How to Find the Right Wedding Venue for You- Hitched.co.uk

It can seem quite overwhelming when it comes to sitting down and choosing the place where your once-in-a-lifetime wedding will occur, but don’t worry –hitched.co.uk, know venues! We caught up with Assistant Editor Zoe Burke to see seven top tips to help you find the dream setting for your wedding.

Consider the Location

“When you’re looking for your dream wedding venue, make sure you narrow your search down to a practical range. There’s no point falling for a fairytale castle wedding venue in Scotland when you live in Brighton – how practical is it to plan a wedding in an area you don’t know and your guests will have to spend lots of time and money getting to?

Ask About the Capacity

Before you let yourself fall head over heels for the venue you’re viewing, ask them about their capacity. If you have a huge family and will need a venue that can host a huge crowd, cross intimate, boutique venues off your list. Likewise, if you fall for a large capacity wedding venue but have a guest list of 20, will you feel lost in the cavernous spaces? If you fall for a venue but they can’t host all your guests, you could always ask about the possibility of a marquee in the grounds.

Waldorf Hilton
Image credit: The Waldorf Hilton

Factor in Your Budget

Do your research before you make a short list of venues – find out how much the wedding packages cost and if there’s any room for negotiation. If not, cut your losses and move on, as there’s nothing worse than falling for something and finding out it’s way out of your price range. If you’ve already become besotted with a pricy venue, consider a weekday wedding or looking out of season to see if the prices dip.

Make a List

Have a list of venues you love, but also have a list of your non-negotiables. If you have your heart set on having your favourite rock band play at the reception, check that there aren’t sound restrictions. Perhaps you fancy a firework display at the end of the night, or candles everywhere – make sure there aren’t rules against open flames if this is something you desperately want.

Think Food and Drink

Are you happy to have in-house caterers and the standard alcohol the venue offers? If so, fine! If you want to bring in external caterers for a speciality meal and you want to provide your own alcohol (even tiny miniatures as favours) make sure you check there aren’t fees for this. Some venues don’t offer catering at all – are you happy to source your own catering and drink providers?

spitbank fort[1]
Image credit: Spitbank Fort

Ceremony Set Up

Do you want a wedding where everything takes place at one venue, or have you thought about a religious service or a register office ceremony? Check what the ceremony options at the venue are. You might be able to choose between ceremony rooms, or even have an outdoor wedding ceremony. If you are looking to actually marry somewhere else, consider the distance between the places and how easily you (and your guests!) can travel between the two.

Froyle Park
Image credit: Froyle Park

Trust Your Instincts

You’ll know as soon as you arrive if you’ve found the perfect place to say ‘I do’. Much like when you step into that dream bridal gown, you’ll feel it in the pit of your stomach. If when you’re walking around you don’t have butterflies and you can’t imagine you and your other half laughing, twirling and dancing the night away here with all your loved ones, move on.

the west mill
Image credit: The West Mill

Start your search for the perfect wedding venue on hitched where we have over 3,000 wedding venues to browse through.”

Zoe Burke, Assistant Editor 

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