Interactive: Choosing a Reception Location

A Venue/Caterer is one of the single most important decisions to make when planning a wedding.  Picking one can seem to be a daunting task; here are some tips to help you navigate your way through:

Make Appointments– Appointments are important because they are time that you can ask any questions you have, tour the facility, and get a feel for the place and the people who work there.  Walking in to a place, while it may be convenient, is not always the best idea because you may not get the attention that you want and you never know if the venue/caterer will have an adequate amount of time to show you the location and answer your questions.

Concrete Prices- get a good idea of how much it will cost you.  Ask about financial minimums; know what you’ll be getting into.  Always ask what else is added to the base price and if there are any additional fees, you want to know it all upfront.  Make a spreadsheet to compare venues with; price is a lot of times one of the main determining factors.

Customize– Ask how flexible the packages are and whether or not you can make changes.  It is always important to know if you can change things you don’t want or need!

Ambiance– You are going to be in your venue for the entire night, you want to make sure it matches the feeling you are going for with your wedding.  For example, if you are going for a rustic, Adirondack theme, maybe a venue with a lot of gorgeous woodwork, or on water would be a good fit.   Ask your potential venues if you can come back and see it set for an event, it’s not always easy to visualize exactly what a room will look like, and seeing it first hand will help.

Ask Questions– Make a list of questions to ask before your appointment and get the answers.  Always make sure to ask any question, no matter how big or small so that you’re comfortable before you sign your contract.

Follow Your Heart– A lot of times, you will walk into a facility and know that it is perfect and where you want to be.  Listen to your instincts; there are good reasons why a certain place may have clicked with you.

What were the main reasons that made you choose your wedding reception venue?  Feel free to leave comments to explain in detail!