6 Important Questions to Ask Your Wedding Venue Vendor

As the New York venue experts, we have a lot of experience helping brides find the venue that will best fit their wedding vision. For some, that’s an opulent ballroom or for others, it’s a rustic space with modern touches. If you’ve never visited wedding venues it can be overwhelming and you may not know what you should be asking before signing on the dotted line. This guide will help you feel more confident while touring venues so that you know the right questions to ask to find the perfect match for your dream wedding.

1. What’s the capacity?

This is one of the most important questions to ask since you can’t host a wedding in a space that won’t fit your guests. In order for this to be helpful, try to have a rough idea of your guest list to help narrow down venues that obviously won’t be a good fit. If your number is closer to their capacity, ask about how different table arrangements or catering options (plated vs a buffet station) would affect capacity numbers.

2. Are there separate spaces for ceremony and reception?

Each venue is unique, so make sure you get a clear idea of all of the spaces that are available to use. Some venues might have multiple indoor and outdoor ceremony options to choose from. If this is the case, try to see how each option looks staged for a ceremony so you can make the best decision for your wedding. If the venue is simply one large room, ask to see examples of past wedding arrangement styles. Oftentimes, a space can be transformed in merely minutes to go from ceremony to reception with a little creative reconfiguring.

3. What does the flow of the day look like?

This one is all about guest experience. Think about how your guests will feel during your wedding events. Will they be rushed from place to place or will they be in one location for the entire day? Will they have downtime between events and will you need to arrange travel? You want your guests to feel comfortable and have a good time, so try to avoid a venue that will cause too much rushing or awkward breaks in the day’s schedule.

4. For outdoor spaces, what is the weather contingency plan?

As much as you hope it won’t happen, bad weather is always a concern when planning an outdoor event. If the venue has any outdoor spaces, make sure they also have a backup plan that you love just as much as the original one. That will help make it easier to make the call if bad weather is a threat. Don’t forget to also ask about heaters or fans for outdoor spaces to keep you and your guests as comfortable as possible.

5. Do you provide any in-house services or have a list of preferred vendors?

Some venues may require the use of their catering service or encourage you to select from a list of pre-approved vendors, so it’s important to ask about this ahead of time. You don’t want to be stuck in a contract with a vendor that isn’t actually allowed to work at your venue. If the venue does use preferred vendors make sure you review the list and ensure it has some good options for you before putting the stamp of approval on that venue.

6. What’s included in the price? What costs extra?

Knowing what you’re paying for is crucial when you’re spending a large portion of your budget or using a wedding loan to finance your venue. Sometimes the rental fee may not include things like linens, ceremony chairs or other essentials, so you’ll need to factor in the cost of renting or buying those items. Your contract may also mention extra fees for things like certain decor or overtime fees which you should be aware of. A venue might initially look like a good option, but many small fees can add up and put it out of your price range.