Today is the fun part...we are going to finally be selecting your dream venue!! Just remember, you've done your research so there is no need
to go on 20 more venue tours. Stick with the 2-5 venues you have researched and one WILL be your dream venue! You chose to spend the time researching each of them individually for a reason :)
Before we get started I have one word of advice:
When you see a venue you and your fiancé love, stop the search and book your date!!
I seriously cannot say this enough times because going on more tours than I have suggested will not only get confusing (believe me, you won't remember which is which) AND you will 100% become overwhelmed and want to call it quits. I promise you that...and I don't break promises!!
And the second word of advice:
When you see a venue you and your fiancé love, stop the search and book your date RIGHT NOW!!
Of course, you cannot book it now because you are having so much fun reading The Overwhelmed Bride, but when I say right now, I mean right now. So I have a little story for you that will hopefully drive the point across
- A bride walks into her 1:00pm appointment and falls in love with the venue. She has one more tour that day and wants to take a peek "just in case." With an available date of June 1st and no other Saturdays available until November she lets the venue know that she will call them by the end of the day to reserve the date! Woohoo!! She texts her maid of honor, posts beautiful photos of the venue on Instagram (#myweddingvenue), calls her parents to tell them she thinks she found the venue, and is smiling from ear to ear! As she
walks out of the catering office, another bride walks in for her tour. And guess what that bride does?? She tours the venue, falls in love, and reserves her June 1st date right then and there because she heard some amazing advice from The Overwhelmed Bride! Yay, she found her venue! She texts her maid of honor, posts
beautiful photos of the venue on Instagram (#myweddingvenue), and is smiling from ear to ear!!
Meanwhile, Bride #1 goes to her second appointment and it is a nice place but everything she sees she just keeps comparing to that first venue she saw! At that time, she remembers the advice she gets from The Overwhelmed Bride and decides to cancel her third appointment and go book her June 1st date at the first venue she fell in love with. "Unfortunately, that date has already been booked."
Yes, this is a very large coincidence but believe me, I have seen this EXACT scenario dozens and dozens of times while working at properties myself and working with hundreds of brides. And to take it one step further:
I GUARANTEE YOU, if you are Bride #1, every single venue you go to tour from now on, you will ALWAYS continue to compare them to that original venue you fell in love with. And even when you find that next best
venue that you absolutely love, I am sure you are still going to be comparing the two.
So I am not trying to scare you, but I cannot tell you enough:
When you see a venue you and your fiancé love, stop the search and book your date RIGHT NOW!!
Alright, enough of that :)
Now you will pretty much be able to do the search on your own because you will get that oh-so-wonderful "feeling" when you know it is your venue. Yes, cheesy, but you will know! Just remember to ask as many questions as possible to make sure they are going to be a great fit for your needs and wants!! And here are the must-ask questions for you to take along with you.
Happy venue hunting!!
QUESTIONS TO ASK ON VENUE TOURS
Basics:
- What is the length of the ceremony? Reception?
- How much time do I have to set-up? Tear-down?
- Do you have a minimum number of guests required? Minimum dollar amount?
- Are prices fixed once I have booked?
- Do you have multiple weddings at a time?
- Is parking free? Valet available? Enough space for all of my guests to park?
Food & Beverage:
- How many courses?
- Is dessert/cake included?
- Is there a cake cutting fee?
- Is any outside food or beverage allowed to be brought in?
- Are there kids plates/pries available? What are the ages?
- Is all food prepared on site?
- Do we have a complimentary food tasting available?
- What drinks are available at the bar? What are prices if the bar isn't hosted? If hosted?
- Is there a corkage fee if I bring in my own alcohol?
Additional Services:
- What chairs are used?
- Are the linens included? What colors? Full-length?
- What is the ceremony site fee? Are there any reception site fees?
- How is the room arranged?
- Is there a bridal suite?
- Are there hotels nearby? Shuttles? Reduced rates for my guests?
- Is the dance floor included? How large?
- Where do couples take photos on site?
- Will your staff be here to set up? Tear down? Run the wedding?
- If a coordinator is included, will I meet with him or her ahead of time?
- Am I able to pick my ceremony/reception start time?
- Are you able to accommodate a multimedia slideshow? Additional cost?
What if...
- I have fewer guests than originally contracted?
- Are there rainy day contingencies?
- I need to add or delete guests last minute?
- What is in place to ensure everything goes smoothly?
- Items are left behind?
Save Money by Hiring A Coordinator
Just by the title you are probably thinking, "I don't have enough money to afford a wedding coordinator!" And this is a common thought from brides. Yes, you would like someone there to run your wedding day and yes, you would like someone there to help you along the way so you don't forget the little details and you can actually have fun with your engagement! But with a tight budget, you may be thinking you would rather spend your money on a couple of extra guests or for a hosted bar.
What if I told you that a coordinator would actually be SAVING you money! NO WAY! How could I spend money on a coordinator and save money? That definitely doesn't add up! Well let me tell you right now, it adds up!
First of all, I 100% am telling you now that you want a coordinator for your wedding. And if you are fine with doing the planning on your own, AT THE VERY LEAST hire someone for day-of coordination so you, your
bridesmaids, and your family aren't having to deal with setting up and cleaning up and everyone can just enjoy the moment! Do you really want your bridesmaids to be picking up trash at the conclusion of the event? I hope not!
Let's first start by learning why you cannot have your family and friends act as your coordinator. And yes, this may be a bit repetitive if you've visited my "Coordination Services" page.
Below is your TO-DO list for anyone who is going to be acting as a coordinator...and I didn't include all of the details OR anything that happens during or after your ceremony:
- Ensure hair and make-up stylists are ready and on time
- Double check that each table is set up in the correct place with the correct number of chairs
- Set table numbers on each table ensuring that every guest will have a seat
- Set up place cards in alphabetical order at a front table
- Ensure the correct number of chairs are set up at the ceremony site
- Make sure florist is there on time and sets up the following: ceremony floral, centerpieces, and any additional décor
- Time for your makeup!!
- Pin all groomsmen, fathers, grandfathers, and ring bearer with boutonnieres
- Make sure all mothers and grandmothers have their corsages
- Make an additional boutonniere out of a centerpiece flower because you miscounted
- Check in all bouquets for bridesmaids and bride
- Make sure floral is placed properly on cake
- Make sure cake is delivered on time...oops they are late so call them and make sure they get there!
- Time to get your hair done!
- Is the sand ready to go at the ceremony site? Out of the packaging?
- Carefully place cake topper on your cake ensuring you don't mess anything up
- Time for photos! Make sure you don't run into your groom!
- Next it's time for the groomsmen photos but make sure he doesn't see you!
- Has the minister arrived?
- Has the videographer arrived?
- Is the DJ ready to go for the ceremony?
- Time for your first look...make sure you're all in the right places!
- The ceremony starts in 10 minutes and you need to touch-up your makeup
- Make sure the groom and groomsmen are lined up in their order
- Send the groomsmen down the aisle while coordinating music with the DJ
- Time for the bridesmaids to head down....don't forget to tell the DJ to change the music!
Now you may be thinking - okay, I am not going to be able to get that done and neither will my bridesmaids or mother-in-law. But I do have an aunt who loves hosting parties! WRONG! She may be great at hosting parties at her house but has she ever run a wedding?
You need someone who will be able to create your timeline, keep your timeline going, fill the candy buffet jars when needed, coordinate with the catering staff when the salad needs to be served and then the meal, and replacing an incorrect meal. They need to make sure you get your dances done on time, cut the cake on time,
and get all of the "activities" completed before the photographer leaves! Now this aunt is clearly not going to be enjoying herself and everyone should be enjoying your special day and celebrating with you! And this has to all be flawless...or at least you can't hear about any small detail that may go wrong!
I hope this all makes sense to you and if it doesn't, let me tell you this. I hired a coordinator for my wedding!! And I am a coordinator myself! Believe me, you will ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY not regret your decision :)
Now we're getting to the good part - you want to know how you are possibly going to save money by hiring a coordinator!
We know the industry well - we know the venues, and the florists, and the DJ's, and the caterers and know them well! So here is how we are going to save you money just by knowing all of these contacts in the
industry:
1. You WILL NOT get over-charged because we know these people! Just like buying a car, if you don't
know the industry and don't know what pricing should be like, they are going to get as much out of you as they can! They are a business so will try to make as much money as they possibly can!
2. You will get access to special deals. Yes, coordinators get discounts when they work with vendors often
so unless you hire that coordinator, you will not have access to any of these special discounts they may have with vendors they work with closely. Even if the discount is small, it will all add up in the end!
3. A coordinator knows what vendors are willing to discount. Yes, I worked at a venue before and I was
absolutely willing to discount...but I was not going to tell my brides that unless they asked! A coordinator knows which venues and vendors are willing to discount and to what extent. They know which months are going to be less expensive and which wedding packages are most cost effective for your particular
circumstance.
4. Coordinators know all of the fees associated with the vendors and especially venues in their area. When you book your event and place your NON-REFUNDABLE deposit, there are many venues out there that are not going to discuss any hidden fees with you until after you book! I am not saying every venue does this, but a TON of them do! You are going to have to pay additional for a dance floor, the cocktail patio is additional,
and the ceremony site will cost you $3,000 extra, oh and the upgraded chiavari chairs that you saw during the tour are going to be an additional $7 per chair, and that gorgeous lighting will require a lighting technician for the entire event. Now that venue that you fell in love with, is not going to look as you had imagined because of all of those extra fees. But a coordinator will already know about these BEFORE you give them your money!
All in all, hiring a coordinator will actually save you money in the long run. And most importantly, they will save you time, energy, un-needed stress, and will absolutely be a blessing to you throughout the process...I PROMISE!! And I never break promises :)
If you live in or nearby the Southern California area, I would love to speak with you about your coordination
needs and make sure I can help you create that perfect wedding day!! Just visit my "Coordination Services" page for more information!
Before scheduling venue tours...
We are now at the most exciting part of planning your dream wedding!! Well, sort of. Although choosing your perfect wedding is exciting and will literally shape the style and ambiance of your wedding, it is also the most stressful part of the process! Now this is a huge topic and I can't cover everything you will need to know AND find you that perfect venue, but I can give you some pointers so you don't get frustrated and get to the point where you want to call the wedding off altogether! Sound good?? :)
First, we need to decide on your date!! Keep in mind, your date is also going to shape the colors you use, whether or not you can have an indoor or outdoor wedding, and just the style and décor altogether! This is not generally very difficult for couples to decide on so we are going to move right along!
Next, you need to decide on the style of the venue. Do you want a beach view? On the sand? A garden setting? A ballroom with chandeliers? A country club? A rustic barn? Indoor or outdoor? Ceremony and reception at the same location? Or will your ceremony be at a church? Okay, now I am just overwhelming you so I will stop there. However, these are all questions that you and your fiancé should discuss before visiting ANY venues. If you are looking for an all outdoor garden wedding, then why would you go visit a church and a
venue with a beach view? I think you get my drift. Yes, venue tours are fun and exciting but after 34 tours, I am 100% positive that you are going to be overwhelmed and will call it quits! So before you set up any tours, make sure the style of the venue fits your vision!
The Portofino Hotel & Marina
The Sunset Restaurant
Now you have found a beautiful garden venue that perfectly fits your vision! Are you ready to set up a tour? NO! Now you need to contact the venue to get pricing and minimums. You can refer back to the budget calculator we discussed and if the price per person on their packages are higher than your per person budget, then move on! Don't waste your time and tease yourself by visiting a venue you are going to fall in love with and not be able to afford! And in addition to those prices, make sure you ask what their minimums are! MINIMUMS ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT...important enough for me to capitalize that! So let's break this down:
MINIMUM: A dollar amount you are required to spend on a specific date/day of the week. Just because your price per person is within budget, doesn't mean your total wedding budget will be able to afford the venue.
So here is an example to better understand this strange concept:
I have a $10,000 total wedding budget. My venue, food, and beverage budget is $5000. My budget per person (before tax and service charge) is about $40 and the venue has packages starting at $35 per person. Now this is great! I am done!! I just found my dream venue!...unfortunately, this is not the case. Once I go on a tour of the venue, I let them know that my date is June 1st which is a Saturday and I would like to have my wedding in the evening. Well, on that specific day, the Catering Manager lets me know that they have an $8,000 minimum. This means, they will not let me book that date unless I guarantee to pay $8,000 in food and beverage BEFORE tax and service charge. From this example, you can clearly see why I am not going to be able to book this venue with a $10,000 total wedding budget.
Generally, minimums range from highest to lowest in this order:
- Saturday evening
- Friday/Sunday evening
- Saturday late morning/afternoon
- Weekdays (and these are becoming very popular and venues will give you amazing deals!! So go with a Thursday evening and you can have a long weekend...just a quick tip!)
I know that was a TON of information, so here is a quick recap of what you need to do before scheduling any tours!!
1. Your Wedding Date
2. Vision/Style
3. Price
4. Minimums
5. Schedule 2-5 venue tours (maximum!)
I don't want to overwhelm you since that is the exact opposite of the purpose of this blog, so tomorrow we will continue the venue talk and discuss what to expect at a venue tour, what questions you must ask, and when you should put down your deposit and reserve your date!
