What questions to ask when booking your venue?

Planning your wedding is a big deal. It’s a big day that costs big money. That’s why it’s so important to know what questions to ask when you are booking your venue! There are so many things you would never even think that you’d need to ask, that you really should. So I’ve compiled this list to make that easy for you!

The Basics

• Is my wedding date available? If not, what dates are available around my date?
• What is the minimum and maximum guest count? 
• Is the venue handicap accessible?
• What is the venue’s minimum cost? 
• What is the retainer amount? 
• When is the final payment due? 
• Is off seasonal pricing available? 
• Do Fridays/Sundays have different pricing? 
• How many hours/days do we have the venue for? If this time is this limited when would that be? 
• Once we have signed the contract is my price absolutely locked in? Are there any instances where the price may change? 
• Can we take a copy of the contract with us to review before we book?
• Who will be my primary contact, and what’s the best way to reach them?
• What happens if our primary contact leaves?
• What is the cancellation policy and/or refund policy?

Ask these questions about your wedding day!

• Is there a bridal suite or somewhere for the groomsmen to get ready? Are they private, or in public spaces? What does it cost? How early can we come to start getting ready?
• How many weddings do you host in one day or one weekend?
• If there is more than one, is there a music volume limit so that other weddings don’t bleed over into ours? 
• What is your weather contingency plan for outdoor weddings? 
• Do you have an exclusive or preferred vendor list?  
• Is there a food or beverage minimum?
• Is a tasting included or an additional cost? 
• What is included/offered by the venue 
  • tables
  • chairs
  • chair covers
  • plates
  • silverware
  • table cloths 
  • glassware

• Is there a cake cutting fee?
• Does the venue provide beer, wine liquor? 
• Does the venue provide bartenders? Are they licensed?
• If I provide my own bartenders, are there any rules I must follow?
• Is there a corkage fee if we bring our own bartenders? 

Decor

• Are we allowed to bring our own decorations Do you have an inventory of décor? What are the fees to use your décor?
• Are there any restrictions with decor? Can we use candles, confetti, sparklers, flower petals?
• Do you offer on-site coordination? What services are included? Can I bring in my own coordinators? 
• Is there a list of rules that we will have to follow (get it in writing) 

Insurance

• Do we need to provide our own insurance for the venue? Will our vendors need to provide insurance? Is there a cost for your insurance?

Vendors

• Can we choose our own vendors, or must we use in-house vendors? 
• Are there any special rules for our vendors? 

Emergencies or Acts of Gods 

• What if details change due to factors outside of my control (such as Covid or Act of God) 
• What will happen if we lose power on the day of our wedding? 
• Are there any other significant events occurring on or near the date of our wedding that will affect parking or our ability to use the places around the venue (Such as the Taylor Swift concert taking over the every city she lands in) 

Please feel free to print this list to make it easy to remember all these questions to ask your venue!