Ten questions to ask before you book your venue

The venue shapes almost every decision that follows: the date, the guest list, the menu, even the light in your photographs. These are the questions we ask on every site visit, long before anyone talks about flowers.

The practical ones

1. Which dates are really free? Ask for the full calendar, not only the date you have in mind. A Friday or a September Sunday can open doors (and budgets).
2. What is included in the hire fee? Tables, chairs, linen, staff, cleaning, security: write it down, line by line.
3. Are there preferred or exclusive suppliers? Some venues only allow their own caterer or florist. That is fine, as long as you know before you sign.
4. How late can the music play? Local curfews and noise limits decide whether the party ends at midnight or at three.
5. Where do guests sleep? Count the beds within ten minutes of the venue, and ask whether rooms can be held for you.

The ones people forget

6. What happens if it rains? Visit the rain plan with the same care as the sunny one. If you wouldn’t want to celebrate there, it isn’t a plan.
7. When can suppliers set up, and when must they be gone? An extra morning of setup changes what is possible with flowers and lighting.
8. Is the venue step-free? Think of grandparents, prams and anyone in heels on gravel.
9. What else is happening that day? A second wedding, a public restaurant, a hiking trail through the garden: better to know now.
10. How do the deposit and cancellation terms work? Read them twice, then once more with a calm cup of tea.

Our quiet rule

Visit at the time of day your ceremony will take place. A terrace that glows at four o’clock can sit in deep shade by six. The light is part of the venue, and it is the one thing no one can change.