Searching for the ideal venue for your wedding can be a daunting task. Before you start this endeavor, you may want to check out the following tips, as they could help you find your dream venue faster.
Decide Early Upon The Desired Geographical Location
Most couples want to make it as easy as possible for their guests to attend their big celebration. It’s your responsibility to make sure everyone can get to this venue with ease, even if you had to drive them there. Narrow down the geographical location to an area that works best for you.
Acknowledge Driving And Traffic Issues
Keep in mind that some of your guests may have to travel a big distance to get to your wedding. While almost everyone knows how to use a GPS app, this doesn’t mean you don’t need to worry about people coming to your wedding. The freeway system can be confusing, traffic congestion may occur when you least expect it, hence the need for you to provide your guests with specific directions and even with a map for them to use to get to the venue. Make sure all landmarks, street names or exits are marked on this map. You may even want to take a dry run yourself to see how accurate and easy to follow your map is. Also, try to do this test run by night, to see whether your guests will be able to drive back home safely in the dark.
Confirm Your Guest Count As Early As Possible
Beware that most facilities require a rough estimate of the number of people attending your event at least 60 days in advance. They would ask for a bank deposit that’s directly proportional to this number. Even though you won’t be able to get a confirmed guest count earlier than 3 days before the event, you should, at least, come up with a fairly accurate estimate early on, as your budget planning depends on this. Also, this would help you pick the right wedding venue for your ceremony.
Use Professional Help
If your spare time is very limited, you may not be able to handle all details of organizing such an important party. One of the best solutions is to choose a venue that provides full coordination services such as catering, flowers, room decoration, and music. Having a professional handle things on your behalf will make your life much easier. Besides, these professional wedding planners may already have agreements with vendors, hence being able to get better deals than the average customer. You may end up saving money by hiring professional help.
Watch The Food And Alcohol Quality
You’ll spend most of your budget on food and drinks for your guests. They are extremely important, so make sure you do pay attention to what you choose. Always check the quality of the food and drinks, their quantities and also their quality. If possible, ask for samples of some menu options before paying any deposit. It’s a good idea to ask for access to someone else’s party before it starts, to see how the caterer handles the presentation. Last but not least, be very specific when it comes to hard alcohol selections.