Wedding venue visit: the complete checklist to take with you

A venue visit rarely lasts more than an hour, and it is often the only one before paying a significant deposit. The place is staged, the manager is in a rush, and emotions do the rest: you leave charmed, but without answers to the questions that matter on the big day. This checklist helps you look beyond the decor. Print it, take photos of each space and note the answers: you will then compare venues using the same criteria.

Before the visit: prepare your numbers

Arrive with three pieces of information

The manager will almost always ask you the same questions: the date (or possible dates), the number of guests, and the type of reception (cocktail reception only, seated dinner, evening with dancing). Come with a realistic guest range, not your ideal number. A perfect venue for 120 people becomes uncomfortable at 160.

Ask for documents in advance

Request the price list, a sample contract and the floor plan before the appointment. Reading them beforehand allows you to devote the visit to on-site checks rather than money questions. If you are still hesitating between several styles of venues, our guide to types of wedding venues helps you sort them out before you travel.

The spaces: look at the venue as it will be on the day

Actual capacity, not the advertised capacity

A venue often lists two numbers: standing capacity (cocktail) and seated capacity (dinner). For a wedding, the second is what matters, and even then: with a dance floor, a dessert buffet and the DJ area, the available space decreases. Ask for a photo or a layout of the room set up for a number of guests close to yours. Our article on space needed by number of guests gives benchmarks to make the calculation.

Ancillary spaces

Is the cocktail reception held in another room or outside? Is there a sheltered area if the weather turns? Where do the newlyweds change? Where do young children sleep at the end of the evening? A separate lounge, even a small one, often makes the evening much more comfortable.

The details you can't see in photos

• Columns or pillars that block the view of the head table;
• ceiling height, which affects acoustics and possible decoration;
• natural light at dinner time;
• the condition and number of restrooms;
• heating and air conditioning, to check depending on the season.

The kitchen and the caterer

Outside caterer allowed or mandatory

This is often the question that most affects the budget. Some venues require a specific caterer or a list of approved caterers; others allow free choice. We detail the advantages and pitfalls of both options in our article outside caterer allowed or mandatory.

Kitchen equipment

If your caterer is coming from outside, ask them for the list of what they need, and check on site: worktops, cold rooms or refrigerators, a sufficient number of electrical outlets, a dishwashing area, access for unloading their truck. A caterer who discovers an empty kitchen on the morning of the wedding will charge extra for equipment, when they can.

Drinks and corkage fee

Can you bring your own drinks? If so, does the venue charge a "corkage fee" per opened bottle? The answer can have a big impact on a wedding with more than a hundred guests.

Schedules and music

Until what time?

Ask the exact time music must stop and the time the venue must be vacated. The two are rarely identical. Our article on the end of the evening and noise rules explains why some venues cut the music earlier than planned.

The sound limiter

Many venues are equipped with a limiter that cuts power to the sound system above a certain volume. Ask about it, and pass the information on to your DJ: they will know how to adapt their equipment.

Access, parking and security

For guests

Number of parking spaces, parking lighting at night, public transport access, distance to hotels. If many guests are coming from far away, a shuttle prevents dangerous returns: see our guide to guest shuttles.

For people with reduced mobility

Ramp, elevator, accessible toilets, practicable path to the cocktail reception area: these points should be checked on site, not on a brochure.

For vendors

Truck access, service lift, authorized arrival time on the day. Your florist, decorator and DJ will thank you for asking.

What you leave with

At the end of the visit, ask for a dated written quote, listing what is included (tables, chairs, tablecloths, crockery, cleaning, electricity, heating) and what is not. Also ask how long the date can be held without commitment: a few days is often enough to compare calmly.

Finally ask the money questions that are forgotten once seduced by the venue: the amount of the deposit and the balance due date, the security deposit requested, and what happens in case of cancellation or postponement, on your side as well as the venue's. Our article on deposits and payments to vendors details the usual practices. To compare several venues, browse the wedding venues listed on DreamWeds: capacity, amenities and published prices are displayed there even before making an appointment.

Frequently asked questions

How many venues should you visit before choosing?

Three to five visits are usually enough. Beyond that, memories blur. Pre-select by photos, plans and prices, then only visit places that already meet your criteria for capacity, date and budget.

Should you visit the venue at the time of the wedding?

It's a real plus. A late-afternoon visit shows the light at dinner time, external lighting and the surrounding noise. If that's not possible, ask for photos taken during a wedding in the evening.

Who should come to the visit?

Both future spouses, and possibly a trusted person who dares to ask practical questions. Avoid coming with ten people: you'll be distracted and the manager will struggle to answer precisely.

Can you come back a second time before signing?

Yes, and it's recommended for an expensive venue. A second visit, contract in hand, allows you to verify what is written in black and white and to meet the person who will be present on the big day.