4 Tips for Booking Your Venue

 This is literally going to be the hardest part of your wedding planning process. No joke. It’s the reason why wedding planners sometimes double their price from full service to partial planning packages because it is such a long and drawn out process. You go in thinking you want one thing and then you end up with something COMPLETELY DIFFERENT and guess what? That’s Okay! I personally feel that sometimes when we think so much as to how something should turn out, life literally laughs at that plan and throws you something completely different and in the end, it was probably a way better choice anyway. So buckle up, venue search is a ride.

 Alright so you’ve reached out to all of the venues you’ve found based on what we discussed before this and you’ve narrowed your list down to your top five venues...so now it’s time to visit those venues for site tours. Set up those site tours based on your availability and be sure to record and take as many photos to show family after the fact.

 Once the site tours are completed, ask the venue coordinators to send an ITEMIZED wedding proposal and contract that include taxes, gratuities, and any minimum information of the venue. Also ask for any added fees that need to be considered for the wedding budget. Ask them to send the proposals based on your plan A guest list and plan B guest list so you have an idea of what your total wedding budget looks like based on different guest counts.

 Once you have all of this information, narrow it down with your fiancé. Contemplate your budget sheet and discuss pros and cons to the venues including pricing.

Don’t Forget The Rule Of Thumb Of How To Calculate Budget:

The total price (including taxes/gratuities) from the wedding proposal is 50% of your total wedding budget

(if it includes venue + food + liquor + furniture),

Hotel Venue:

Venue + Food + Liquor + Furniture = 50% of total wedding budget

And if it’s a DIY venue, then calculate your venue fee + catering/liquor costs + furniture costs + if needed tent and that will equal 50% of your budget.

DIY Venue:

Venue Fee + Catering/Liquor Costs + ALL Furniture Costs including ceremony and cocktail hour + Tent = 50% of total wedding budget

**This percentage is not applicable if you are including your wedding dress/rehearsal dinner/day after brunch as part of your wedding budget**

 Once you are ready to move forward with the venue contract, please make sure it includes:

•  All fees
•  Your names
•  Wedding date
•  Cancellation policy
•  Payment due dates
•  Ceremony fee (if applicable)
•  Plan b options (if anything outdoor) with name of the 
•  room/area
•  How much overtime fees would cost if you decide to
•  extend the wedding
•  Clarify exactly what is included in the wedding
•  package that i.e. type of linens, tables, silverware, 
•  glassware
•  When the final number of guests is due to the 
•  venue/caterer?
•  What is the minimum amount?
•  Any negotiated terms discussed in early chapters
•  Also our list

Fun Fact, This Is A Portion Of Our Wedding Planning Ebook! To Learn About The Ebook Please Click Here and To Download The First Three Preview Chapters, Please CLICK HERE