The wedding venue is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make in regards to your wedding day. Besides the person, you’re choosing to marry, of course! It’ll reserve a big chunk of your budget, it’s where you’ll be spending the most time and it’s ultimately what will determine the vibe of your wedding. It will also require the biggest lead time!
Determine a budget
Not the ‘B’ word again?! As you can imagine, depending on what venue you choose to look at the prices can vary by the thousands. Understanding what budget you’d like to spend on your wedding overall is key to firstly, not blowing it! and secondly, having a budget will actually help you make decisions. If something is well out of your budget, it’s an easy cross off the list!
Narrow down the area
Knowing whether you would like to travel for your wedding is another key factor in identifying the right venue. Think about where most of your guests live, will they be able to get there easily? Will there be enough accommodation for those coming from afar? Certain areas have different vibes – for instance, the Hunter Valley with its sprawling green hills and vineyards is a completely different vibe to Sydney CBD with harbour views and the city skyline.
Search tagged posts on Instagram
One of the best ways to get a true sense of what your venue will be like is by stalking their Instagram account. But we like to not only scroll their feed but also have a sneaky peek at their tagged posts to see a further array of content that may be less… filtered! Get stalking!
Understand the full scope of what the venue will offer
Being clear on what your venue will and will not cover is imperative for wedding planning. Every venue is different, and each venue will have tiered packages depending on budget and other factors. Understanding whose responsibility it is to chill the wine, bump in the DJ and make sure food is not served during the speeches are all things that need to be considered. (We have a HUGE amount of experience in this area, please reach out to us to help you determine what’s to be expected).
Lock it in
Once you have your heart set on a venue, lock it in. With COVID backlogs venues are busier than ever before. It’s important to lock in your date as soon as you’re comfortable doing so to ensure you don’t miss out. NB: ensure you’re aware of any terms of payment or deposits that come with your venue contract, too. For example, knowing what happens if COVID were to impact your scheduled wedding day.
We love working with wedding venues and have a great rapport with many. If you have any questions or would like advice on this topic, please don’t hesitate to reach out. After all, that’s why we are here.
K x
