Which wedding venue? With so much choice available, it can be really difficult to narrow your choice down. The initial request would be to check they have your preferred wedding date available – but what next? How can you then narrow down your choices, so you find the perfect wedding venue for you?

1: Know what type of day you want

Your starting point has to be the type of day you want, as once you know this, you can then narrow down your venue options. The venue needs to enhance your overall vision or theme. So what type of day do you want? Are you looking for high-class and formal? Informal or themed? Have you always wanted a church wedding followed by a lavish reception in a 5 star hotel, or would you rather have small ceremony with an intimate cocktail party afterwards?

2: What are their catering choices?

The catering choices a venue can provide or cater for, can have an impact on your end decision, especially if they insist on you having their inhouse caterers. If they allow in outside caterers, you can then start selecting a caterer, but if the potential venue has catering options, it’s worth taking a look. You need a selection of food menus to choose from – and most wedding venues should be able to provide different menus to match your individual requirements. The catering is going to be taking up a large chunk of your remaining wedding budget, so it helps to have flexibility not just over the food options, but also the cost implications of them too.

3: Don’t opt for a location purely on the outside appeal

The ideal venue needs to have outside appeal and an interior to match. The British weather can be incredibly unreliable, so you need a venue that has ample indoor space to cater for your reception, should you need to stay inside. The interior of your ideal venue needs to have flexibility too – should you want separate dance and bar areas, as well as somewhere for you to sneak off and have a quiet five minutes to yourself!

4: Does the venue hire include any additional help for you?

When you hire a venue you really want more than just a good location, you also want help and assistance from someone who knows the location and who has experience of running a wedding there. Why? Because they’ll be able to help you plan your wedding, will help you with timings for your day, and ensure you’re getting the most out of the venue – such as where to take the best photos. This is why we provide you with a wedding coordinator that helps you plan your day, as well as a Toastmaster for your reception!

5: Narrow down your choices with a logical checklist

It’s easy to get carried away with that initial wow factor of a potential venue, before you’ve checked whether it is suitable for you. That’s why we recommend you have a checklist to work through. This lists your non-negotiables, as well those things that would be nice-to-have. You can then check it fits all the requirements – such as exclusivity, in the right location for you and your guest, suits your desired budget and fits your overall wedding theme.

Finally, if you use the tips above, you’ll have shortlisted a selection of venues. Now’s the time to go with your heart! Go for the venue that has all (or most) of what you need and provided you with the biggest buzz – because it is your big day, after all!

Here at Grim’s Dyke we have a variety of wedding venue packages to suit your needs – you can check them out here. They include lots of extras (such as cake stands and fresh flowers) but also include exclusive use of the venue, as well as a wedding coordinator, a Toastmaster and even reduced room stay rates for your guests! To find out more about weddings at Grim’s Dyke Hotel, read our Wedding’s At The Grim’s Dyke blog post here.