Wedding Venue Checklist by ETC Events
In this comprehensive Wedding Venue Checklist blog Debbie from ETC Events highlights her process with clients from “first meeting” to booking a venue. Be sure to make notes and download our 3-page Wedding Venue Checklist to make your life easier while searching for your ideal wedding venue.
Wedding Venue Checklist Free
“As a Wedding Planner, our first interaction with our Bridal couples is usually a casual coffee meet-up or Zoom call.”
Finding Your Wedding Venue
One of the biggest decisions when planning a Wedding, other than the Dress, is the Wedding Venue. In South Africa, we are spoilt for choice, which is good and bad.
When choosing a venue it’s vital to visit the venue and experience it for yourselves, walk through the venue with your Wedding in mind and your expectations. We visit the venues for you and do a LIVE ‘video tour’ so that you can see for yourselves what the venue has to offer and more importantly, the look and feel of the venue as it is today. Unfortunately, websites and even social media pages can sometimes be deceiving and not always depict the true current state of the venue.”
There are several things to consider when choosing a venue, but first, you need to have an idea of what your Wedding vision and expectations are. This doesn’t need to be final but for example, will there be a large number of guests attending, will all the guests require accommodation or transport? Are you making it a weekend of celebration if guests are traveling from afar?
Location, Location, Location
When looking for a Wedding Venue the first decision is always location! Where do you want to have your Wedding, Beach, Midlands, Winelands, Bush or Formal? Please always consider travel time for your guests to your wedding when making this decision. Once you have decided on the location then you need to find a venue that has the look and feel that will carry your Wedding Vision into reality. You should create a shortlist of no more than 3 or 4 venues for site visits. We at ETC Events guide our Bridal couples through this process and then also take them on the site visits and walk them through the venues with a neutral eye focusing on their wants and needs for their Wedding Day.”
Wedding Venue Checklist
As mentioned when walking through these venues you need to have your Wedding vision in mind; ensuring you are clear on your expectations. Some vitally important questions when looking at venues to consider are:
- What does the Wedding package include? Just venue hire? Furniture? Accommodation?
- Does the venue have standard linen, cutlery, and crockery that can be used, thereby saving on hire costs?
- What type of accommodation is it? Self catering, B&B, Full Board
- How far is the accommodation from the venue? Are transfers required for guests after the party? South Africa has a zero-drink driving tolerance.
- Where do the 2 Bridal parties get dressed on the morning of the Wedding? Bride & Grooms party!
- Are there options for the Ceremony? If you are wanting an outside Ceremony is there a Plan B for rain and does it still work with your Wedding Vision?
- Access to the venue for Ceremony & Reception. Consider your guests and their comfort, do you have elderly guests or disabled guests that require wheelchair access? This is important to consider especially if you want an Outdoor ceremony.
- Does the venue have preferred suppliers or do they allow other suppliers to work at their venue?
- Is there an in-house caterer and can they supply menu options for you to then see the food offered? Food is extremely important at your Wedding and adds to the vision you want to create, so if a venue only offers a buffet and you want a plated meal then maybe this isn’t the venue for you.
- Is the venue licensed to sell liquor and are you able to bring in your own preferred Champagne and Wine? What then is their corkage fee?
- Is there a cutoff time on the night of the Wedding and can this be extended? What is the cost of this?
- What is the venue’s cancellation policy and payment plan? Are there any additional service fees?
- Does the venue have a generator? Are there any issues with power supply in the area?
- Does the venue have wifi and or a stable network connection if you are considering streaming your wedding for guests who can’t attend?
- Are there any major DO’S OR DON’TS at the venue? No fireworks/sparklers. Music is down by a certain time due to neighbours or restrictions in the area.
Download Your Wedding Venue Checklist Here
Some Final Advice
There are a lot of things to consider when viewing your potential Wedding venue. Please don’t rush; take your time. Ask to see as much as you can, toilets, accommodation, kitchen facilities, and bar facilities, and walk around on your own as a couple and chat through how you see your Wedding Vision fitting in at the Venue.
This is one of your Biggest and First decisions when Planning your Wedding so you need to do it properly. “ETC Events is here to help and ask all the right questions. We have been doing Weddings for over 20 years and know what is important to ensure your Wedding Day is everything you dreamed of and so much more.”
Contact Debbie from ECT Events for all Wedding Planning enquiries. She looks forward to hearing from you and making sure all your Wedding Dreams become a reality.
