Your dream wedding ceremony: 10 questions to ask
It’s not every day that we celebrate our wedding. We want everything to be ready on time. We want our wedding day to be perfect.
Essential to your special day is finding the best place to register. For your wedding venue research, It is essential to travel to visit before booking. We do not deprive ourselves and we submit all our questions to the owner of the room. This is why we have listed 10 questions to help you in this process.
If you plan to have your wedding in France or another destination wedding, here are some important questions to get as much information as possible to help you to choose the venue that is right for you. To make sure you don’t get caught short, you’ll need to know the details of your contract.
- Can the venue accommodate the number of guests I expect?
The real question you should ask yourself is not how many people I invited, but how many people are actually coming to the event, and can the venue handle the size of the event? Whether it will be a small committee or a large event.
Make sure that the wedding venue room you envision will be able to accommodate all your guests and that they won’t be cramped or lost in it. The ideal reception room will be one that gives you enough space for your guests to sit comfortably at the table and dance without stepping on each other.
What is my budget? How much does it cost to rent the venue?
To get ready for your wedding reception, it is very important to define a budget before visiting a venue. This will help you to determine if the venue is suitable for your needs and your budget.
Is there an outdoor space? And is it possible to use it?
If the location you are considering has a patio, garden, woods and you would like to use them, first ask the people in charge of the location if you have the right to do something. If so, you might consider having your cocktail outside or why not have your wine reception in the garden? With your wedding floral design, it will be beautiful.
How many days/hours in advance can my team come and settle in? And at what time should we leave the wedding venue.
Is it possible to rent by the day, for several days? Is it possible to come the day before to drop off certain items? Or to have your wines and champagne delivered the week before?
To be well organized, you need to know at what time you can come to the place for any preparation.
If your event takes place on a Saturday evening and the venue has a reservation for the afternoon of the same day, the schedule for setting up your event may be tight. Check this before booking!
Many venues impose a late-night schedule. You need to have as much information as possible to organize yourself and when your guests will be expected to return home.
Don’t forget to ask what time you should return the room free of wedding decorations.
Does your venue have parking?
To offer easy access to your guests who often come from far away if it is a wedding in France, it will be useful to be able to provide them with a parking space. Remember to ask the owners if they provide parking, how much capacity, and whether or not it is guarded.
Parking is very convenient for both of you. To avoid a search for a parking lot with a long walk.
In case there is no parking, ask about parking solutions near the reception area.
Is the reception hall exclusive to us?
Some desired locations sometimes host several events simultaneously. If your room is part of a hotel or hostel, you may have to meet other guests staying at the venue. This is why it would be useful to ask for the exclusivity of the place, so as not to have an unpleasant surprise.
In case you don’t have exclusivity, find out which spaces will have to be shared (garden, toilets, entrance, etc.) to make sure you have enough privacy to celebrate the big day of your life.
- If it is in a hotel or inn, what other rooms are available (bride’s room, groom’s room). Are there any extra charges?
As mentioned above, there may be families who have traveled from far away to attend the wedding destination. Having a room on-site would be convenient for everyone.
Today, most facilities have hotel guests available, but there may be an additional fee or the room may not be available on that day. It doesn’t hurt to ask! So let’s get as much information as possible!
- How do they handle last-minute cancellations due to bad weather or other unforeseen events?
Although we try to control everything about our event, bad weather can happen, especially if we book well in advance. Ask the person in charge about the arrangements in such cases. We cannot predict the future, so it is not a problem to inquire if there might be any kind of hindrance.
- Does the room impose certain providers?
Before validating your choice, don’t hesitate to ask if certain providers are taxed. Wedding Caterer, Wedding DJ, furniture rental, some places impose to work with certain professionals in particular, for convenience because they are used to working with them, to make sure that everything goes well.
In any case, do not sign if one of these imposed providers does not suit you.
- What about catering? Is it possible to use my own caterer?
Can I bring my own alcohol? Can my caterer use the kitchens or do I have to use your kitchen staff?
Many wedding receptions require you to use their in-house caterer and staff, or their preferred list of caterers. However, food is at the top of our requirements. If you already had one insight or don’t like the caterers offered at the venue, why not ask the venue owner what they think.
- What services are included in the rental price?
- Do we need to rent décor and equipment?
In addition to crockery or certain service and decoration items, find out whether the price of the room rental includes lighting, heating or air conditioning, cleaning service for the reception area, set-up, checkroom, waiters, whether you will have to pay extra if you go over schedule, etc. Get things straight before you sign the contract!
- Are Securities and Hostessesincluded in the service
Every wedding venue has its own service, so be careful and ask for every little detail.
- What about tables, chairs, covers?
Do you provide the tables? If so, how many tables are there? Are they round, rectangular or oval? How many people can be placed per table? Can you also explain how the tables will be arranged? Are the tables also included in the rental price? If a supplement applies, how much is it? And if there are no tables on-site, do you have a rental company to recommend?
Do you also provide the chairs? Are they included in the rental price or is there a supplement, and if so, how much is it? How many chairs are there? What type of chair is it? Do you also provide high chairs for children and how many?
Do you provide chair covers, tablecloths, towels, or dishes? Is there an extra charge and how much is it?
- Music and entertainment equipment: Microphone, projector and other
It is necessary to ask if they provide a microphone and is it a wireless microphone? Want to know if it already is plugged in and ready to use or will we have to do it ourselves and how? Does the room also have a projector and how do we use it? Do you also provide a screen for the projection?
If you have your own wedding DJ, ask if they provide DJ equipment, a mixer, speakers, and lights? And if you have to pay extra to use this equipment? Can the lights be dimmed to enhance the atmosphere at certain moments of the evening? Does the room also have an easel?
It is essential to ask all your questions to your providers before signing a contract with them. Beyond the owners of the reception hall, remember to ask your wedding caterer, wedding florist, wedding photographer, or wedding game manager for more details. All the positions have their importance and even the wedding animation will have to be checked beforehand to make sure you get the expected service.
We hope this article has helped you move forward with your wedding planning. Don’t panic and stay calm, your wedding will be perfect.
If you want more information about weddings in France, contact us!
Wedding planner in France All rights reserved ©
Made with Love in Paris