What To Look For In A Wedding Venue
Photo by Weiss Photo and Film
How to find the perfect wedding venue for you and your wedding day needs
When planning a wedding, the first two items on the checklist tend to be 1. Hiring a wedding planner and 2. Getting a venue. We here at Emerveille Events have had the privilege of working at some beautiful locations, and know that when looking for that wedding venue, it can be a bit intimidating finding the perfect one. However, we are here to help you with a list of five things that you should look for as you are searching for the perfect place to say “I Do”.
Getting Ready Suites
When looking for your perfect venue, don’t just think through the event itself. Plan what you are going to be doing and where you are going to be leading up to the event: are you going to be getting ready at home? In a hotel room? At the venue? Many newer venues are adding on suites that are just for getting ready, and we have seen some amazing ones that have floor to ceiling mirrors, amazing lighting, a ton of outlets, pool tables, and even TVs and gaming consoles. While not all suites will have all of those features, we would recommend prioritising suites that have great lighting and a ton of outlets if you know that is where hair and makeup will be done.
An Indoor Ceremony Space
We are primarily London and Seattle wedding planners, which means one thing: rain. If you are planning on having an outdoor ceremony, when venue touring, begin thinking through the lens of what the day will look like if it rains. Will you flip the reception space to turn it into a ceremony space if necessary? Do they have another room dedicated to ceremonies in case it rains? Will you need a tent to bring the outdoors inside? These are all helpful to begin thinking through in case of rain on your wedding day.
A Space For Cocktail Hour
Cocktail hour often tends to be an overlooked aspect of the wedding day, but it is SO VITAL for the sake of flipping the reception room, ensuring that dinner is ready on time, and for giving the couple an opportunity to sign the marriage certificate, take any more photos, and to just sit and be by themselves for a moment. As a result, cocktail hour is so important to the wedding day, not only for guest experience, but also for you as a couple. Begin to think through the flow of the day as you are looking at venues: is the cocktail hour space easy to get to? Does it have room for all of your guests to mingle? Will it have room for a bar and for cocktail tables?
Review How Long Your Venue Rental Is For
Countless times, I have heard of couples who forget that set up and tear down often takes the same amount of time combined, if not longer, than the event itself. The amount of time necessary for set up and tear down is depending on the set up team, what will already be provided at the venue, and how long other vendors need on the day of, so make sure if it seems like a shorter amount of time that you either have a conversation with your planning and vendor team ahead of time regarding the amount of time, or you have the ability to add on additional hours.
Consider The Surrounding Area, Not Just The Venue
When looking at venues, don’t just consider the venue itself when planning the event experience. Look at the surrounding area to decide if it is best for your wedding day. If the venue is near any major roads, your vows may be drowned out over the sound of road noise. If the space is on a golf course, figure out how often a stray ball finds its way into the cocktail hour. Also ask questions about parking, crime, and safety.
