each element of the day so the only option is the reception area and outside. Vision gone!

You want your venue to work logistically alongside your vision.

What are your non negotiables?

Of course, there is room for manoeuvre in most of the above things but you need to have a list of your non negotiables. As you search through potential venues mentally tick off your list. If it doesn't match your list, the venue isn't meant to be.

These are just our top tips on what to consider before, during and after you wedding venue search!

Questions To Ask At Your Wedding Venue Viewing - Free Printable

Wondering what to ask each venue at your appointment? We have you covered! We have created a FREE printable with 50 questions to ask your wedding venue whilst you are there. Simply click the image below, download the PDF, print it off or save it to your phone/tablet and take it along with you. Don't forget a notebook and a pen!

Happy Wedding Venue hunting!