Choosing Your Wedding Venue

I do Wedding Sign | Essex Wedding Planner

Image Credit: Weddings By Anesta

Securing the perfect wedding venue will be top of many engaged couples to do list. With an overwhelming number of options to choose from, it’s easy to see how couples can become exhausted and often deflated at not finding the perfect venue immediately.

When beginning the search for your wedding venue be sure to have a clear idea of your wedding budget and guest numbers. This will immediately set you on the right track and save you time researching and visiting venues that do not meet your requirements. Not to mention the the utter heartbreak of falling in love with a venue that is not within budget, or unable to accommodate your guest list.

In addition to the above, having a clear idea of the style of wedding you would like to host will also ensure that you only consider venues that are in keeping with your vision. If your thinking classic elegance you may wish to consider a stately home, county estate or an elegant sailcloth or traditional pole marquee. Both of which lend themselves as the perfect classic blank canvas to be styled as you choose.

If on the other hand you are looking to host a relaxed and informal affair incorporating casual dining and copious amounts of styling, then a dry hire barn venue may be just what you are looking for.

Image Credit: Weddings By Anesta 

Image of Old Brook Barn

The season in which you would like to marry can also have a huge impact on your venue shortlist, with some venues such as rustic barns limiting their availability to dates within the summer months. Whilst other venues with their roaring log fires and interior colour scheme can be the obvious choice for a winter wedding.

In addition to the above, there are also a number of not so obvious factors that should be considered before you finalise your shortlist of potential venues to visit. With top of the list being a venues limits on children attending weddings. 

 Children at your wedding

It is becoming increasingly common for wedding venues to request children do not attend your wedding, or ask that you limit the number of children to a figure suggested by the venue.  Whilst some couples may welcome this as an excuse not to extend the invitation to include children, other couples who are looking to host a family friendly celebration may find that this restriction forces them to discount a venue immediately.

Children's tepee at wedding

Image Credit: Terri & Lori Fine Art Studio & Film

Disabled access

Most venues will be able to offer disabled access, often providing ramps and disabled washroom facilities on the ground floor.  However, you should also check whether or not they offer disabled access to every part of the venue. It is important to remember that sometimes you have to revert to a plan B on your wedding day.  If this means bringing your outdoor ceremony inside, can disabled guests access the part of the venue where the ceremony would be held.

Some couples discount looking into disabled access as their guests do not require such facilities.  However, you should remember some weddings are booked 18 months in advance, so guests needs could change throughout this time.

 Sound limitations

Perhaps not the most obvious question to ask a wedding venue.  However, if you have your heart set on a six piece band entertaining your guests throughout your evening reception, then top of your list of questions should be whether or not they have a sound limiter. If they do, investigate further to find out what level they have their limiter set at and consider speaking to potential bands/performers to draw upon their experience of sound limiters set at this level.

 

Live music for your wedding day

Image Credit: Boutique Wedding Films

I do hope that the information within this blog post has helped you to short list your potential wedding venues. If however you feel that you could benefit from working with a planner and are planning your wedding or special celebration within Essex, Suffolk, Kent, Hertfordshire or Cambridgeshire please do get in touch.

Pin It

 

 

Posted in

2 Comments

  1. Louise on 2nd May 2018 at 3:01 pm

    The above are all great things to ask that couples don’t often think about.

    Something else that we always advise our couples now is to ask their venues about their recommended or suggested suppliers lists before using them to find their other suppliers.

    Sadly, so many venues now charge suppliers for a spot on their lists that genuine recommendations don’t even exist at some venues anymore. Others charge suppliers a % fee for shooting at the venue if a couple booked based on a recommendation from them.

    It’s so important to have a genuine recommendation and not one that has been bought I feel. Many couples aren’t aware of this and appreciate the insight.

    • hayley on 3rd May 2018 at 9:26 pm

      Hi Louise,
      Thank you so much for taking the time to comment on my post. I agree, this can be the case with wedding venues and like you say many couples may not be aware. I actually follow the UKAWP code of ethics and do not accept commission from any supplier that I recommend. Instead, I chose to suggest suppliers based on their expertise and how well I feel that their style is suited to each client that I am working with, which is how I believe it should be.
      Thanks again
      Hayley x

Leave a Comment





Welcome to my Blog
Essex wedding planner Hayley Jayne Weddings & Events in garden

Contact info

Hayley Jayne Weddings & Events
Brentwood, Essex

01277 226785
07889 171453
hayley@hayleyjayneweddingsandevents.co.uk

About Hayley

With a keen eye for detail, organisational skills that are second to none and the love of a “to do” list it was inevitable that Hayley would become an events planner. She started her career within the legal profession and was a Personal Assistant for 14 years before training with the UKAWP to become a professional wedding and events planner and then going on to launch “Hayley Jayne Weddings & Events”.

Connect with us

Trained with Planning Redefined

Hayley Jayne Weddings & Events trained with the UKAWP