Venue Hunting: The top 10 questions to ask your venue.

Happy New Year! I hope your holiday was all you wanted, and you were part of the 40+% of engagements that happened during this season. 

It’s been a couple weeks, you’ve set the budget, you have your preliminary guest count, and now it’s time to pick your venue, one of the first vendors you should book other than your planner. The venue affects everything, the date, the rentals, even the general vibe. This month we are going to do a deep dive on the top ten questions you should be asking your venue before tour and book your space, and why they are important. 

What is the cost and what is included in the packages you offer? 

This question should be the first question you should be asking to be sure that you are looking at a place that is within your budget. You will want to ask this before viewing the venue as well. You don’t want to fall in love with a venue just to realize that it’s outside your price range. 

Some things to include in this conversation are:

Are there any additional fees or add ons that should be considered?

Do you currently have any discounts?

Are rehearsals included?

What is your availability for this timeframe?

If you have a date that means a lot to you and you want that date no matter what, then don’t waste your time looking at venues that aren’t available if you aren’t flexible even if they have a waiting list. However, if you are flexible, don’t just ask for blanket availability. Ask about a specific season, month, or day of the week. As a former outdoor venue manager, when a couple didn’t have at least a season to look at, I couldn’t highlight certain things about the venue like the color of the landscaping, or when the sun went down. Even the day of the week could help because some venues offer different rates for different days or time of year. 

Don’t forget:

For local guests, Fridays compete with traffic and work schedules

Saturdays are the most popular

Sundays/weekdays may have different hours

How many guests can you accommodate?

No matter what your guest count, having a realistic idea of the size of your venue is helpful when venue hunting. Whether you are having a micro wedding or a 200+ wedding, space is important. So let’s look at it. You have a guest count of 200 and that is the max capacity for the venue. Does that number include space for a dance floor, or will you need to move tables? How tight are the tables when all of the guests are sitting for dinner and will catering and staff be able to get around? You can always ask what the layout looks like for your count. You may also think about what type of tables you want, farm style setting takes up more room than round tables. 

What are your vendor requirements/restrictions?

There are a lot of venues out there that have preferred vendor lists that you need to choose or have vendors that might not be allowed. Make sure to ask this question especially if you already have a few vendors in mind. There are also situations where they require certain vendors to be present like event staff, a day of coordinator, or an on site babysitter if you will have more than 10 kids under the age of 12 on the property. Venues may also have restrictions on the type of vendor you hire, like no live music or karaoke, or they must be licensed and insured and need to provide proof. 

What does the venue do for set-up and tear-down, and what are we responsible for?

You’ll want to be sure to ask this so you know what type of help you will need. Just because a venue includes tables and chairs as part of the package, doesn’t necessarily mean that they set them up, and if they do, they might charge extra for that. There are also a handful of venues that make you take your trash with you, and make your party sweep and mop the reception space. Being very thorough with these requirements is essential. 

Can we drop off/start setting up early?

Most venues I work with offer multiple weddings a weekend, which means they may only allow same day drop off and set up. That could affect your timeline and also things like your rentals. 

What is the rain plan?

This question is for outdoor venues or indoor venues with outdoor spaces. Let’s face it. This is western Washington, and even in the height of summer, we could have a rainy day. And, even though it’s said to be good luck to rain on your wedding day, you don’t want to be caught in the rain and ruin hundreds of dollars worth of hair and makeup. You will also need to be sure to ask when the rain back up plan needs to be put in place. If they don’t have a back up plan, but you love the space, be sure to ask if you can bring in your own tent and verify setup requirements. 

Are overnight accommodations available on site or nearby? 

Do you have a lot of guests coming from out of town? Where will they stay, and how far away is the closest lodging. Some venues have on-site accommodations, and some partner with nearby lodging for discounts. 

What is the parking and bathroom situation? 

This question is important for many reasons. Do you need to rent restrooms, is there only 1 bathroom for 200 people, are they real toilets or port-a-potties?

If you are getting married in the city chances are there are time restrictions on spaces or pay to park spots. And out in more rural options, do they have enough space to support the cars for their max capacity or do you need or figure out shuttle services?

What is available on site for our use? 

There are a good number of venues that have lending closets, table settings, linens, or AV equipment available for use by the couple. If they have these things available, be sure to ask if it's included in the rental, or if there is a fee for use. Never assume anything is free to use.

Now there are always more questions and you will probably think of more as you chat with the owners and do the tours. I would recommend getting a copy of the contract, and yes I know it’s boring, but read it thoroughly. Ask about anything you have questions about and never make assumptions about anything. Being fully informed is the key to having a stress free event and asking questions should be encouraged. Here is a detailed venue questionnaire PDF to use in your hunt.  

At the end of this month, I’ll be walking through the Seattle Wedding Show and checking all of the awesome trends happening in 2026 and next month I’ll blog all about it.