Venue meeting - questions to ask?

Assuming you know the costs find out what deposit they require and when the final payment is - can you spread the costs? Check if the price is likely to go up with the VAT increases in the new year.

Find out about food - if they are doing it and drinks packages - I didn't like the children's menu or the veggi option at our venue but they said they will change it for us. Ask about how many to cater for if its a buffet - some venues suggest catering for 80% which saves the pennies. Also see if you can get a food tasting session - though if you know the venue you may have eaten here already.

What can you do with decorations? When can you set up? when do you have to take down? Can you have open flames/candles?

Do they supply linen, table centre pieces, cake stand etc? Can you bring your own cake, cake stand, etc? Sopme places give you a postbox too. How will the room be set out - can you change the table layout. What timings do they suggest and when is kicking out time? Is there opportunity for live music, DJ, is there a time when music has to be off - may be the case in residential area. can they suggest entertainment - they may have someone regular they use who can give you a good discount.

Also find out what happens if they double book, the place burns down, the chef is off sick etc. Do they have insurance for these things and or contingency plans? And get the name of the person you need to contact for getting into the building to take your togs there or check out for decorating the place, etc so you only have to liaise with one person - makes it much easier. Will members of the public be using the building also (they may have two bars or two function rooms) and what are their disabled facilities like.

Thats all I can think of at the moment. Hope it helps!

Thank you! stuff on there I would never have thought of!

Venue/Ceremony Questions

Is the venue available on the required date?
How long can we provisionally book for?
Is the venue licensed to carry out wedding ceremonies?
Are religious ceremonies allowed?
How many weddings do you cater for on the same day?
Where are ceremonies conducted?
How many guests can be accommodated during the ceremony?
Do you have a minimum/maximum number policy?
Is there an in-house wedding co-ordinator?
What are the details of the local registrar for this venue?
Can we have our wedding ceremony outside weather permitting?
Does your venue permit confetti?
What car parking facilities do you offer?
Where are you located?
What is the nearest train/bus/airport to your venue?
Is there an outdoor/indoor location we can use for our official photographs?
Does you venue permit children?

Room Questions

Do you offer a marquee option?
What rooms are available for use within the venue for the ceremony, drinks reception, wedding breakfast, evening reception?
What are the wedding breakfast/ceremony/evening reception room layout options?
Do you have an alternative room available if we cannot have our ceremony/drinks reception outside?
Does the hotel setup the rooms for the ceremony/reception?
Can we get access to the rooms before hand to setup?
Are there any rooms available for the brides/bridesmaids to get ready before the ceremony?
Are there rooms available for overnight accommodation for our guests. If so, how many?
What time is check in/checkout for guests accommodation?
Are there facilities that can be used for guests with children?
Does your venue provide an area for older guests in the evening?
Do you have any rooms we can use for storing our wedding gifts/guests coats/bags etc?

Cost Questions

What is venue booking fee?
What are the timings when deposits and final payment are required?
Do you have any pre-defined wedding packages?
What is included in your wedding packages? e.g. table centres, place cards, master of ceremonies etc
Are there any additional fees for room hire. Outside set up?
Is there a reduction in price on mid week weddings?
Do you charge full price for Sunday weddings on bank holidays
Do your packages include over night accommodation for the bride and groom?
Do you offer a discount on guest accommodation?
What is the cost for guest overnight accommodation and does this include breakfast?
Can you provide a price list for your bar drinks?

Reception/Entertainment Questions

How many guests can be accommodated in the reception venue
Do you allow professional fireworks displays?
Do you allow live music?
What time is your venue licensed until?
When should our band/DJ setup their equipment?
Do you allow candles on the tables?
Does the hotel supply any floral decoration?
Does the hotel have preferred florists for use in decorating the venue?
Can you recommend any local florists in the area?
Does the venue have a preferred supplier of evening entertainment?
Does the reception venue have a PA system?

Catering Questions

Does the venue provide all catering?
Can we use our own suppliers for catering?
Can you provide detail sample menus?
Are your menu’s fixed or can we create our own menu?
Do you offer a menu tasting experience?
Does your venue supply alcohol?
Do you offer a choice on which wines are provided during the wedding drinks reception/wedding breakfast?
Are we able to supply our own alcohol?
Are there any corkage fees?
Do you require that we use your preferred supplier?
Can you recommend a local caterer for our wedding cake?
Do you offer an evening buffet option?
What times do you recommend having the evening buffet?
Is there a minimum number of guests we must supply the buffet for?
If we wish to allocate a sum to guest drinks during the evening reception, are you able to track this to our budget set?
I want to have a candy bar at the reception am I allowed/where can this be setup up?

Other Questions

Is there alternative accommodation in the area that can be used by our guests?
Do you have any special arrangements with local taxi firms that our guests can make use of?
Do you have outline order of the days we can look at to help plan the timings of our wedding day
What time is the latest that the wedding breakfast can be provided?
Will anyone from the staff help ensure that wedding timings do not over run too much on the day?
Can you recommend any photographers/videographers in the area?
Do you have a list of recommended local suppliers that we can use?

Maybe not a question to ask, but an important point and a point I didn't realise properly, even though it seems so obvious now.

And thats to check the capacity is the right size for your party. You neither want everyone all squashed in, nor everyone rattling about. And check about other rooms and use of the garden etc. Becuase again if everyone is all in different rooms and spread about its not very inimate. If you have a big party you may need the other rooms, but not if you only have a smaller number of guests.

Personally I think this is one of the most important points.

Find out how flexible they can be with the menus. Some places seem to have 2 or 3 options and will not deviate much, others are very accommodating.

Find out if they will be having any other parties (not just weddings) on the same day/evening. For my first wedding I was promised exclusive use, but they reneged and brought a retirement party into one of the rooms I was promised and my guests had to wait in the corridor for an hour while they rearranged tables from WB to evening buffet. I complained, but it was never in the contract and they claimed not to have promised exlusivity in the first place.

This time I have it right - their website says exclusive use of ALL facilities, and one trip to the venue confirms that they couldn't do more than one event anyway.

This has been a very useful thread, Sherrie you have given me some great questions to ask. It never occured to me to ask if candles etc wouldbe allowed.