Congratulations! You’re Engaged, Now What…? – Magical Monday

Yay! You’re engaged!

At this point in the series of “Congratulations! You’re engaged, now what?” we are about 12 months away from your chosen date.

While you may have already chosen your venue, there may be other facilities desired. Many couples will hold their ceremony at one location, and their reception at another.

It is vital to this process that all of your dates align perfectly, these are the little details that can create waves on your wedding day. Confirming dates and having a physical contract will save you time, and a potential headache, in the event that something does go awry.  

It is incredibly common for couples to get married at their home church and then having their reception at a hall, or venue of the couple’s choice.

There is far more that goes into venue selection that the “ooh’s” and “ahh’s” of appearance and amenities.

Key factors that contribute to venue selection are guest count, style, ambiance, budget, spacial requirements, location, and what is or is not included are just a few.

Having a ballpark idea of your potential guest count is crucial to venue selection because you cannot have 200 guests at an intimate lodge with a maximum capacity of 50. Some things just will not work.

Budget is vital because, well, you more often than not, get what you pay for. If you are looking at hosting a frugal reception only with 50 guests, you might not choose the venue with a $20,000.00 rental fee.

Space is one of the most important parts of venue shopping! While it does revert back to guest count, you may also want to think of any extra spaces that you may want, or need. If you plan to have a sweets station, a drink station, maybe even a mimosa bar, you will need to ensure that you have adequate spaces available.

Finally, another major piece of booking the most perfect venue is to make sure there is a clear understanding by all parties involved of everything that is included, and what is not included. Are you allowed to bring in your own caterer? Does the venue have a preferred vendors list? Will there be a site coordinator included, and will they work well with your planner?

These are all questions that usually come up in walk-through visits and information tabs, but in the event that they do not, you now have the “Congratulations! You’re engaged, now what?” blog series to make sure you have everything covered! For what the blog does not cover, contact Fairy Godmother today to start planning your magical event!