As you click through websites and photos looking for your perfect wedding venue, you will surely be inundated with information. Finding the right wedding venue is hard! And even when you find one that you like online, there are several questions that need to be answered before you know if it is the right fit for you. With such a wide variety of wedding venues to select from with hundreds of different styles and inclusions to consider, when you do settle on a few that fit your wedding venue wish list, don’t stop at price and availability when determining if the space is worthy of a tour.
Many couples reach out to a wedding venue they love based solely off of the online research that they have gathered. You’ve never done this before, so the only questions that seem important at this point in the process are “how much is it going to cost?” and “is this date available?” In truth, there are several other factors that you should consider. Nevertheless, couples are stuck on those two factors.
When considering wedding venue price and availability, ask yourself the following questions:
- Is the wedding venue budget we set reasonable? Can we get a wedding venue that we want for the budget we have pre-set?
- Do we have any flexibility in our budget?
- If we fall in love with a wedding venue, but it is over our set budget, are we willing to book a wedding venue we don’t like as much for the cheaper price?
- Are we open to other months if it means a lower price?
- Are we open to other dates if it means we get the wedding venue we love?
- Are we willing to book our 5th favorite wedding venue if it means we get the date we want?
Look, we get it! Price and availability are important, but how important? Of course, there is a likelihood that you will find the perfect wedding venue within your budget that has your dream date available. But there are other things to consider. Start by thinking back to other weddings that you have attended in the past. What did you not like and what did you love about those events? Did you sweat through your suit during a super hot outdoor ceremony and you absolutely require an indoor wedding? Was there an extreme lack of getting ready space onsite, so dressing rooms are a must? Do you already have the DJ you love and require an open vendor policy? Once you start remembering past experiences, it is easy to make a must-have wedding venue list. Based on these wants and needs, ask questions that can help narrow down your search beyond pricing and availability which are more flexible than what you originally thought. Don’t waste time on wedding venues that can not accommodate your needs.
Here are some great questions to ask your potential venue before booking a tour:
- How many weddings/events do you host in a day?
- What is your vendor policy? Do you have in-house options, preferred lists, or are you open vendor?
- Can you send me some reviews from past clients?
- Are there separate ceremony and reception areas or is a flip required? Who does the necessary flipping of the space?
- Are there outdoor facilities?
- Is there ample parking for guests?
- How many hours are we allowed in the venue?
- What is your policy on children, pets, smoking, fireworks, etc?
- What rehearsal options do you offer?
- Are there any discounts or special offers that we need to be aware of?
- Is the price reflective of all services or are additional services a la carte?
- If our ideal date is not available, what comparable dates would you recommend that are open?
- If we decide to book, what are your payment plan options?
- What are the inclusions that we can expect with the quoted pricing?
- What makes your wedding venue different from others we might be considering?

Contributing Photographer: Beatbox Portraits