10 Questions You Should Ask Before Booking Your Wedding Venue
What is the maximum capacity?
Whether you plan to have a small intimate wedding or full out party, this is important to know for several reasons including your guest list, table decorations, and information for caterers. You can expect 10-12% of guests declining, or more with Covid. If your venue capacity is 250, you do not want to send out 300 invitations. For Four Fifteen Estates, 250 people in Gracyn’s Chapel and 300 in the Reception Hall.
Is your ideal date available?
This one is obvious, but it’ll allow you to decide if you want a light and bright spring wedding or a beautiful fall wedding.
What is included in the venue rental fee?
Some venues have only the buildings, some have additional things like chairs and tables. This is an important question because it could give weight to your final decision. Included in our rental fee is full access to all three buildings, tables and chairs for the reception hall, four arbors to choose from, and miscellaneous decorations to be used for table centers.
Are there any additional fees?
Examples of this include wedding insurance, damage deposit, clean up fee, serving alcohol, etc. It is a great question to find out up front before the contract is presented and you are caught off guard. We have a damage deposit and require you to have wedding insurance. For more help on the insurance, check out our last blog. Which leads to the next question.
What are the catering and alcohol policies?
Can you have your own bartender? Are you allowed in the kitchen? It is nice to know this before booking a bartender or caterer. We do not have any catering policies and our alcohol policy is that the bartender must be certified.
What is your refund policy?
Because, covid. Or any other life crisis that could come up leading up your wedding. Our refund policy is cancellation 180 days before the wedding, you will get a full refund except for the down payment.
Is there a payment plan?
Make sure you know what the payment plan will be so you can financially plan for it. We do not have a payment plan. We only require the final payment 30 days before the wedding.
Do you require a wedding planner or coordinator?
Some wedding venues require you to have a wedding coordinator to make sure the day goes by smoothly. Four Fifteen Estates provides a day-of coordinator who knows the grounds and to work behind the scenes.
Can you book the venue for your ceremony rehearsal?
This will help you pick out your wedding package and also let you know how to prepare for the ceremony.
What’s next?
Here is where you’ll ask how to book the venue and the process of planning your wedding. Four Fifteen Estates will go above and beyond to help in any way we can from picking out vendors to help set up the wedding. We are here for you!
