Wedding Advice on sussing out venues?

[Delster]

Hello all!

My first thread in BWW!!!

FI and I are going to look at a venue for the first time this week. We're not 1000% sold on this particular venue but it's a very popular one around here so we thought it might be a good place to start to get a feel for what's available.

I'd love to hear some advice from seasoned-venue-sussers-outers as to what we should watch out for, what questions we should ask, things we should be taking note of etc. Can you help us please?

ETA - for the curious, this is the venue. It's the gorgeous castle bee is getting married at!

 

[diamondfan]

Well, it has been a long while for me and I knew the venue I wanted without any searching.

However, I think you need to ask things about staff, who works the night of your wedding and the ratio, parking details (do you pay, or is it included), are there other events there that evening, who is on duty and supervising in case of a glitch...

I am sure I will think of other questions and so will many other posters, but those occur to me off the top of my head.

 

[Morgie44]

WHat is included in the package/rental (chairs, linens, china, etc)
Are there any taxes or service charges on top of prices?
Is there a cake cutting fee if they do their own catering
Are there recommended vendors you must use?
Where do specific tables go (cake, guest book, place card etc) usually
What are the decoration restrictions no candles etc. ?
When do you have access to the site (the day of or day before etc) to set up
Is there a time that you must be out by at the end of the event?

Hope that helps a little bit. It looks beautiful have fun!

 

[Delster]

Thank you guys!

Anyone else have any sage wisdom to impart?

In case it wasn''t clear, this is a hotel, so they provide all catering/decor etc.

 

[bee*]

Hi Delster-I had this list printing out when I went to look at the venue. Have you rang them to book in or are you just going to have a nose? If you''re looking for dates etc, it would probably be better to book in so you won''t have to wait for a coordinator-there were lots of people booked in the day we were there. Have fun!!

Prior to the meal:
- What are the arrangements for greeting guests as they arrive?

- How do you display and organise the table plan and are place name cards included?

- Are menus supplied? How many per table?

- What flowers / decorations are on the guests tables?

- Do you provide flowers for the top table?

- How much can you incorporate the colour scheme into the room? If they provide flowers - ask them if you can choose the flowers or just the colour?

- Can I instruct them on setting the tables - are there any restrictions?

- Cake stands - what types you have

- Availability of oval table & discuss placement

- Who will organise drinks etc before we arrive from photographers?



The Reception Meal:
- Can you play music during the meal from a cd or is there piped music in the hotel complex?

- What time will you serve the meal at?

- Wine for dinner - do you only charge for what is poured or the amount of bottles opened - and make arrangements for how many bottles should be used - ie say you could use 20 bottles but before opening any more you check with you or h2b etc
Free pour/table pour of wine.
If leave bottles of wine on the table, there may be a lot of wine left over in open bottles. Free pour prevents this

- Do you come around with more vegetables during the meal?

- How much wine needed & what arrangements are normal

- Vegetarian menu/kid menu options?

- What wine will suit meal selected?


The Wedding Cake:
- When should cake be dropped in and is there a secured place for its storage?

- What time is the wedding cake put out, how much of wedding cake is cut etc?


The Afters:
- What is the best time for the afters guests to arrive at?

- What time do you put out the afters and what does it include?

- Afters – how many guests can be added to the wedding?

- Band setup, how long after dinner/cutting cake will the place be ready for band setup



Booking & Payment:
- How do we confirm our booking?

- Payment - what % is before and what % is paid after?

- how many rooms are allocated to wedding party?

- When to finalise numbers and any costs incurred if it differs on the day?

- Is service charge included in the overall price?




Hotel General Questions:

- How many waiters, bar staff are assigned to the wedding reception?

- Toilets & toilet paper – what happens if there is a blockage or if the paper runs out?

- Bar extension needed – how to go about setting it up?

- Room check-in & check-out times

- Meal tasting – Do you offer it, when can we do it, how many can we try?

- Availability of vegetarian meals and do vegetarian meals have to be pre-ordered?

- Can they arrange photographs on Golf course? (only applies if your hotel has an adjoining course)

- Where is residents lounge?

- Will a staff member that you feel comfortable with agree to take charge of planning for your party and be on duty for the duration of wedding so that you have somebody definite and trustworthy that you can build up a relationship with? Someone who has a good idea of what you really want (not what some "generic bride" might want).

 

[Delster]

Oh wow bee thank you! Amazing list, I will definitely be printing that off! Did you come up with all of that yourself? I am in awe!

We have an appointment, I rang them up and asked to arrange a meeting and I asked about dates while I was on the line. They have nothing left this year, then a couple of dates in January 2010 and after that it'd be November 2010. Unless we want Holy Saturday but for obvious enough reasons that's not an option (hence it was free at all I guess).

Have you heard anything about the Knightsbrook in Trim? For some reason my Mam is obsessed with it

 

[bee*]

I actually bookmarked that list from weddingsonline last year. It''s such a handy list! They have nothing left in 2009 at all? Gosh they get so booked up. I''ve heard of knightsbrook but I don''t know anyone that''s gotten married there. It looks great on their website.