A task that many couples find difficult to do - For some, it can be a lengthy process and one that can at times, feel quite overwhelming. It's one of the most key parts of the planning process, as your chosen wedding venue will essentially define your day. The look, feel, size, location, small print and price are huge factors that all need considering when finding the right venue for you.

*Photography by Kat Gillespie | Wedding Venue: Woods Quay, Central London*

For those who don't have a planner to hand to guide you through this gargantuan task, try to discuss and finalise the following prior to starting your search:

Set your budget

It’s key prior to starting anything, that you both agree on a budget to work with. Along with catering, the venue will absorb a huge amount of your desired spend. Without having a rough idea of what you can afford, couples can easily find themselves committing to a venue that they later discover, is out of their price range. You may then find yourselves cutting back on other key elemtents of the day and making a lot more compromises that you didn’t intend on doing.

Know your capacity

Another critical task is to decide on a guest list. Having a good idea of numbers prior to your search will not only save you time at the beginning, but will really help narrow down finding the right venue for your capacity and requirements.

settle on a location

Whether it’s here in the UK or oversees abroad, deciding on a location will also save you a huge amount of time when searching for your ideal venue. Various areas and locations will then provide different factors for you to consider; You may find venues outside of a city to be more spacious, but tend to be more traditional in appearance. Inner-city weddings then provide easier access for your guests but are generally more expensive to hire. Either way, choose a location that has meaning to you but don’t forget to be mindful of the pro’s and con’s of any location.

Decide on a vision

Even though you’re at the very early stages of your planning process, it’s useful to consider how you may want your wedding to look and feel. Your chosen venue and location are essentially your stage, a canvas for which you will use when it comes to the overall aesthetic.

Create a ‘must have’ list of non-NEGOTIABLES

Like anything, there are bound to be compromises when it comes to finding the right wedding venue. Very rarely will couples find the ‘perfect’ venue. A great way to tackle these compromises is to compile a list of non-negotiables. Having this list to hand will help eliminate venues that simply don’t hit your absolute must-have requirements.

Once you start receiving all of the relevant information and pricing from your prospective venues, remember to consider a few things prior to making a final decision:

understand exactly what’s included

It’s key to find out exactly what’s included in each venue proposal and what isn’t. It’s better to find this out prior to committing to a venue, rather than afterwards, as this could determine some important factors later on in your planning process. Does the venue come with any furniture? Does the venue provide an in-house caterer? Is there on-site accommodation? Is the venue able to provide some technical equipment? These are all questions that need to be asked…If a venue doesn’t provide something, then it’s likely you will need to source these elements yourselves. Bear in mind, the more a venue offers, usually means higher the fee. There are pro’s and con’s to both all-inclusive packaged venues and dry-hire venues, just make sue you fully understand the difference between the two.

Check for strict or preferred supplier policies

As part of a venue’s contract with you, it’s sometimes requested that couples are required to use suppliers and vendors that have been hand-picked and vetted by the venue only. Some venues are less-strict on this than others, whereby they have a ‘preferred’ supplier list but are not totally against working with a supplier of the couple’s own choosing. Either way, it’s important to check this with your venue as this could determine who you can or can’t work with, especially if you have a range of suppliers in mind who you are set on booking.

Ask about access and closing times

When it comes to planning the set-up and logistics of the wedding day, you’ll need to know when suppliers and guests have access to the venue and when everyone needs to vacate by. Some venues allow set-up to take place the day before and pack-down to take place the day after, but others request that everything is taken down and packed away the same day with access to the venue only a couple of hours before guests arrive. This is a critical factor that you will need to consider, especially when it comes to booking other suppliers in the lead up and finalising your ‘on the day’ timeline and schedule.

Always check for insurance

With any supplier or vendor that you book, it’s important to ensure that they all have the right insurance in place. Any active business that works or has contact with members of the public should have PLI in the event that should something happen, they are covered. Just like venues and industry professionals, couples should also consider taking out their own individual wedding insurance. It's an optional policy that gives you protection if certain things were to go wrong with your wedding plans, such as a problem with the venue or a supplier.

Never forget to read the small print

With any contract you receive, always read the small print. It’s important to make oneself aware of the specific terms, conditions, restrictions and limitations of an agreement and contract, especially with a venue. Couples might be aware of the main, key elements of the booking but more often than none, slip-up when it comes to missing out on other crucial elements that they need to be aware of prior to the wedding day, that they may not initially think of.

Finding the right wedding venue