One of the most important details you and your future spouse will have to do by yourselves is choose a venue. Once you know what you want, more or less have a guest list, and have the date of your wedding, you can figure out which venues you will need to host your wedding. Where to start planning your wedding or its further preparations can be dependent on your venue. Remember that you will usually have two venues, the place for the ceremony, and the place for the reception.

      Ideally, you should choose a venue that will fit your invited number of guests, that is easily accessible, is available on your wedding date or around the time you were hoping to be married, and that will suit what you wanted for your dream wedding.

• Things to Consider for Your Venue

      Before simply deciding on one place, remember to consider certain requirements you may need from your venue. One requirement that often gets overlooked is washrooms. Some venues do not have enough washrooms available after a certain number of people is reached. Make sure you have sufficient washrooms which work well or disasters may occur.

      Another requirement that is also overlooked is ventilation. Make sure your venue is properly ventilated and has a good cooling or heating system. You want to make sure your guests are comfortable and can breathe well.

      Next, make sure your venue is open to your proposed decorations. Some function halls, ballrooms, or reception halls do not allow certain types of decoration. This can be very important when it comes to throwing a theme wedding. Make sure you are aware of your venue's restrictions so you don't encounter any problems along the way. Other restrictions you need to consider are alcohol, fireworks, noise level, number of guests, and so on.

• Getting the Most Out of Your Venue

      When it comes to securing a venue, see if they have any package deals you can work with. For example, some places have in house catering. Compare these prices to the prices you have from your inquiry period. The price quoted by your venue may come out cheaper, but the food may not be as good. You then may want to secure a venue that does not charge extra for outside catering. So this is definitely something to consider, especially if getting an outside caterer will mean your venue charging you more.

      Ask your contact person if they can offer you other freebies or discounts for the venue. Some venues have a crew that can decorate the place the way you'd like it done, and many of them supply tables and chairs and table cloths. Always try to see what other items your venue may have to offer, and don't be shy to ask about it! Usually the more you avail of their various services, the bigger a discount you can get.

      Finally, remember the rule of NEVER SAY WEDDING. Say you are planning an event for a certain number of people, and that you will need a certain type of decoration, and other needs. Trust that when you say wedding they will hike up the price, giving excuses like “When we have weddings, we usually do this or that, and this is why it goes up to this price”, when really “this” and “that” are standard amenities you could have availed of for much cheaper!

Next Article: Planning Your Wedding Ceremony