So you want that special day to be made even more special by the choice of venue? Well why wouldn’t you, after all it’s not every day that you get married. One of THE major things to get sorted for the big day is the location and type of the wedding venue itself.
So many people make the mistake of approaching a venue prior to doing their due diligence. They end up getting drawn in and booking the venue even though there may have been better options out there. So why do people do this? Part of the reason may be down to the fact that many couples find the process of finding the right venue tedious and often stressful. They agree to end the pain as it were. Others are often taken in by the sales pitch of the hotel once they have expressed an interest and say yes too quickly.
It doesn’t have to be like this. The key to finding the right venue is simply research. And research can be fun….if you do it together. You should never let your partner do all the research. Both of you need to get involved and support each other in the process.
Armed with some basic facts you need, such as a basic price point and number of guests that need to be catered for, simply head off to your nearest Google page. There are a myriad of sites out there for individual venues for you to browse. However I would definitely recommend that you find a local wedding venue directory of which there are many. These are simply sites that list all in one place all the wedding venues in your locality. They will have search facilities to narrow things down as much or as little as you want and show the facilities that are on offer for each venue.
Of course it would help tremendously if you know what type of venue you are contemplating…. and there are many different options open to you.
Here are some you might want to consider:
Traditional Hotels: - There are many to choose from ranging all the way up to 5 star rating. Some are more luxurious than others however. The vast majority of venues are of this type.
Modern Luxury Hotels: - Usually very contemporary. Many are classed as “boutique” styles and provide sumptuous facilities for often very reasonable rates.
Country Houses and Stately Homes: - Generally few and far between but they are usually in gorgeous locations and quality is usually assured. Traditional style and service are a certainty.
Castles: - As above but potentially even more extravagant.
Marquee Wedding Reception: - Could potentially be held at any of the above venues as long as there is a large outdoor space available.
Sports and Country Clubs: - There are lots of these clubs around and many in fabulous locations and can provide excellent facilities too. Check out your local golf clubs and country spa clubs. There are hidden gems amongst them.
Restaurants and Pubs: - Often at the cheaper end but if you do your research you can find some really intimate and gorgeous restaurant venues that are truly special.
Venues with Unique Qualities: - There are numerous venues that provide luxury with a unique location or perhaps a building that is somewhat quirky. Examples may be converted churches, lighthouses, Grand Halls in Universities, tall ships, windmills and the like.
Browsing through the directories will cut down a lot of time compared to going through each individual website of a particular venue, however if you can think beforehand of the type of wedding venue you want then this will help tremendously. You also need to be aware of the facilities that you require e.g. wheelchair access perhaps, and whether the venue can accommodate you on these issues.
So as the title suggests, there are a variety of flavours to choose from and you need to suck them and see. By that I mean that you should research them individually on line once you have narrowed the choices down a bit and then visit the venue yourself if possible. This could well be prior to expressing an interest with the venue. By doing it this way there will be no hard sell from the venue and you can make a decision in a more relaxed frame of mind. The quality of the customer service is something you should look out for. You may only be in the hotel bar for a drink but their professionalism and attention to detail should still stand out.
Once you have narrowed it down to two or three venues you might then want to contact each one and express an interest. Then sit back and see how they respond to you. The venue you want for your wedding will treat you well, so let them make the running. Nothing short of outstanding customer service and professionalism should be what you are looking for. Hopefully they will assign just one person for you to liaise with, so a rapport can be developed between you. Most couples find that the process gets a lot easier towards the end as the venue that is right for them stands out from the crowd.
If you have invested the time as a couple doing your due diligence and building a rapport, a relationship, with the staff of your chosen venue then you will surely reap the rewards for the day itself. You will feel less stressed as you’ll be confident that the venue and its staff will be organised, efficient and at the same time pleasant and courteous. You can then concentrate on what it’s all about. After all it’s not every day you get chance to marry the most fabulous person on the planet is it?
This author of this article is Andy Lunt who writes and blogs for a number of wedding sites, mainly based on Scottish weddings. You can read more of his articles
at Wedding Venues Glasgow