Booking a wedding venue sets it in stone that you’re finally going to walk down the aisle. It gets the ball rolling towards your big day, so it’s kind of a big deal. However, here are a few dos and don’ts of booking a wedding reception venue we think you need to know.
Do Read Everything in Your Contract
Before you put pen-to-paper and sign that wedding reception venue contract, make sure you’ve read and understood all the terms and conditions presented by the venue. We’ve heard many horror stories of couples who received debt-collector bills months after their reception because they failed to read all the fine print in their contracts.
Do Visit and Tour as Many Places as You Can
Many couples settle for the local church and hotel reception hall, when there are so many diverse, unique and exciting wedding venues out there, like the prestigious The Victorian, or the chic and sophisticated The Lemnos right here in Sydney. If you’re not in a rush, give yourself time to visit as many places as you can.
Do Inquire About Off-Season and Weekday Pricing Structures
A lot of couples are not aware that they can get lower booking fees for weekday weddings. This is also true about getting married in ‘off-seasons’ like winter and fall. You may also be delighted to find that the venues even offer discounts and promotions if you opt to host your wedding during these times.
Don’t Take Too Long Before You Book Your Dream Venue
There are only 52 Saturdays and 52 Sundays in a year. That means a venue can only host 104 weddings during the weekend each year. So if you absolutely, must get married on a Saturday or Sunday, and you’ve already found the venue of your dreams, don’t hesitate another moment to secure your date. A little delay and you might hear the unfortunate words, ‘Sorry, we’re fully booked for weekends this year.’
Don’t Try and Do Everything by Yourself
So many couples skip out on getting in-house help such as décor, catering, and music, in favor of bringing in their own people. In most cases it always ends up with the couple making last-minute panicked calls asking whether the sound guy has come, the caterer is one their way, and if the décor is ready. If a venue is offering additional services, do seriously consider taking them – it’ll make your life simpler. Trust us.
Don’t Settle for Less-Than-Perfect Venues Because They’re Cheap
You know the wedding reception venues we’re talking about. The ones that look amazing online and then when you visit them, you’re left gasping wondering if people actually pay to have their weddings there. Yes, those venues. While it might be tempting to settle for such a venue in the hopes of getting amazing décor to hide the peeling paint and unsightly walls – don’t! It just isn’t worth it because it will cost you a fortune to hire enough décor to cover all the walls. Take our word for it.
Do Contact Us
We’d love to hear about your dream wedding, and help you find the right venue. If you would like to sit down with a wedding venue expert and tour our venues, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our Clarence House agents on (02) 9750 3555 or (02) 9789 1662 or send us an email at admin@clarencehouse.com.au