How to choose a wedding venue
It’s time to start wedding planning - first things first - the venue! But where do you start?! There’s so much choice and everywhere is different, so how do you choose the wedding venue that’s perfect for you? We know it can be information overload, so these steps will guide you through one of the biggest (but most exciting) decisions of your life!
Set your budget & start a guest list
We know this isn’t the most exciting place to start, but it has to be done! This will help you filter out venues that are way out of your budget and focus on the venues that are a perfect fit. Your wedding venue will take up at around 50% of your overall budget.
Most venue will need to know how many guests you plan on inviting for the day and evening reception, and this can affect your quotes quite substantially, so having a rough idea is really important. Some venues have lower capacity, so your guest list may be too large for one venue - by knowing your guests, you’ll know if the venue is the right size or not.
Get searching!
Now the fun starts. Use planning apps like Bridebook and Hitched to search for venues. They let you filter by budget and guest count so you’re much more likely to only be seeing venues that will work for you. You’ll also be able to filter by county or area of the country too.
Top Tips for Searching:
Read reviews - this will give you an idea of what each venue really excels at.
Visit their social media - how active are they on instagram? Do you like what they share and the look of their venue? It will give you a feel for what it’s like to be one of their couples.
Visit their website - you’ll find lots more useful information and get a feel for who the venue is and also how their weddings might feel.
Make a shortlist of venues you like the look of. Does it have beautiful grounds for photos? Are the rooms neutral and tasteful? Does it fit your style? Does it have features you really want, like full exclusivity. They may only tick one of your venue hunting boxes, but that’s all you need at this point.
Get in touch!
You may have 10-20 venues on your original shortlist. Try to narrow this down to 5-10 favourites that are ticking more of your boxes. You may not know what your boxes are at first, but as you begin to search, you’ll find you really like the idea of perhaps venue accommodation, or a getting ready room for the night before. If you’re struggling - we’ve given you a helping hand with our checklist for you to download here.
Once you have your favourites - get in touch! You may choose to do this via the app you’ve been using, social media, or via email. All venues should be responsive no matter how you enquire. As for a quote for your ideal date (this can be as specific as a date, like 12th May 2025, or as generic as a season), with your expected guest numbers and make sure to ask for what your quote includes.
After receiving your quotes, you’ll find some may still be out of budget, or some venues include much more for your money. You’ll also get a feel for how the wedding team are with their couples - they should be happy to help with any questions you have!
Time to visit those venues!
Confetti Lane at Sparth House by Rachel Joyce Photography
Once you have your quotes and have done a little more research on each of the venues, narrow it down to your top 3-5 venues.
It can be a tough job narrowing it down, but there’s ways to make it easier. If you’re a spreadsheet kind of person, make a list of venues and a list of features that appeal to you and see which tick the most boxes (or cells!). If you’re a pen and paper kind of person, just get writing a pros and cons list - your top three shouldn’t have many cons!
Book a private show round with your top 3 to 5 venues. There really is no other way to experience a wedding venue than a private show round. Most venues will offer you the option to book online but if not, just send them an email.
You will really get a feel for the venue and the person that will be running your wedding at a show round. They should make you feel welcome and at ease, whilst being knowledgeable and helpful when it comes to answering any questions you may have. They should give you a snapshot into what it would be like to be one of their couples.
Make sure to read our other useful blogs on ‘What to expect at a Sparth House Show Round’ and ‘Questions to ask your wedding venue’ for more guidance at this crucial stage!
Decision time!
After your visits - most couples ‘just know’ which is the wedding venue for them. It ticks all the boxes, you had the best time at the show round and you’re very excited! You may have even already pencilled in your date whilst you were there - we know our couples do!
Have a sit down together and go through the finer details of the quote, just to make sure everything you want is included. You’ll then likely need to sign the venues terms and conditions, then either call up or pop in to pay a deposit to secure your special date.
If you’re still not sure after visiting venues, it’s completely normal to:
Go back to the drawing board and start again - you may have changed what you thought was important to you
Want to return for a second viewing - just to confirm it’s as amazing as it was the first time!
We always say, you shouldn’t have to compromise when it comes to your perfect venue - there should be nothing you 'didn’t quite like’ or ‘weren’t quite sure about’. You’ll love every aspect and every feature!
We hope this has helped a little and given you the confidence you need to start your search. And remember, we are always here if you need any help or advice - just contact our wedding team!
