HOW TO ROCK YOUR WEDDING VENUE TOUR- Grand Forks | Fargo Wedding Photographer Shawn Morrissey Photography
One of the most exciting parts of wedding planning (now that the proposal has finally happened!) is choosing the perfect wedding venue for your dream wedding day! Let’s assume that you already have spent hours online viewing websites of countless venues and have narrowed them down to a handful of favorites. Beautiful churches, scenic outdoor landscapes, rustic spaces with modern touches…there are so many choices!! How do you finally choose the right one?? Well, the only way you get a TRUE feel for the venue is by visiting the venue in person and taking a tour.
The Ultimate Guide to Your Wedding Venue Tour
5 Things to Look For In a Wedding Venue:
Cleanliness
Friendly, organized staff
Clear, concise answers to your questions
Amenities - Does it have everything you’ll need on your wedding day: Parking, Restrooms, Getting ready space, heat/AC, etc…?
The guest experience – How did it make you feel? How you felt is probably how your guests will feel.
3 Things to Consider During Your Venue Tour:
Most importantly, can you two picture yourselves getting married here?
Can you see yourself working with the wedding planning team?
Does this venue fit within our budget?
Questions to Ask During The Tour:
How long do we get the space on our wedding day?
Is there a dressing room on site? (Or will you have to arrange a different place to get ready the morning of your wedding?)
Who would be your point-of-contact through the planning process?
Do they have in-house caterers or a list of preferred vendors, or can we choose our own?
Is there anything you’ll have to provide on your own?
Are there any restrictions? (Like noise ordinance, curfew, parking)
Other Helpful Tips To Make The Most Of Your Tour:
You should only bring the ‘decision-makers’ to your tour. It’s fun to bring along all your closest friends, but choosing your venue is an important decision…it’s best to only have yourself, your fiancé, your parents, and/or any financial contributors at the tour.
You should make a list of questions to ask during the tour. During the tour, you may be excited, full of emotions, and may get distracted with all the ideas swirling around in your head while viewing the space. You may easily forget any questions you may have had and regret not asking them. Come with a list!
Ask if the person giving the tour can be the same person who will be your point of contact after your book (should you decide to book). This way you can get a feel for the person you will be working with the entire journey from booking the venue to your wedding day. Is this person easy to get along with? Do they answer all of your questions clearly? Do they seem to care about your vision? You definitely want to meet who you will be working with before you book.
The only REAL way to choose the perfect venue for YOUR wedding is to visit it! Take in all of the sights, sounds, smells, and FEEL the vibe. You’ll have that “gut feeling” when you walk into that perfect venue and that’s something you should definitely pay attention to! So take these tips, go visit your favorites, and get started on this crazy adventure of planning your wedding!