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Make sure you discuss any wedding packages in detail and find out how flexible they are - e.g. are you allowed to do your own decorating, or if not, do they insist you use their in house or recommended florists etc? We found a few places that were very rigid - you had to have the package, the whole package and nothing but the package!

I would also ask about their ability to cater for allegens and special dietary needs, especially if you think/know you have guests coming for whom this will be relevant. Don't assume that a smart venue will be good at this - I was a wedding guest at an incredibly grand and expensive venue and had a very narrow escape from being rushed to A&E because they ignored my allergen information - fortunately, I got a reaction to the smell before I'd actually eaten anything, so I wasn't too bad, but it made me realise that grander doesn't always equal better!

If everything is in one space, think about how the space will transition from ceremony to sit-down meal and from sit-down meal to evening. And think about space in general, especially as you're unlikely to be outside much, if at all, in January. Where will you have photos taken if the weather is too poor to be outside? Is there plenty of space with good background which allows guests to mingle and move freely without getting into camera shot? Do you have elderly or frail guests attending? If so, make sure there are some quiet corners for them to rest - and the same if guests are bringing babies or small children. Will you be having exclusive use of the venue? If not, consider how much other events will impact on your enjoyment of/ability to use shared spaces such as toilets, bar etc.

View quoted message Thank you very much !
I will make a list of everything you mentioned as some of the things I definitely didn't even think about ! Fantastic help !

We asked about their recommended timings and how flexible they could/would be on those, so we could try to imagine the timeline for the day.
If you want to get ready on-site how early is bridal prep open and where will the men get ready. If theres accommodation on site, see if they’ll show you a couple of rooms (I’m sure we’ve all been to hotel rooms which are underwhelming compared to the pics and normally wedding hotels are at a premium). We asked about things such as payment schedule & pre-wedding visit schedule (we lived 2hrs from our venue, so it was important we didn’t go often but really maximised our visits). RGS mentioned it, but turning the rooms round and how long that takes is important + where you will have your pictures taken. How much decor are you going to need to add to make it “perfect” for you - the more you need to add the more expensive your flowers and decor will be.
Generally we went in trying to imagine the whole flow of the day, from the car park to the morning after brunch. The one we fell in love with, made everything feel so effortless and organised, but ultimately had the best feel to it. We walked round it & just knew it was perfect.