You have found your venue. You are in love with the place, decorating it in your head and planning who is going to sit where.

Well before you sign on the dotted line and hand over the deposit there are {quite} a few questions to ask first. I have included some make or break ones here but there are soooooo many more. The big thing to remember is that once you have signed a contract and handed over a deposit, negotiations are nearly impossible. So here we go….

• What is the payment schedule? Find out how much is due and when.
• How can I pay? Your credit card may cover loss or cancellation.
• What is included and what is extra? The room may be set up for viewings- ask!
• What flowers/decorations/Center pieces are on the tables as standard and is there a special arrangement for the top table?
• Is there a room hire or rental fee?
• Is there a set-up or clean-up fee?
• Is there a service charge?
• Is there a charge for a bar exemption?
• Will there be another wedding on the same day? Same weekend?
• Is there any music available during dinner or do you have to arrange or supply?
• How long will I have the room for?
• What if we run overtime? How will we know that the evening is finishing?
• Will someone from the venue be available during the wedding? Meet the person who will be in charge.
• Will there be a Restroom attendant? Make sure someone will be checking on them regularly.
• Is there a coat check?
• Is there really enough space for all of your guests? A ‘maximum number’ of guests may not be a comfortable number of guests.
• How many service staff will be on per guest? That is bar and dinner service. Rule of thumb, one staff for every 12 guests for a sit down dinner, and one bar person per every 60-80. And of course a supervisor of some kind.
• Will there be something else available if a guests does not want what you have chosen?
• Are there vegetarian/celiac/children’s meal options
• Is there a corkage option? What is the charge?
• Check out guest parking. Is there a charge?
• Is the Dance floor large enough?
• Are there any limitations on the type of equipment a band/deejay can set up?
• Are there limitations to noise or times for music?
• Are there limitations to what type of décor I can use? Check on confetti, tape etc.
• Is there a reduction for guests’ accommodation? Find out how many rooms.

As mentioned, this list is by no means exhaustive. Visit the venue as many times as possible to see it in different stages or lights {so to speak} and to make sure all of your questions are answered. Not to overstate the obvious but the hotel or site coordinator has done this a million times. You haven’t so be sure to get as much information as you can out of them.

Annie

Live, Love, Laugh and Dream!

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Tags: WEdding advice, wedding planning, wedding timeline, wedding tips, Your wedding timeline

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 29th, 2010 at 9:57 am and is filed under wedding planning, wedding timeline. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.