Where is your special event going to take place?

Choosing the perfect venue and location for your wedding is the one decision that will have the largest impact on the success of your special day. You are faced with numerous decisions, from the date and season of the event, catering options, or whether it will provide the ambience and mood you seek for your occasion.

This may feel quite intimidating, but approached in the right way it does not have to be.

To make a start it is important to consider 3 factors; your budget; the number of people you want; the space you need, i.e. will the ceremony and reception be held there or just the reception? The earlier you start doing this the better. It can be an emotional process and you can easily get carried away with the excitement of the moment without thinking of the practicalities. It is important to think with both your heart and your head to ensure you make the right decision.

Before you start looking, create a wedding budget with your partner so that you know exactly how much you can afford to splash out on your venue. Start by setting a realistic budget for your wedding day and remember to include ‘all the extras.’ As the list of extras grows, it is also important to look at which of these are ‘must haves’ and try to stick to your original ideas. Try to remember that the day is about the two of you and should not become an event to try and please everyone.

Begin with determining if you want a large wedding venue, or a smaller more intimate venue, as this will impact on your budget and the enjoyment of your guests. Too small and the event will feel crowded and stuffy, too large and your guests will feel lost and the space empty. A good guide is to consider who will make up your guest list and exclude venues that will not cater to these numbers. A further tip is to look at venues that will allow small adjustments of numbers once your invitations have been sent out and your RSVPs are back. When visiting venues, try to see portfolios of the room set up, or visit when they have an event planned so you can get a sense of the feel that can be created. Look at how you would like your seating arranged and consider if it will fit comfortably within the space, both for your daytime event and your evening event, if you are having one.

An important factor to consider in your decision-making is where your guests will be coming from. Your guests’ comfort and experience are important. Hence, choosing a venue that is easily accessible, has accommodation on site, or hotels nearby may be desirable. It is also worth considering travel time for evening-only guests. Is a four-hour drive suitable for guests who are only invited to the reception?

Popular venues can get booked up very quickly, and jumping in and booking your event is tempting before realising it is not the right fit for what you want. It’s true for some couples that when you find the one, you’ll just know it – you can picture yourself there on the day saying your vows and celebrating with your friends and family. If this is looking to be outside of your budget, will it be any cheaper if you had your wedding mid-week when there is less demand?

With your chosen venue, you can start to be creative with how you use the rest of your budget to provide the ambience and style for your special day.