Questions to ask a wedding venue before you sign

Before signing with a wedding venue, ask four kinds of question: what it will really cost for your guest count, what is and is not included, what rules will shape your day, and what happens if something goes wrong. A venue's headline price answers none of these, and most budget surprises come from the gap between that price and the final invoice.

Questions about the real price

• What is the total for our date, our guest count and the menu we would choose, including tax?
• Is there a service charge, what percentage, and is it a tip for staff or a fee to the venue?
• Is there a minimum spend on food and drink, and what happens if we are below it?
• What does a Friday, a Sunday or an off-season date cost instead?
• What deposit is due, when are the other payments, and are any refundable?

Ask for the answer in writing as a sample invoice. In the US especially, a service charge of around a fifth of the bill is common and is often not the staff's tip, so the two can add up to more than couples expect.

Questions about what is included

• Which tables, chairs, linens, glassware and cutlery are included, and in what styles?
• Is there an on-site coordinator, and what do they do on the day itself?
• Do you have in-house catering, or a list of approved caterers, or can we bring our own?
• Can we bring our own drinks, and is there a corkage fee?
• Is there a fee for cutting and serving a cake from an outside baker?
• Is there a room for getting ready, and from what time?

Questions about the rules

• What time must music stop and guests leave, and can we extend?
• Are there sound limits, and does that affect a live band?
• Are candles, confetti, sparklers or drones allowed?
• When can suppliers arrive to set up, and when must everything be cleared?
• Is the venue exclusively ours, or is there another event that day?
• Is it accessible for guests who use a wheelchair or find stairs hard?

Questions about the space

• What is the capacity seated for dinner with a dance floor, rather than standing?
• What is the plan if it rains, and when do we have to decide?
• Where do guests park, and is there room for a bus or shuttle?
• Is there accommodation on site or nearby, and can we hold a block of rooms?
• Can we see a floor plan with dimensions?

A floor plan with dimensions is worth asking for even if you never use it again, because it lets you test the seating before you sign. If thirteen round tables of ten and a dance floor do not fit on paper, they will not fit on the day.

Questions about what happens if something goes wrong

• What is your cancellation policy, for us and for you?
• Can we postpone instead of cancel, and on what terms?
• Do you require us to have event insurance or liability insurance?
• What happens if the venue is sold or closes before our date?

Ask for the total for your guest count, in writing, before you fall in love with the view.

How do you compare venues afterwards?

Put the totals side by side, for the same guest count, with the extras you would need to hire added in. Then compare cost per guest. A venue that looks cheaper often is not once chairs, linens and a coordinator are added, and a budget that multiplies per-person items by your real headcount makes that comparison honest.