After years of owning and managing a wedding venue in Southern Illinois we know that there are a few things you should know before booking a venue.
This season is exciting as you prepare for your new life together but it can also be overwhelming if you don't know where to start. One of the most important things to do early on is to determine what type of venue is perfect for your big day.
Booking your venue early in the planning process comes with a lot of advantages. However there are a few things you should do before signing any contracts with your dream venue. Here are 5 things we recommend you do before booking your perfect wedding venue.
#1 - Know Your Wedding Budget
Venues and their packages vary greatly in pricing! So it's important to have an overall wedding budget planned out before booking. You need to know what you realistically can spend on each vendor. Every venue is going to require some sort of deposit to reserve your date. Some venues it will be a percentage of the over all wedding package and others it will be a flat rate. You will need to have these funds already set aside and ready to go to book your venue. The last thing you want is to loose your first choice wedding date because you weren't prepared to book yet.
#2 - Have A Date In Mind
If you have a very specific date in mind you are going to want to inquire with venues sooner then later to secure that special day. If you are flexible with your date and are aiming more for a month or season you are still going to want to anticipate booking around 12 months out so you have time to secure the remaining vendors needed. Reaching out to venues and asking if they have openings on the date or season you want is a great way to narrow down your venue list.
#3 - Read The Contracts
So you found a venue or two you like and booked a tour!! Be sure to read the contracts. Each venue has different expectations of clients, policies and services that they provide and reading the contract that they provide will give you a better idea of what those are. Contracts contain important information like cancellation & rescheduling policies, when refunds are allowed and when they aren't and knowing these before booking can help prevent headaches later on.
#4 - Estimated Guest Count
Start your guest list before booking a tour with a venue. Having an estimated guest count will help narrow down your venue list. Some venues will actually charge based off the amount of guests that are invited and that could have a huge impact on your over all budget. Other venues have a max guest limit based off of what they know works well for their venue set up. Either way having an idea of how many guests will be invited will make the entire planning process go smoother.
#5 - Ask About Vendor Policies
Ask your top venues about their vendor policies. Some venues only work with a preferred vendor list. Others will charge you a fee for choosing vendors that aren't on their lists. Some like Celebrations Event Center has a list of recommended vendors we love but are open to working with any professional vendor you choose to hire. Knowing the vendor policy can save you money in the long run if you are looking to stay with in a certain budget.
Now that you know where to start and what to do before booking a venue your ready to book tours and secure your ideal wedding day date! If you would like to schedule a tour with Celebrations Event Center contact us here.
At Celebrations Event Center we value community over competition. We want to use our blog as a way to help support other locally owned wedding venues across the country. By choosing a locally owned venue over a corporate owned venue you will get a personalized service you won't find elsewhere. As you plan your wedding we hope you will consider a locally owned wedding venue like ours. You can find locally owned wedding venues on this wedding venue map.
Here are 5 locally owned venues from around the country.