After finalizing the budget, the next important task is selecting the right location & venue for your wedding. Getting the right location for your wedding in the required budget is a great relief & will ease out your major stress. Following are some of the key aspects you need to consider before finalizing the venue:
- Depending on your budget, you need to decide a location (for eg: a hill station or beach or cruise or your hometown or location on the outskirts of your city, etc).
- The location should be accessible & easily reachable through viable means of transport including public transport. If you choose a remote location, there can be issues to reach the venue or difficulties may arise during emergency or if there is immediate need during the wedding it may be difficult to procure.
- Location also depends on type of wedding you want i.e. a quiet wedding with close family members and friends or a grand wedding.
- You need to select the location as per the theme in case you are having a theme based wedding.
- After finalizing the location, you need to select 5 venues at the location. While selecting the venues you need to keep the budget, rooms (if required) & number of guests in mind.
- You can use the venue selection sheet for analyzing all the aspects for selecting the final venue.
- If you plan off season wedding, you can get good discounts.
- Rituals to be followed in the wedding are also important while deciding the venue. For eg: if you need to visit a place of worship for some ritual during the wedding then you need to work out the logistics from the venue in advance.
- Depending on whether you want an indoor or outdoor wedding, you can select a banquet or a resort or a hall with a huge garden & great ambience.
- Check the hygiene of the venue, washrooms & rooms (if any) as this is one of the most important factors.
- There can be different venues for different functions.
- You can also evaluate package deals with the venues for eg: some venues provide cost effective deals if you take their decoration & catering or they can give you some free facilities like accommodation for the guests to rest & change between the functions, special rooms for the bride & groom, etc.
- While finalizing the venue, check for parking space, accessibility of toilets, electrical outlets for equipment, kitchen set up for the caterers, etc.
- For some venues you have to take their catering & decoration services. You may want to explore various options, so this compulsion becomes burdensome.
- You need to get the details about the additional costs they will charge you if there are extra facilities. Eg: Air conditioning might be included with venue but you need provide additional electricity charges.
Once you have evaluated all the aspects & finalized a venue, you need to book it in advance or else it may not be available later on.