The time between the day you get engaged through to the day you get married, however long that time span may be, is filled with a whirlwind of emotions, all thanks to wedding planning. Most brides have a love-hate relationship with the planning part of their wedding especially choosing the wedding venue. The one day you’re overwhelmed by excitement and the next you want to pull your hair out because you and your partner can’t agree on whether your best friend’s cousin’s boyfriend should be invited to your wedding. These tips on choosing the perfect wedding venue will ease your planning process so that you’ll have one less thing to stress about.
Couple getting married photographed at Umthunzi Hotel’s beachfront.
1. Decide on Your Budget for the wedding and wedding venue
The first thing that you and your partner should do is have a serious discussion on how much your overall budget will be. Will you be using the money you saved up? How much do you still need to save? Will your parents be making contributions and how much? These questions are vital to ask before even thinking about venue options. Once you’ve come to an agreement, you can break down how much you’ll be spending on the venue, decor, food, beverages etc.
2. Decide on The Location
Yet another decision to be made before thinking about the actual venue, but don’t worry, this is an easy one. It all comes down to where the majority of your guests live, what the most convenient option will be and whether your guests have the means to travel to further destinations. Hotels and venues with accommodation for guests are always great options. By deciding on a location, you’ll have a better idea of where to start scouting.
3. Pick a Date
Whether you want to have a summer, autumn, winter or spring wedding, picking a date far in advance is important. Popular wedding venues have to be booked a year or more in advance and you don’t want to miss the opportunity to get married at your dream venue because of limited availability. Your date will also depend on whether some of your important guests will be able to make it on that day, for instance, a family member may be away on a business trip.
4. Decide on Your Theme
Choosing a wedding venue is made a whole lot easier once you know the specifics of what you’re actually looking for. Whether you and your partner have always dreamed of having an outdoors wedding on a beach or in a forest or having a more traditional wedding and get married in a church or chapel, the venue space will make that possible for you. If your budget is pretty tight, a venue that is already aesthetically appealing with sweeping ocean views or stunning indoor decor will allow you to save a little bit of money on the decor.
5. Decide on Your Numbers
Oh boy… we’re back to deciding whether your best friend’s cousin’s boyfriend should be invited to the wedding. Whatever system you and your partner use to draw up your guest list, make sure that once you’ve agreed on a number, that you stick with it. Also, make sure that you send out a strict RSVP date so that you know the final numbers. Knowing how many people will be attending your wedding will make choosing a venue a lot easier as you can immediately eliminate venues that are either too big or too small.
6. Look at the Venue’s packages
Many venues offer various package selections specifically designed for weddings, such as providing the option of enjoying in-house catering for the day or accommodation for your guests. We’ve all been to enough weddings to know that food and drinks are often a highlight of the evening and you certainly want it to be one at yours, so make sure that you opt for a venue that can offer you what you’re looking for in terms of your food, drinks and the formalities of your big day. Lastly, it’s important to do a proper walkthrough of each venue and not to settle on the first one you visit.
