Pinoy All Occasions

17 July 2011 by PAO

At last, the long wait is over and you’re on your way to becoming a beautiful bride. But don’t get too excited yet coz a lot of things have to be laid out first. After saying the magic word “Yes!”, the first thing people ask about is when the wedding day is going to be then quickly followed by where it will be held.

Wedding venue is indeed the most crucially important part of every wedding ceremony. Availability, capacity, and cost are just among the things that you really have to consider. Whether you are planning to get married on a beach front in Boracay, an exclusive villa in Batangas, or a hill top in Tagaytay, here are some tips you might consider helpful while you are choosing the perfect venue for your big day.

INSIDE OR OUTSIDE

Decide first if you want the ceremony or reception or both be held outdoors or indoors. Outdoor ceremonies are most of the times less costly as you instantly save on electricity charges which are embedded on the cost of indoor venues. If you’re aiming for a natural-themed ceremony, say a sunset scenery on a beach or a garden lit with colorful lantern lights, an outdoor venue suits just right in. An indoor venue on the other hand can also be advantageous. Primarily, indoor halls are weather proof. You don’t have to worry if your dream wedding on June is going to be a wet and rainy one. Likewise, you’re not going to be problematic if it’s going to be too hot or humid which can ruin you or worse your guests’ comfort as temperature is controlled and reliably comfortable indoors.

PROXIMITY MATTERS…A LOT

If the ceremony and reception are not in the same place, choose the ones which are not too far apart and easier to locate.  A lot of weddings disregard the fact that after the ceremony, most of their guests may be starving and holding the reception that is too far and takes some time to locate or simply too hard to find add up to the agony. You may also want to consider guests or relatives who come all the way from afar and very much unfamiliar with the wedding location. Provide them a clear and easy-to-use location sketch weeks before the wedding day. Lastly, familiarize your guests with the venue by providing sign boards. Say for instance when the reception building requires a bit of walking from the parking lot or the powder room is isolated from the main reception area. This may seem insignificant but you just don’t want your guest gets lost in the middle of the parking lot or in the alleyways.

GO TO THE DETAILS

Ask your venue provider on what kind of services they can actually provide. From sound system to linen and table wares to food and staffs who will assist you, having such factors into consideration is extremely important. How many people the venue can accommodate? Figure out and estimate how long will the ceremony and reception program run from the very start up to the end so you can do something early on and avoid paying excess time charges.  If the venue will only work within an accredited list of caterers, try to do some research so you’ll be able to get the one that can truly meet your expectations as well as your budget requirements. Remember that high quality service doesn’t always have to come with high cost.

KNOW THE NUMBERS

You might need a venue that is big enough to accommodate your guests yet fits nicely into your budget. It doesn’t have to be exact but having an accurate estimate of how many people will attend your wedding can save you a lot of valuable time and money. One helpful tip to determine this is by asking your guest if they’re coming or not through a confirmation or an RSVP notation affixed on your wedding invitation. Once you’ve done this, it’s easier for you to give your venue provider a more accurate estimate of the total number of guests who will be attending when you make the deposit. By doing this, leftovers which might be paid already can be minimized. It may be theoretical but experts say that out of the total guests invited, only 85% of these actually attend the wedding. So in a typical wedding with guest of 150, expect something around 130 guest turn out.

PLAN AHEAD

You have been dreaming this perfect venue for such a long time only to find out that it’s no longer available on the date you desire. These things happen but can be avoided through early planning. It’s a proven fact, planning ahead gives you more flexibility and luxury you can never have when you do the otherwise.  Ideally, for a typical wedding ceremony, preparation should begin as early as six months before the wedding day. Relative to that, venue reservation should be on your top priority. Searching online venues is indeed the most convenient and practical way to do it. Make a shortlist of your potential venue then right away check the availability and make an appointment for you to visit and have a look around.  Once decided, secure reservation by paying reservation or deposit fees as soon as possible.

Considering some of these tips can make your venue searching more fun, exciting and hassle-free. However, always keep in mind that  it’s you and your husband-to-be are the ones who can truly make the venue more beautiful and special.