Choosing a Venue for your wedding.

When choosing a Venue for the most important day of your life, there is more involved than just providing a pretty setting for your photographs.
It has a direct influence on guest numbers, the kind of entertainment you can have and any special touches you may wish to incorporate.
A major consideration when deciding where you hold your wedding is down to budget.

Here are a few pointers on what you should do to find the right location for you as a couple.

- Decide on the priorities you have for choosing your venue. ie, the look, the size, and the atmosphere.
A lot of times it comes down to a gut feeling you have for your venue. Its a bit like the dress, in that you know its "the one".

- After you get engaged, the venue is probably the very first thing you will arrange.
Many venues get booked up years in advance, more so for summer Saturday's.
If you are a little flexible on dates, and especially days of the week, you have more chance of securing the Venue you want.
- Recommendations from friends and family are helpful with venue choice. But it has to be remembered that each person has their own specific wants and requirements, and what one person likes, another may hate.
- You cannot over estimate the importance of research. Get googling and also request lots of brochures.
If you have all the information, you can wittle it down to your favourites, and then create a shortlist, ensuring that you are not going to locations that are completely inappropriate.

- Have a list of questions for the Venue for everything that is of upmost importance to your plans.
Sometimes in the excitement of seeing somewhere we really like, we can forget to ask specifics.

- Don't make a snap second decision, take away all the information and ponder it.
Look at a few locations before making a concrete choice.
Is there somewhere better that can offer you a better deal, be just as pretty or suitable for the look you want etc.?
 Pore over small print in Contracts, and check all the fine details.
I speak to a lot of brides that have had venue price hikes, and venue exclusivity taken away.
If you have solid written documentation of all details, then you have a fall back if there is issues.

- Finally enjoy looking.
All too often, it can feel like this enormous pressure to find this perfect place.
Remember this is your special day, and should be a reflection of what you have always dreamed of, not what you think other people might expect.


Photo Credit: http://www.blairquhan.co.uk/