Planning Advice: Here’s how to choose your wedding venue

You’re newly engaged, you’ve created your Pinterest boards and you’re finally ready to begin your wedding planning journey… But where do you start?! Your wedding venue should be at the top of your to-do-list. It means you can set the date, check your chosen suppliers are available and you can finally start imagining your special day. But where to start?! As a luxury event planner, I’ve accumulated years of experience when it comes to searching for the perfect wedding venue, so today on the blog I’m bringing you my top tips to help you along the way.

Does your wedding venue align with your vision?

Your wedding venue is all about you and the one you love, so it’s important that it effortlessly reflects you both as a couple. It also needs to align with your visions – whether that’s a grand country house, or something a little more unusual like an art gallery or warehouse space. Your wedding venue is a fabulous opportunity to let your personalities shine through and to really let your creativity run wild. After all, if you have your heart set on a romantic Bridgerton-inspired theme, you need a wedding venue to match!

Does it fit within your budget?

Here comes the not-so-glamorous aspect of wedding planning! Although it’s admittedly the most exciting aspect of your planning journey, setting a budget for your big day is hugely important. Before you begin viewing venues, work out how much of your overall budget you want to allocate to your venue. There is no point visiting venues that are out of your price range and you don’t want to risk falling head over heels for something you can’t afford. Take time to research the costs of the venue and whether they have set packages, hidden costs or any late availability / off peak dates.

Find out what’s included before you sign the line

Before you officially book your wedding venue, make sure you’re completely clued up on everything it includes. Ask about catering, accommodating, rentals and whether you can use external suppliers. Once you have the answer to these questions, you’ll be able to plan the finer details of your happily ever after – swoon!

Enquire about the wedding guest experience

If you have guests who are travelling from afar, you may want to enquire about if your potential wedding venue has onsite accommodation. Your guests will love having the option of being able to really relax and making the most of the party. It’s also important that you have a vague idea of your guest list prior to visiting your venue. For instance, if you’re planning an extravagant Asian wedding with an extensive guest list, you’ll need to book tours with venues who have capacity for this.

Visit once… and visit again!

It’s easy to get caught up in the romance of being engaged and planning your wedding day, so avoid booking your wedding venue before you’ve viewed it without rose-tinted glasses. If you think you’ve found ‘the one’, I recommend visiting again after a few weeks just to make sure it’s absolutely perfect for you. It also gives you the chance to view it at different times of the day and even in different weather, so you’ll get a real feel of how it will throughout your big day.

Write a list of must-haves

Take an evening out to sit down and write a list of wedding venue must-haves. This will help you to shortlist your wedding venue search and to ensure you don’t compromise on anything. From accommodation to an open bar, the option for an outdoor ceremony to complete exclusivity, these are just a few ideas you could add to your list.

As part of my wedding planning services at Knots & Nuptials, I can assist you with your wedding venue search. Working as a luxury wedding planner, I have worked at an array of sought-after locations and will tailor the search process to suit your celebration. I would love to hear all about your wedding wishes and invite you to get in touch to start the planning journey together. Get in touch via my contact form and don’t forget to follow me over on Instagram!