Your wedding venue is going to be one of the biggest decisions you’re going to make. Not only will it take up a huge chunk of your overall wedding budget, it also needs to portray your character, fit in with your wedding theme, cater for the number of guests you’re looking to invite and be available!
Most wedding venues get booked up a long time in advance, especially during the summer months – so look to firm up your choice 12-18 months in advance. If you’re planning a last-minute wedding, don’t despair – there’s also plenty of last-minute bargains to be had. Here’s our top tips to choosing the perfect venue for you.
#1: Decide on your theme
Deciding on your wedding theme will help you narrow down what kind of venues you’re looking for. With your available choices including manor houses, country homes, hotels and barn conversions, your overall wedding theme and style will help dictate what type of venue you’re looking for. Do you want a rustic, country-garden wedding? How about a glittering princess style or a romantic traditional style? Knowing this, prior to going venue hunting, will help narrow down your selection.
#2: Firm up your budget
With the average wedding and reception venues costing as much as £6,500 combined, knowing your overall wedding budget is essential, if you want to keep to venues within your price bracket. Another factor to consider, is whether you want exclusivity – because this is going to cost you more too.
#3: Decide if you’re looking for one location or two
One important consideration you need to make, is whether you’re looking to host your wedding ceremony and reception in one place – or if you want to get married in church and then move to another venue for your reception. This not only has an impact on the overall price, it also means you’ll need to consider locations near to your church and confirm how you (and your guests!) are going to travel between the two.
#4: Think about the space you need
You want each part of your wedding day to flow seamlessly, between the actual event and the available location space. Hosting your entire wedding day in one location will save you multiple site fees – and it gives you the chance to segment your dancing, meal and ceremony – but means you’ll need to make the most of the space at your preferred location.
#5: Ask about deals and offers
Most in-house wedding co-ordinators will know if there’s any deals and offers available to you. Whether that includes complimentary rooms, welcome drinks or discounted suppliers and caterers – it’s definitely worth having a chat, prior to leaving a deposit, as you may be able to save some money on your overall budget.
#6: Find out about guest accommodation
Remember to ask about guest accommodation facilities and options, when you visit locations. If you’re looking at a rural out-of-the-way location, this could mean getting recommendations and/or discounts; for hotels and estates – this could mean discounted and/or free overnight rooms for you and yours guests.
#7: Think about your photos!
You want your wedding day photos to capture your perfect day… perfectly. This is where a natural landscape, beautiful grounds and stunning features come into their own.
Finally, remember It’s easy to get carried away with the beauty of the first location you visit – but don’t. It’s important that you get a final list of three that suit your needs and budget; you can then write down the pros and cons, as well as getting quotes from those final three, before you make your decision.
Here at Grim’s Dyke we have a range of wedding day packages to suit your needs – we can also tailor a package for you. With packages that include a three-course meal, reduced and/or free accommodation for your guests and beautiful grounds for your photography, why not look at what we have to offer?
