Top Five Tips for Choosing a Wedding Venue

We caught up with the House Manager of prestigious wedding venue, Moor Park Mansion.


Pre-Wedding Shoot 22   OP7A0460   groom-and-father-joke-cutting-cake-elegant-summer-wedding-photography-Moor-Park-Mansion-©-Fiona-Kelly-Hertfordshire-wedding-photographer

When you are planning your wedding there a many important things to consider – from the dress, to the number of guests, the cake and of course, whom to marry! But the one thing that you and your guests will remember for years to come is the venue you choose for your special day. From how it looked and how seamless the staff made the day, to the food and atmosphere it provides.

We caught up with Robert Fortey who is the House Manager at Moor Park Mansion. Moor Park is a luxurious wedding venue nestled in 300 acres of Hertfordshire’s countryside, yet only 20 minutes from Central London. Robert has been advising brides and grooms on their special day for over 20 years and has organised thousands of bespoke weddings at his stunning venue. Who better to tell us the top five things you should look for when considering the venue for your wedding.

Initial Impressions

If the person showing you around the venue is late for no apparent reason, shows no interest in your wedding, or gives you the impression that they are doing you a favour by showing you around. WALK AWAY. There are plenty of other places. You are the client and you are spending good money at their venue.

The Wedding Co-ordinator

Ask who will be running your wedding. Do you have a dedicated co-coordinator and will they be there on the day? If not, ensure that you have a full written breakdown of the event.

A good co-ordinator will not have an issue with you making changes in advance of your wedding, but DO advise the Co-ordinator of any changes by email, as a telephone conversation is not a valid record and can be open to misinterpretation. 

Your Co-ordinator should be able to advise you completely, but also willing to leave the final choice to you. If your Co-ordinator does not think something will work, but you feel passionate about it DO NOT give up. Ultimately nearly everything is possible at a price.

When you are happy with the confirmation and running order your co-ordinator provides, STICK WITH IT. Do not try to change things on the day.

Wedding Insurance

Wedding Insurance is a must for all full weddings. The money you spend at your chosen venue takes a large chunk of your wedding budget and that needs protecting. If a venue does not recommend you take out independent insurance, be wary. Take out the insurance as soon as you have booked your venue. You are covered from that point onwards should anything happen to disrupt your plans. It is worth considering an insurance package that also covers your honeymoon. Think of your insurance as peace of mind, rather than a negative necessity.

Food Tasting

A food tasting session at your venue when planning your wedding is not desirable, it is essential. The session will perfectly illustrate the portion sizes and the look of the food and, equally important, how the food tastes. Take a camera with you and ensure that you take a photograph of each dish before you start tasting. Do not be embarrassed to tell the chef if you do not like a dish, or an element of it. Their job is to make sure your wedding breakfast is exactly how you want it to be and should be flexible to meet your requests.

A good venue should advise that if you decide to have a multiple of choices for your guests, rather than a fixed menu, you need to budget for additional food items: no one remembers exactly what they have chosen months before the event.

Toastmaster

A red coated professional Toastmaster to be your front man on the day sets the scene perfectly. Ask your venue if they provide this service or recommend someone who knows the venue well. A good Toastmaster will ensure that you are speaking to the right person at the right time and also be able to understand when you need a break from guests and photographers. You can sometimes feel like you are facing the paparazzi and a Toastmaster will take the stress out of the situation, leaving

you free to enjoy your day. The Toastmaster can also help you with speeches and toasts and makes the day infinitely smoother.

Whilst every couple will find stresses in the run up to their Wedding, by following these five tips you should ensure that your wedding is seamless and enjoyable – from the day you book your venue to when the last person leaves the dance floor.

Meet Moor Park Mansion on stand D7.