Whether you have just got engaged or you’ve been planning your wedding for some time, there’s no escaping the fact that getting married involves a lot of preparation. You and your partner will have to decide on a date, work out who to invite, pick a theme for your wedding – the list goes on!
But there’s one crucial element of your wedding that you will need to sort out before you can do anything else: you have to choose a venue.
Everyone’s idea of the perfect wedding venue is different. Some people daydream about getting married in the countryside, while others can’t imagine themselves outside of a town or city. For some, the dream venue is a hotel or a stately home, but other people might prefer to get married in a religious setting – for example, a church.
There are clearly a lot of options available when it comes to selecting a wedding venue, so how do you narrow it down? If you’re caught between options or you’re not sure where to begin, this guide is here to help.
Let’s take a look at the steps you can follow to find your dream wedding venue.
Think about how many guests are going to be there
One of the major deciding factors when it comes to choosing your wedding venue is the number of guests you intend to invite. For health and safety reasons, venues almost always have strict capacity limits.
So, before you start researching possible venues, it’s definitely worth taking the time to look at the probable size of your event. If both you and your spouse-to-be are planning to invite your extended families and all your friends, the guest list could easily number in the hundreds. On the other hand, some couples prefer the idea of a small, intimate wedding, with only a handful of guests.
Due to the limits on the number of people allowed inside a venue, you might want to invite people before you start looking into booking, so that you’ll have exact numbers when the venue asks.
Decide what kind of wedding you want to have
It wasn’t too long ago that most couples could expect to get married close to home, in a modestly sized location. But over the last few decades, people have been branching out, choosing wedding venues that match their vision of a dream wedding. Some people opt for destination weddings and get married on a sunny beach, but others would still rather stay local.
When you’re researching possible venues, think about the kind of location you want. How far are you willing to travel? Does the surrounding area matter to you? For example, if the setting and scenery of your venue are important to you, you could think about choosing somewhere like the enchanting South Farm wedding venue in Hertfordshire, particularly if you like the idea of getting married in the countryside.
You might also want to think about your guests, particularly family members. There are all sorts of reasons why people might not be able to travel a long way. So, if having everyone at the wedding is important to you, you should try to find a venue that’s perfect for you but still convenient for others.
Set a budget and stick to it
One thing that will have a big impact on your venue choice is your budget. You don’t want to end up in a situation where you think you’ve found the ideal venue, only to discover that it’s out of your price range.
To avoid this, set your budget before you start your search for a venue. That way, you’ll know that when you find your dream venue, you’ll be able to afford it.
Explore your options
There’s no rush to pick a venue – you don’t have to go with the first one you see. In fact, it’s better to take your time, as this gives you a chance to make sure you’re choosing somewhere you really like.
If you think you might be interested in a venue, make a note of the contact details so that you can get in touch and ask questions. You could also make a list of the pros and cons of each venue you encounter, as this will be helpful when it comes to making a decision.
The venue that you eventually go with might not look anything like the sort of place you initially thought you wanted, as the process of finding somewhere may lead to you developing a new vision of the perfect place to get married.
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