A small guide to choose your dream wedding venue.
He finally popped the question, you already chose the date...next step? Finding the right place to celebrate the reception.
The "where" is one of the most important points and, surely, one of the toughest decision to make while organising the wedding. In fact, if you take too much time to decide, the risk of having that venue already booked by someone else, will increase. Also, whenever date and venue are set, many other choices would be much easier to decide (the stationery style, the florals etc.)
But...How do you choose the perfect location?
Here are a few advice we give to our couples
Always think to the B plan
Whether you're getting married in April or in August, you just can't forecast the weather too much in advance. Choose always a venue you like both outside and inside, bearing in mind it could host all your guests and activities in case of bad weather.
Be coherent
If you're not used to formality, if you want to have a cozy and funny reception...maybe a castle or a villa won't suit you. The venue speaks for you and gives precious information to your guests: be coherent. If you will choose a venue just because "maybe we should do like this" or because you think your guests will appreciate it more, you're making a huge mistake, ending up to be out of place at your own wedding.
Wishing for a wedding with a certain style does not exclude some venue at all. For example, to a 2021 couple who would love to have a romantic wedding but that is not too prone to formality, we suggested to set up a country house in a more poetic way. For instance, we suggested avoiding hay bales and using wooden chairs for the ceremony and poufs for the lounge area instead.
#lepetitotips
Seize the distances
If you're not going to celebrate the ceremony and the reception in the same place, you should never ask your guests to drive for more than 30 minutes. If the church and the venue you fell for are quite distant, make sure you take good care of your guests: they would love to know that there are some B&B near the venue where they can rest after the reception or that you planned for them a transfer service.
Size matters
When you talk about a venue, this is a golden rule. Having the right space for all the guest is very important...as much as not having 40 or 50 guests lost in a venue that could host 300 people. Many of you may ask what's wrong with this and, at least on paper, the numbers check out pretty well. There's enough room for everyone right? But picture this for a moment: when in a game all the team is involved in an action taking place just on a side of the field, the other one look SO empty. That's exactly what happens when you have a big venue and few guests: the blank spaces would terribly stand out. If you decide that villa with a huge garden is what you've always dreamed for, go for it! But be smart and use the space in the best way possible: physically delimitate all the various moments (aperitivo, seated dinner, cake, dance), so that people won't feel lost and the party won't start properly...
Do not underestimate costs
We can't hide the truth: renting a venue is a big cost. If the villa is fundamental for you, make sure you know how to fit that in your budget. Villas are often blank spaces that need to be completely decorated. You should not only think about the rental expense, but also to those costs related to renting tables, chairs, furniture, ombrellas and all the things that would make your wedding unforgettable.
A practical solution to overcome this problem is hiring a banqueting service: they will not only provide the food but also (with an extra cost) some of the furniture you may need.
Italiano