1st Wedding Coordinator Meeting - what to ask?

Things we found useful to know were

- minimum and maximum numbers for the various parts of your day, and the options available

- menu options, can they cater for special diets, childrens menu options etc

- any restrictions on music (ours has to be turned down at 11)

- can you use fireworks, lanterns etc (if you were thinking of using them)

- local transport options if people are travelling some distance without vehicles

- can they recommend any local suppliers for things you haven't yet organised

- car park capacity

- can they supply table linen in your colourscheme - can you bring your own if not

- can they provide a secure storage area if you wanted to bring decorations etc the day before

- do they provide any discount accommodation packages for your guests, and "saturday night only" options?

- are you getting ready at the venue? if so, when can you get into your room or do you need to book it for the night before as well?

Thanks, AJ - really relieved to see that I had already either knew or asked most of those. The one I am taking down from your list is regarding the music. Never thought about that one!

The venue is a stately home so accomodation for guests has been arranged with a partner hotel at discounted rates;

They are unfortunately not allowing us to use sky light / lanterns which we would have wanted;

They have a HUGE car park right in front of the venue although the distance from main Entrance to the estate to the actual venue is half a mile of road over the estate.

Luckily we were able to provide local transport details on our wedding website ourselves as we live only 4 miles away from the venue and have been there on public transport tens of times!

Thanks,

VP

We do a lot of negotiating with venues for our brides and grooms

Bear in mind that from your POV its their job to run your wedding, but from the venues POV its their job to

- maximise profit

- increase sales

- decrease expense

Do check:

- Are there any other weddings on the day - and is this a possibility?

- They make complete notes on your file

- Do insist they e-mail you a copy of the discussions you had, detailing the main points - if anything is missing, deal with it immediately

With regards to the special guest room pricing - mystery shop the hotel, and try to book a room, and get the rate before they start bagging it with you. Also before your meeting get someone to put a wedding enquiry in for your date and note the response

Find out about the VAT rise, also if you agree a price, make sure it is finalised - 6 weeks before your wedding you don't want the meal price going up. Again... hotel receptonists wedding planners /OTDC/s are notoriously bad of being selective as to what goes in your file. So begin each meeting with a summary of what is already in your file - and make sure you are both starting at the same place

If they are recommending a supplier to you, or insisting you use a supplier immediately ask them about the business relationship. It is quite common for the "recommended supplier" to be paying a percentage to the venue Often the recommendation is based more on how much money it pulls instead of the quality of service or value for money they offer

Very good point. It's actually quite an accolade to be recommended where there isn't a monetary arrangement as it means they are promoting you because they like the service you provide, but you do have to be aware of the many venues that recommend because they take a cut.

Thanks, quite a few good ones there...

In answer to your points, we are the only wedding there, they only do one wedding a day and the whole place is ours (they are closed to the public Nov - march anyway apart from the Xmas festival which ends the day before our wedding);

The hotel is well known to us, we stayed there many times and i use it a lot at work for our monthly comms forums and conferences... also my best friend held her wedding reception there in 2009 and as it happens i'll be staying in the same bridal suite!!

Thanks - i definitely added some to my list!