Even if wedding coordinators offer on-the-day services for a convenient ceremony, it’s always much better to run every detail by them to ensure all details and plans are carried out according to your wishes to avoid rebooking with alternative wedding venues. It is your special day, after all, so it’s best to cover all your bases. These great tips on booking a wedding venue perfectly should do just the trick!
Be Aware of the Logistics
Before booking a venue for your wedding, consider how it will work logistically. For example, is the venue located close to the ceremony site, or does everyone have to travel a considerable distance to reach it? A wedding bus may be required for transportation for guests and vendors.
If the ceremony and reception are not in the same place, are there additional factors to consider, such as travel time and time allowance?
If these factors cause more worry than relief, it’s time to go back to your list of alternative wedding venues and find a new location.
Be Mindful of the Inclusions
This is the tip with the most factors to consider because your wedding’s success or failure depends on the venue’s inclusions.
Catering
Before you finalise plans to book your wedding venue, be sure to understand exactly what the venue fee covers. For example, if you hire a venue with its furniture and catering, you will be paying a venue hire fee that may protect your chairs, tables, and linens.
If these are not included in the venue hire fee, you may need to hire them from a separate company. You will also need to consider whether you want your help setting up the chairs and tables or other alternatives for the items that come with your venue hire fee.
If your wedding does not include on-site catering, you may need to rent equipment for cooking and keeping food and drinks cool. You should also confirm that your venue has staff available to assist with your wedding day activities. These details will help you get a better sense of the actual cost of your venue choice.
Preparation Time
Does the wedding venue allow sufficient time for the styling and set-up you require? Some venues have a short bump in and out times, which can affect a vendor’s ability to deliver the service you need; your florist, stylist and even your DJ are all vendors that may be affected by a short amount of time to set up.
For example, if your florist needs to construct installations on-site, but the venue only allows access an hour or two before your wedding, the florist will potentially need additional staff for your wedding—which will increase the cost of their service.
This often occurs if the venue is booked for other events on the same day or is open to the public during the day (as is the case for many restaurants that open for lunch and then close for an evening wedding reception).
Weather Protection
If any part of your wedding is outdoors, you need to ask your wedding venue whether they provide any options in case of bad weather and, if so, whether there are additional costs for this.
If the wedding venue does not have a bad weather option available, you need to consider what impact this may have on your wedding and your wedding budget.
For example, could you potentially need to hire a marquee in case of rain? Or is it possible that you would have to move your event in the chance of rain or extreme heat/cold/wind? What alternatives are available to you, and what logistics and costs need to be considered?
A great way to work through these questions is to use a spreadsheet to compare the inclusions and exclusions of any venue you consider. That way, if some venues come up short, you can instantly shortlist the best alternative wedding venues.
Before the Wedding Bells Toll
Getting married is a daunting task, especially if your budget is tight, so you should plan. Creating a feasible set of alternatives will help you follow through. With excellent planning, the guests and your beloved will be the focus of your wedding.
Unidus Community & Conference Center is one of the alternative wedding venues and wedding reception venues in Brisbane. We’re a modern and flexible, multi-purpose function venue that hosts various events of all sizes and community activities throughout the year. Enquire now about your wedding plans!
