Engaged? Read our wedding planning guide (2)

Congratulations you’re engaged! You’re on cloud nine, your fiancée has declared his love and asked you to become his wife, you excitedly talk about the future and your wedding day. You dream about the dress, partying with your friends and of course becoming husband and wife.But, then the panic sets in. Just how do you plan a wedding, where should you begin? Originally published in 2009, my planning guide has been updated to set you on the right path!

What Wedding do you want? (part 2)

Reception Venue

You might already know where you want your wedding reception. Perhaps you hold romantic visions of a castle or if a country girl at heart then I’m sure the barns will draw you in. There are many factors to consider when choosing a venue. Use the tips below as your guide when selecting venues. Also check our venue series http://www.dream-occasions.co.uk/category/weddings/venues to see if we have typed a report on it before.

 

  1. Will the wedding take place where you currently live or where you were bought up?  Think about whether you want a city location or would prefer to be surrounded by the countryside. If guests are travelling far then good access would be appreciated. Is it necessary for you to have exclusivity or would the general public wandering around add to the ambience.
  2. If you are unaware of venues in the area you wish to marry then you need to start the sometimes tedious and time consuming task of researching. To be successful use a range of methods when trying to find the best venue.
    • Speak to family and friends in the area for personal recommendations
    • Go onto Google and type in ‘wedding barn Suffolk’ or whatever your preference and location is
    • Buy the local wedding magazine like those from County Wedding
    • Buy wedding venues & services magazine
    • If you wish to have a civil ceremony then does the venue have a license and if so which room? What is the maximum number of guests they can accommodate in a ceremony? Most venues charge an additional fee for a ceremony on top of the registrar’s fee.
  3. The cost of the reception can encounter for about 75% of your budget so think about the venue charges. As well as welcome drinks and table wine and of course the wedding breakfast itself.
  4. If no Saturday’s are free then are there reductions for mid week weddings?
  5. Ask about on site accommodation for you and your guests, much easier being able to stumble back to your room after a hard days partying. Ideally there should be a variety of accommodation near by within a range of budgets. Think about arranging a shuttle service at night to get guests back safely.
  6. Can the venue accommodate the number of anticipated guests comfortably? You want to have enough room around the tables for staff to serve proficiently.
  7. Will your venue co-ordinator work on your wedding day? Do you have a good rapport with them and can they answer all your questions about how the day will run? If worried consider hiring a planner even if just for the day, I have a range of services that might be suitable you need someone on the day to implement all your ideas and plans. Ask whether they take on all table decorating on the day or whether you need to delegate to someone else.
  8. When viewing your venue have a look round the grounds and ask what will be exclusively available for you and your guests on the day. If you anticipate a lot of children then be aware of nearby roads or ponds.
  9. When viewing venues look carefully at the décor and general maintenance. A well maintained means the owners care about their venue and as such you their client.

 Photo Credit:Mark Bothwell

 

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3 Comments

  1. […] What can you afford, the average UK wedding is £20k but you can spend considerably less or more. Are you paying for the wedding or are family contributing? Work out what money you have saved, and what you plan to save leading up to the wedding.  Some guidelines on budget is allocation can be seen here […]

  2. […] What can you afford, the average UK wedding is £20k but you can spend considerably less or more. Are you paying for the wedding or are family contributing? Work out what money you have saved, and what you plan to save leading up to the wedding.  Some guidelines on budget is allocation can be seen here […]

  3. Questions to ask your wedding venue on 26th February 2014 at 12:55 pm

    […] favourite venues. I thought it looked so cute I wanted to share with you. You might also find this article useful I wrote a few years ago with tips on choosing your […]

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