You’ve found the venue of your dreams, it accommodates the number of people you’d like to invite to your wedding, the location is perfect, and you know how much it will cost. Or do you?

Many venues today include everything that you can imagine as part of their wedding package, but some add them as extras. There are also a few logistical considerations to check over in order to ensure that everything runs as smoothly as possible behind the scenes. So, before you sign on the dotted line, you need to confirm the following:

• How much is the deposit and is it refundable?
• When does the final balance need to be paid? Do you have any guests attending who may have accessibility requirements? If so, will this be an issue at the venue?
• If you’re having any part of the day outside, does the venue have a plan b? If so, what is it?
• Depending on the venue, do you have full exclusivity on the day of your wedding or will there be other weddings taking place or will areas open to the general public?
• Are there any restrictions? Talk through your vision with the venue so anything, which may cause an issue, can be raised at the start. For example, if you dreamt of fireworks during the evening celebrations will your venue allow it?
• What time can suppliers start setting up? Is there access to the venue the day before?
• Can supplier vehicles access the wedding venue with ease or do they need to know about certain restrictions?
• Does the venue have in house suppliers? If they don’t, do they have a list of recommended suppliers who they have met and who know the venue? Are there any restrictions/additional costs of bringing in external suppliers?
• Are there restrictions on what kind of music you can play or a time by which the music must end? Does the venue have a sound limiter?
• Are there additional costs for all the rooms you’ll be using throughout the day or is it part of the package?
• Do they have rooms for you to stay the night before and get ready on the morning of the wedding? If they do, is this an extra cost?

These are just a few of the questions that need clarifying with your dream venue before signing on the dotted line – it will save any surprises along the way. It is also worth talking over the available dates for your chosen venue, as some venues will over discounts for weddings taking place between Sunday and Friday – or on dates outside the peak wedding season. You might not have thought about your wedding taking place on another day, but it might save you a fair amount. If your budget is tight, this may enable you to add extra touches to your day, which previously may have been just out of reach.