There are some aspects of the wedding that are optional, for instance, you can choose to wear a suit rather than a dress. However, there is one important thing that you should not miss: the wedding venue. After all, there should be someplace where your family and friends can get together and celebrate. However, searching for the perfect venue is going to be difficult. There are a lot of options to choose from such as barn weddings, rustic weddings, historic wedding venues, venues with dance floors, country weddings, etc. The following are some tips that can help you in searching for that dream venue.
Consult Wedding Planners
Before you start searching for places, it is recommended that you should talk to planners. This is because they are more accustomed to the layout, capabilities of the area, the things, and the time that you need in transforming it. There is always a creative way of making that venue look unique. It might be difficult for you to accomplish; however, your planner is an expert on this.
Determine The Number of Guests
It is important that you should know how many guests you are anticipating arriving before you even start to look for venues. After all, this can help you save a lot of frustrations down the road. You might find yourself in a tough situation if you choose a venue that is extremely small for your guest list.
Sometimes couples underestimate the number of people they will invite or the number of people that their parents would want to add. Hence, be sure to have that discussion beforehand so that you will know what you will be working with. This can greatly help you in breaking down your budget as well as the other expenses that rely on the number of persons that you will be inviting
The Venue Should Match Your Vision
Obviously, it is important that you should look for venues that match the aesthetic you have in mind. If you want to have a modern wedding, then you can search for elegant restaurants, art galleries, or even warehouse spaces.
Conversely, if you love outdoor venues, then they should incorporate some natural elements. Some of the best places are ranches, backyards, or parks. Opting for a venue that matches your theme will make it feel like there is some connection to the space.
Be Mindful of Your Budget
Keep in mind that it is not just about the cost of renting the space. Most likely, venues with catering such as hotels will be charging price-per-plate. The floral design and the decorations will also add up to the cost. Determine how much your budget will be. Also, make an estimation of the cost of the design. If adding this amount to the cost of renting the space is too much, then you should try to look for more affordable spaces or you could modify your design.
Try to break down your budget for each category and know your priorities. If you choose your venue and realize that its cost is more than the amount that you allocated, then it’s going to be hard to keep up with your budget, especially if there are other people you need to hire.
Consider The Convenience of Your Guests
If you want to have a destination wedding or you are inviting guests from out-of-town, then you should choose a venue that is close to a hotel. Also, make sure that your guests feel comfortable within the venue. Be sure to ask the in-charge of the venue, how many guests can be accommodated so that they can feel comfortable. Ask what is permitted according to the fire code.
Be True to Yourselves
Due to the various weddings that are found on the internet, most couples would choose a venue based on the style of the wedding that they found online. However, it is essential that you should ask yourselves what feels genuine to both of you. Then, you can choose a design and a venue that represents who you really are. Be sure to consider that even if the venue looks amazing with the separate design, it might not be the perfect venue.
Consider What Is Included
When comparing venues for weddings, you can search for full-service ones as well as those which allow you to bring your own decorations and vendors. Be sure to compute everything. A venue that includes chairs, tables, and linens might be more expensive compared to those which require you to rent your own. However, it is recommended that you should get a quote from the rental company to see which will cost you more.
Keep in mind that the rental items are the basic ones such as chairs, linens, tables, etc. Most likely, you will end up paying more for these items. If you choose a venue that has catering with food and drinks, then you should include the tax and the tips in your computation.
Factors To Consider When Choosing the Right Wedding Venue
A wedding is a special event that requires a lot of decisions. But most often, it will be divided into two main categories which are the wedding reception and the wedding ceremony. Aside from choosing the food that will be prepared by the catering, choosing the perfect venue can also consume your time. There are tons of venues that you can choose from. However, when choosing a venue there are some important things that you have to consider.
Specific Areas
The wedding reception includes major activities such as drinking, eating, dancing, and talking. It is essential that there should be specific areas for these activities. When visiting a venue, you can stand in one corner and visualize where these things will be happening.
Dividing the place into sections can help in making the guests feel less crowded on your wedding day. Consider the shape of the venue. In case there are blockages, then the guests at the back won’t be able to see what is going on at the front. These factors could likely affect the flow of your wedding program.
Enough Space
Generally, it is important to ensure that the venue has more space. It should be large enough so that it can accommodate all your guests. A venue might look huge at first, however, wedding essentials such as tables, chairs, dance floor, buffet setup, etc., could consume more space.
Take note that your guests will require some elbow room. You should not totally rely on estimates. The best thing that you can do is to observe the venue when everything is set up for another wedding. Make sure that the number of their guests is the same as yours, in this way, you can make an almost accurate estimate.
Color Motifs
Some weddings have color motifs. You have to see to it that the color of the ceilings, walls, and decors of the venue will not clash or conflict with your motif since this could ruin the entire color coordination. Although it is not necessary that the location must have the same exact colors as your motif, however, the dominant hues should complement the motif.
The purpose of this is to avoid anything that is contrasting since it could create an eyesore. If possible, request a particular color of curtains on your wedding day. Light and pastel colors are ideal for daytime and brunch weddings. On the other hand, neutrals or darker colors are perfect for classic weddings.
Privacy
Most couples put more value on privacy. A private and intimate reception would be greatly appreciated since it can prevent wedding crashers. Except if you are fine with having other people on your wedding day, you should choose a venue that permits clients to rent the entire place. Also, you should inquire about their security.
Try to look for a venue that would only accommodate one event per day. If possible, ask if there are any other events in the next function hall that are scheduled on the day of your wedding reception. You could also visit the venue when an event takes place so you can observe if the activities can be affected by the events in the other halls.
Furthermore, you can inquire if the function rooms are noise-proof or not. This can help in keeping the wedding reception free from any outside distractions or uninvited guests.
Lighting
Lights can either break or make the overall atmosphere of the venue. For a daytime wedding, choose a venue with several windows. On the other hand, for nighttime weddings, select a venue that is not extremely dark. Check if you can control the lighting in the dining area and entryways.
For outdoor weddings that are scheduled at night, you could try setting up some candles. Again, it would be best if you can visit the venue and conduct some inspection to see how things would turn out. For instance, you can see how the sunlight reflects from the windows down to the floor. Using candlelights is romantic, however, its brightness might not be sufficient enough during the evening.
The Old General Store Wedding and Event Center can take care of your wedding reception. We can set up everything from food and drinks to decorations and cleaning up, leaving you stress-free on your special day. Aside from wedding receptions, we can also accommodate other events such as birthdays, class reunions, anniversaries, and many more. For more information, just call us at 253-459-2124 or send us an email at diana.generalstore@gmail.com.