Questions to ask every venue before you sign

Your venue decision shapes almost everything else — your date, your guest count, your vendor options, a huge share of your budget. It's worth walking into every tour with the same list of questions, so you're comparing venues against each other and not just against your memory of how each one felt.

Cost and what's actually included

• What's the base price, and exactly what does it include — tables, chairs, linens, setup and teardown, staffing?
• Is there a required minimum spend (common for venues that require in-house catering)?
• What's the deposit, and what's the payment schedule?
• What's the cancellation and rescheduling policy?
• Are there fees that aren't in the headline price — cleaning fees, overtime fees, cake-cutting fees, corkage?

Capacity and layout

• What's the maximum guest capacity — and does that number change for a seated dinner versus a reception with dancing space?
• Can I see (or sketch) how tables and a dance floor actually fit for my guest count?
• Is there a rain plan, and what does it look like in practice, not just in theory?
• Is the space ADA accessible, and how do guests with mobility needs move between areas?

Vendors and restrictions

• Do I have to use in-house catering, bar, or other vendors — or can I bring my own?
• Is there a list of approved outside vendors, and are there fees for using someone off that list?
• What's the alcohol policy — can I bring my own, and is there a corkage fee?
• Are there restrictions on decor — candles, confetti, hanging items from the ceiling?

Timing

• What's my actual access window — when can vendors start setup, and when does everything have to be cleared out?
• Is there a hard end time, and what happens if the event runs over?
• Is there a separate space for getting ready, and is it included?
• How much time is built in between ceremony and reception if they're in the same space?

The practical stuff people forget to ask

• Is there enough parking, and is it free?
• What's the backup plan if a key piece of equipment fails (sound system, lighting)?
• Who's my point of contact on the actual wedding day — is it the person I'm touring with, or someone else?
• Has anything changed about the venue (renovations, ownership, policies) that isn't reflected in reviews I've read?

Write your answers down for every venue you tour, side by side — it's much easier to compare four venues on the same list of questions than to try to remember which one had the better parking situation three tours later.

Be Your Planner is built to hold exactly this kind of side-by-side vendor comparison — quotes, pros and cons, and your notes, all lined up per category. It's still in development. If you'd like to know when it's ready, join the waitlist.