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12
This Must Be The Place
Your wedding venue is the key piece to your party.
Here is how to know you’ve found the right spot
By Anna Sachse, CTW Features
Before you make an appointment to check
out a potential wedding venue, chances
are you’ll do a lot of online reconnais-
sance: Read every word on their website,
click through photos and search for other
couple’s reviews of the space. Here’s what
you should keep in mind when doing your
not-in-person first pass, and the details
you can’t know outside of an in-person
meeting.
GET STARTED ONLINE
A venue’s website or Facebook page often
gives a taste of the location’s style and vibe,
and it should include a lot of practical
information that can help narrow down the
search.
It’s very important for a bride to know exactly
what type of atmosphere and environment
she wants for her wedding before looking at
venues. It’s also important to know details like
howmany guests you’re aiming for, and if you
want a venue that allows outside caterers or if
you’re happy with one that takes care of every
element of the event for you. These factors
help a bride know what to watch out for and
what to ignore.
The price and availability also are key
elements to search for, as there’s no point in
visiting if it’s way over your budget or you
aren’t able to adjust your wedding date. In
addition, see what they say about avail-
able parking (do you have to pay a valet
service?), noise restrictions, cleanup and
what, if any, furniture, linens, dishes, etc.,
are included in the price.
Definitely scan all the photos on the site
and feel free to ask the venue for more. It’s
extremely helpful to know what an outdoor
space looks like in the actual month you
plan to get married (flowers, furnishings,
exterior lighting), or if an indoor space will
have seasonal decorations that you’ll either
love or hate.
Independent review sites (think Yelp or a
local bridal publication) also may be helpful,
but be sure to read the specifics of any com-
plaints, as they may not apply to you. Even
better, ask other wedding vendors for their
insight. Florists and caterers often know
what works and what doesn’t at each spot.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN
PERSON
When a venue seems to meet your wish list,
make an appointment. It will be obvious
right away if it doesn’t look like it did in
pictures, but you also want to make sure
it’s clean and well-kept inside and out,
that it meets the “sniff ” test and that the
restrooms are acceptable. And don’t
minimize the importance of the venue
staff and/or included event coordinator’s
personality. You’ll likely be working with
these people quite a bit throughout the
planning process and during your wedding,
so it’s essential that you’re compatible and
that they understand your vision. You also
can’t get a true sense of the flow of a space
until you visit it in-person. Walk the path
that your guests will take so that you know
exactly what their experience will be.
At the end of the visit, ask yourself if you
can envision the space as the location for
your beautiful day, but give yourself at least
a day to decide if it is.
© CTW Features