Once upon a time, when I was the manager of a wedding venue (circa 2016), I had such an excitable soon-to-be bride that as we came to the end of her first-ever viewing, she told me she wanted to book the venue, and pay the deposit right there and then, even though she was there with her best friend and not her future husband! Believe me, that level of excitement is super contagious, and I didn’t want to burst her bubble, but I also know that that level of excitement wears off. Then the head kicks in, the rational thinking, the reality of booking your wedding venue and the responsibility of paying the (often non-refundable) deposit. Reader, I didn’t take her money, of course I didn’t. I told her I’d hold the date for her while she chatted with her partner, they worked out the financials/logistics and invited them to come back and view together before confirming. In the end, I don’t think it took them long, but she did book, and they went on to have an amazing (but fairly raucous, if I remember rightly) day!
This kind of scenario wasn’t uncommon where I worked (Walcot Hall, if you’re interested) because the venue was magic. It would sweep you off your feet, was home to the most enchanting gardens and grounds, and accommodated 100+ guests. But my team and I got used to meeting many excitable couples, plus their families and friends so we would know what important information to share and when was the right time to give couples space to think and imagine their special day in those magical surroundings.
Although the romance of booking ‘the one’ at first glance and being able to tick that massive task off your wedmin list seems fun and super exciting, I would urge you to try not to get too swept up in the moment. There are a few questions that you need to ask your venue before you sign on the dotted line. For most couples, this will be your first marriage or even the first wedding or significant event you’ve ever planned, so it’s fair to say you might feel overwhelmed. Choosing your wedding venue should be done with equal parts head and heart. Every venue is different, and so is every wedding, but as long as you ask these key questions (and are happy with the answers), I believe you’re safe to let the heart take over, get your credit card out and secure the one!
So, with that in mind, let’s go…
Planning Tip
Make sure you get as much as you can down in writing, and keep communication clear and transparent with your venue coordinator throughout your wedding planning journey. They want you to have the best day EVER and will do everything they can to make that happen, but be realistic with your requests and remember they could be juggling multiple wedding bookings at once.