So you have got engaged! You’re excited, everyone is excited! Champagne corks have popped and rightly you feel euphoric. So now the wedding planning starts. A chance to plan the wedding day of your dreams with the person you love. What could possibly go wrong?! Well, as a matter of fact, potentially quite a lot because planning a wedding can be stressful if you don’t have clear parameters at the outset.
Firstly, decide and be clear who’s opinions matter. Obviously you and your partner are the most important but will best friends or parents expect their views to be acted on? Decide who matters and stick to it!
When do you want to get married? We’re lucky in England to have four very different seasons. Each season offers couples a different ‘take’ on the traditional wedding, so it helps to decide the time of year before you start visiting venues. Some venues are fantastic on a fine Summer’s day but less good on a damp Autumn Friday!
Some venues have beautiful gardens but also offer warm, open fireplaces for ‘cosy’ Winter weddings. Outdoor weddings are always lovely but does the venue have a good back up plan to deal with the vagueries of the British summer? These are all vital elements to consider when choosing your venue.
In Essex couples are blessed with numerous stunning venues from which to choose. Stately homes, rustic barn, festival vibe tippees, castles, golf courses, pubs! I always suggest a couple should make a short-list of venues to view that reflects their characters, interests and style. If you’re an informal type it’s probably best not to choose a stately home – it is hard not to be formal when surrounded by such grandeur!
Another key consideration is location. Where are most of your friends and family travelling from? Generally people are happy to travel up to one hour to get to a wedding. Further than that will probably involve an overnight stay ……… will your friends be happy to travel further? Many venues, like Houchins have accommodation on-site for close family and friends but are there other hotels and AirB&B’s near by to scoop up guests from further afield?
So you have thought through all the above and prepared your short-list of venues that meet your search criteria.
As you arrive, what are your first impressions? Always trust your gut instincts – they’re normally right!
Is the person showing you around friendly and helpful? Are they listening to you and helping you visualise your wedding day at their venue? OR are they telling you how your wedding will be at THEIR venue!!?? It should become clear pretty quickly if it is the type of venue that is flexible and genuinely cares about delivering a happy memorable day for you and your friends.
If the venue is ticking all the boxes then price looms on to the horizon. Can we afford it? Nowadays most venues offer different prices by day and month so there should normally be one to suit you if you like the venue.
Get a good idea of the likely TOTAL cost. Hospitality costs have increased a lot in the last couple of years so get a firm idea of what the total cost is likely to be – ask the venue to give you an indicative budget for the type of wedding you want. Or perhaps choose an inclusive package. Many venues now offer all inclusive packages so you know at the outset what the costs will be. Packages give you greater certainty of cost but may offer less choice, so choose carefully!
Like buying a house, choosing your venue is a fine balance between the emotional and the financial. The key is to feel comfortable:
- Comfortable that the venue meets your needs
- Comfortable with the team who will manage your wedding day
- Comfortable with the total cost.
Your wedding day is such an epic, wonderful day – quite possibly the happiest day of your life! So you need a venue that makes you ‘comfortable’. Any discomfort at the outset may lead to unwanted stress in the build up to your wedding.
Have fun and enjoy the planning ‘journey’!
Good luck.
