INDOOR WINTER WEDDING

       THINGS TO THINK ABOUT WHEN PICKING AN INDOOR WEDDING VENUE

So you’ve decided to choose an indoor venue for your winter wedding. There are a lot of things that you should consider when picking an indoor wedding venue. It’s a good idea to have several places that you would be happy with in case one is not available on your wedding date, or another is too expensive, or your first choice is suddenly unavailable. Here are a few of the important things that you should keep in mind when picking an indoor venue for your wedding.

The Church or Ceremony Venue

If you want to have your wedding ceremony at a different location than your reception, like at a church or at City Hall, you need to take some things into consideration before putting down your deposit.

Is the location easy to find and get to?

Family and friends that may be coming from far away need to be able to easily find the venue. Make sure that the location is well marked and is easy to find. It helps if the location is a church or someplace like City Hall that really can’t be missed, but if you choose a picturesque church that’s off a back country road it might be difficult for friends and family to find. If your heart is set on a place that is not well marked or hard to find, plan on coming to the venue before the wedding and posting signs or balloons along the route to let family and friends know where to go.

How many people does the venue hold?

This can be a big consideration for brides when choosing a venue for the ceremony. If the only people attending the ceremony are immediate family then you probably don’t need a church that holds 500 people, however if you have invited 500 people you will need a venue that can hold that many people comfortably. One of the first decisions you need to make about your wedding is approximately how many people you will be inviting.

What dates is the venue available?

If you have your heart set on a particular church or hall for the wedding ceremony, then you should plan to be flexible on the date of the wedding in case the venue is already booked on your first choice date. If it’s a very popular wedding venue, think about choosing an unusual day or time for your service. There will be a better chance that you will be able to get the venue of your dreams if you hold your wedding on a weekday, or in the morning as opposed to late afternoon.

Are there any special requirements?

If you want to be married in a particular church, the church rules might require that you and your fiancée attend that church for a particular period before you can rent the church for your marriage. Some churches require all engaged couples to attend a certain number of pre-marital counseling sessions before the wedding can take place. Be sure to ask if there are any special requirements you need to follow.

What is the decorating like inside?

If the theme of your wedding is a Fantasy wedding, you don’t want to hold your ceremony in a building that has a very Modern style and Modern décor. While it is possible to change the décor of the inside of the building just for your wedding, you need to decide if all that extra work is worth the effort or if it would be easier to just find a more suitable venue for the marriage ceremony.

How much does it cost?

This can be the deal breaker for a bride on a budget. Ask about the price of the venue before you go to see it so that you don’t fall in love with a place that is way out of your price range. Some venues are willing to negotiate price, especially for winter weddings, so always ask if they are open to negotiation or if the price is fixed if you really like the venue but aren’t sure you can afford it. Be sure to ask how much the deposit is and whether or not the deposit is refundable.

Is there a reception hall on the premises?

It can save a lot of time and hassle if there is a place to hold the reception on the same site that the wedding ceremony will be held. Many churches have reception halls or banquet halls that can be rented for a discounted price when you rent the church for a wedding. Be sure to inspect the reception hall and see if it’s appropriate for the theme of your wedding. If you plan on having a large reception the church’s reception hall might not be adequate for your needs.

How much parking is available?

If your guests will be arriving by car, they will need to park their cars. If you are having only immediate family as guests at the marriage ceremony then parking will probably not be a large factor in your decision, but if you are having hundreds of guests who are all coming by car, parking could be a major headache if you don’t take the parking capacity of the venue into consideration. Especially in the winter, you don’t want to have guests walking a long distance or walking through a snowy or icy parking lot to reach the ceremony. If many of your friends and family are coming from out of town, suggest that they all stay at the same hotel and consider chartering a limo or a shuttle to get the guests to the ceremony.

The Reception Hall

Most of the questions you ask about the ceremony venue you should also consider about the reception hall. These include the location, the cost, the deposit, the parking situation, capacity, and how many people it can comfortably hold. There are a few things to consider that are specific to the reception hall. Many hotels and banquet halls have professional wedding coordinators on staff that will be happy to show you the room and answer all your questions about holding your reception at that venue.

Is there a kitchen?

Even if you’re just having a cocktail or even a breakfast reception, there needs to be a space for the caterer to set up, do any last minute cooking, and use as a base of operations. Be sure to ask if there is a kitchen or prep area, if the caterers and wait staff will have easy access to a kitchen or prep room, and if outside caterers are allowed. If you are renting a ballroom or dining room at a hotel or banquet hall then usually outside caterers are not allowed and you will be required to use their on site catering. Even if you are going to use on site catering ask about cake delivery and set up; sometimes there is an additional charge for this service.

What is the procedure for bar and drink service?

Does the on site catering service include drinks? Do they have a liquor license? Is a bartender included in the service fee? Ask what beverages are available and what the set up procedure is. If you want to have a “hot beverage bar” at the reception ask one of the reception venue catering staff beforehand if it’s possible to have that set up or if you need to make your own arrangements for that, and for a traditional alcoholic bar.

Is the room set up for sound?

Are you going to have a live band at your reception? Or are you going to hire a DJ to play music? Maybe you’re just going to use a CD player to play a variety of CDs. No matter what method you will be using to provide music at your reception you will need a sound system to do it. Ask about the wiring in the room. Is there a PA system? Is the room wired properly to accommodate a DJ with a lot of audio equipment? Is there a CD player already in the room or will you need to bring your own? All of these questions are important to ask when considering booking a reception hall.

Are there any pricing packages and discounts?

If the facility requires that you use their on site catering service, make an appointment to sit down with the wedding coordinator of the facility to ask about important aspects of the reception. Ask the coordinator about different pricing packages, discounts, and things like whether or not you can decide between a sit down dinner and a buffet dinner and how many wait staff are included, how much decorating you can do in the hall, if there are any time restrictions, clean up requirements, and if it’s a hotel, whether or not you can get a discount for reserving an entire block of rooms. If you need any special equipment or decorating, ask about it before you sign the contract.