Planning a wedding involves research and decision making. You want to arrange a great event and avoid overspending. As a wedding planner I always do my research and prepare questions to ask a wedding venue that I visit for the first time. This allows me to understand the borderlines of how flexible the terms are and what I can offer my couples at this wedding venue. You, as a bride or a groom, should also have a list of questions to ask every wedding venue you visit. Below are the most important questions that will help you to narrow down your search after just one visit.
1. What are your additional fees that I should be aware of?
This is the very first and most important question you should ask. Usually, additional fees include weekend fees, service fees, gratuities, taxes, setup fees, etc. If you do your research and see that the venue says that they require a minimum of $10,000 to be spent on Food and Beverage, make sure you ask about additional fees. $10,000 is not your final number; it’s a starting point. Another example would be photography or videography inclusions. If you see that the package includes professional photography service, it might mean that the photographs themselves are not included. You may end up paying additional fees to have your wedding photographs. Make sure to clarify all aspects. If you are not sure about something, just ask about the extra fees you need to be aware of.
2. What is your cancellation policy?
This is the second most important question. Things happen. It’s important you know the cancellation policy. Some places only allow non-refundable payments. Others take non-refundable retainers but let you keep the rest. Make sure you clarify every little aspect before committing to the contract with the wedding venue. I’ve seen a lot of couples canceling their wedding and getting upset because they found out that they can’t get the money back.
3. Are there any restrictions?
Different wedding venues have different restrictions. In Las Vegas, we have strong health codes, fire regulations, liquor licenses, and other restrictions. That is why many wedding venues require that they provide all food and beverages. They do not allow open flame indoors or too many guests in a room with a small capacity. They are responsible for you while you are on their property, and that is why it is important you understand and agree with the venue restrictions before booking it.
4. Am I allowed to bring my own vendors?
This is one of the necessary questions to ask a wedding venue because different venues have different rules. You do not want to assume that you can bring your grandma’s cake and then the venue won’t let you do it, and you will have to explain it to your beloved grandma. Some venues have contracts with their vendors, and you must hire them to provide service. If there are some parts of your wedding that are very important to you and you would like it to be taken care of by people or vendors you trust more than those from the venue, discuss it beforehand.
5. What is the backup plan?
The last but not least important question is what the backup plan is. It is especially important if you plan an outdoor wedding. You can’t predict the weather unless you plan your entire wedding in a week. You always have to be ready to move your wedding indoors. You need to make sure the wedding venue has a backup plan and the staff knows how to quickly rearrange things in case of bad weather. The same applies to vendors who don’t show up or something happens to their equipment. They must be able to provide a backup plan.