Ask a venue eleven things before you book it: how far it is from the ceremony, which time slots you can have, when your providers can load in, how late the music can run, how far it is from your guests, how many people fit in one room, whether there is parking for everyone, where the power is, what the bad-weather plan is and who calls it, whether the dance floor sits in the middle of the room, and how many other events are happening that day. Below is why each one matters, from someone who has set up in a lot of these rooms.

Choosing a venue is choosing the set for a movie scene. Ever watch a show where the characters are supposed to be in Chicago and there are palm trees in the background (it happens more than you'd think)? It takes you out of the story. The wrong venue does that to a wedding. It just won't feel right. Don't settle for less than what you want.

Take this sheet on every tour; it has my questions on it and room to write the answers while they are talking.

How far is the reception from the ceremony?

Too far and guests get lost, skip the reception, or arrive an hour into cocktail hour. Keep it a reasonable drive, and if you can hold both in one place, do.

What are the time restrictions?

Many venues run more than one event a day, especially on weekends, and you will adhere to their schedule. Ask for the exact window, including the time everyone has to be out.

When can providers get in?

In my experience, most venues give providers 90 minutes to two hours to set up; when another event runs before yours, we are lucky to get thirty. Trust me, that is never good; it makes your team look late through no fault of their own. Find out the load-in time, and tell every provider.

How late can the music go?

Many venues have a music cutoff, and around here it often lands near 10 o'clock. This is the piece of information couples most often find out too late, and it can change the length of your whole reception. Also ask when the staff begins breaking the room down. I have seen it happen while guests were still dancing, and it looks tacky.

How far is it from your guests?

If most of your guests have more than a 30-minute drive home, they will leave earlier than you want. Close by, they stay longer. For a destination wedding, ask the same question about the hotel.

How many people fit comfortably in one room?

Some rooms need an overflow room to seat everyone. I always advise against this; the guests in the other room feel left out (your guests are the extended wedding party). Too big, and people feel spread out and isolated. A tent raises the same questions.

Is there parking for every single guest?

You never want attending your wedding to be a burden on your guests, and that goes for parking. If there is not enough for everyone (no excuses), hire a valet.

Where is the power?

Parks and many outdoor sites have none, and the music, the lights, and the cameras all need it. Ask where the outlets are and whether a small quiet generator is expected.

What is the bad-weather plan, and who calls it?

If any part of the day is outside, you and the venue need a plan for rain, wind, heat, and cold: the room it moves to, the time the decision gets made, and the person who makes it. The rain call gets its own article later in the course. The Plan B Card puts the decision time and the decider on one page before you need it.

Is the dance floor in the middle of the room?

It should be. A floor at the far end of a long room or around a corner makes guests feel separated and less inclined to dance. If the room does not have a central floor, ask what the options are.

How many events are happening that day?

It's rare, but some places run four or five weddings at once, and your guests wander into somebody else's cocktail hour.

The questions I did not ask twenty years ago

  • The path. Walk from the parking lot to a ceremony seat, the restroom, and the dance floor. Steps, gravel, a slope, a dark walkway after sunset: the next article is about every guest making that walk.
  • A getting-ready space with real light, and a private room where the two of you can breathe for ten minutes.
  • Light and signal. If you want clips shared the same night, ask where the daylight falls at your ceremony hour and whether phones get a signal inside. More in the sharing article.

What usually goes wrong here

The couple books the ceremony site first and the reception site second, and finds out the two schedules do not fit. Ask both places for their windows on the same day.

Learn as much as you can, and establish a relationship with your venue's coordinator. It saves a lot of aggravation and headaches on the big day.

Thanks! Chuck