HOW TO FIND and CHOOSE YOUR DREAM WEDDING VENUE
Hello, I am Martina, a UK-based wedding planner and this is how I look for a wedding venue for my clients if I already don’t have the perfect venue in mind.
Well done!! You have worked on your guests’ list and figured out your ideal wedding budget.
We can now move onto a wedding venue of your dreams!
Try not to look for a venue without knowing how many guests are most likely to attend your wedding and what is your wedding budget. You would be risking falling in love with a venue that might be too small and out of your reach.
Where do you start?
- Wedding directories provide an easy search of your desired area, in the UK or for a destination wedding in Europe. There are some brilliant ones like the Coco Wedding venues with high-quality venues.
- Google search might reveal venues near you you have not even thought about. You might know your area well; however new wedding venues tend to pop up every year.
- Research local English trusts and heritage properties. Local castles, historic homes, and listed buildings might not be listed as wedding venues but are still available for wedding ceremonies, maybe even receptions. This applies to wedding venues abroad too where you can discover breathtaking places like the Bled Castle in Slovenia or the Malcesine Castle on Lake Garda. Look for those hidden gems.
- Think out of the box Take a look at local gardens, parks, and even woodlands. Your wedding ceremony venue can be Boho spectacular and a marquee can be built almost on any land.
VIEWING YOUR WEDDING VENUE
You will probably visit a few wedding venues before you find the one.
Before you find the venue that feels right and accommodates all the needs of the wedding party. From manor houses to marquees, to private villas by the sea. The choices are endless.
There is a huge amount of information to take in so get ready and ask the right questions:
- How long can you provisionally hold the date?
- What are the venue’s daytime and night-time capacity?
- What time does the music stop?
- What time does the party stop? (sometimes a party can continue after midnight with lowered music) Some venues are open until the early morning hours, especially if your party stays over for a weekend…
- Is the venue licensed for civil ceremonies? Indoors and outdoors?
- Is the venue available for exclusive hire?
- Can we bring our own suppliers? If so, what documentation do you need from them?
- Do you recycle? (Lots of couples enquire about the eco-friendly weddings and not all the venues are all that green yet. Unfortunately.)
- What is the damage deposit?
- What are the cancellation AND the postponement policies?
BOOKING YOUR WEDDING VENUE
Now it is time to actually book it and confirm what is included in writing, sign the contract, and organise the wedding insurance.
Your wedding date can be held provisionally for some time by the wedding venue – check how long is this period
- Wedding venues abroad are usually booked with a deposit right away; these dates are live and can be taken by any couple around the world. Especially in popular destinations like Italy and Cyprus.
- Your wedding date needs to suit the local Registrar or your chosen Celebrant
- It is the local Registrar that offers the time of the civil ceremony so make sure you check the time slots before booking your venue!
- Registrar to officiate your civil ceremony must be booked in person by the couple – nobody can do this on your behalf. This applies to the UK and destination weddings around the world.
- Double-check the cancellation and/or the postponement policy in the venue’s contract
- Double-check the timings of your wedding venue hire – what time can you come in and get ready
- The venue coordinator is an especially important person as you will be in touch with them throughout your planning journey and they will look after you on the most important day of your life!
- Alternatively, book an independent experienced wedding day coordinator like us.
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