Booking your venue is one of the most exciting parts of planning a wedding. As you tour potential venues, it’s easy to start visualizing your big day. 

It’s also easy to forget the questions you want to ask the wedding venue coordinator.

That’s why we’ve put together a comprehensive list of everything you’ll want to ask your wedding venue. With this list on hand, you’ll bring a level of preparedness rivaled only by Jennifer Lopez in The Wedding Planner. Print it out and bring it along on each tour, so you can get all your questions answered! 

Questions to ask a wedding venue before booking

There’s a lot to consider when choosing a wedding venue. Pick the right one by asking the right questions upfront. Don’t be shy; ask them everything!

General booking questions

1. What dates do you have available during our preferred month? Do you have discounts during off-season months, morning weddings, or Friday or Sunday weddings?
2. How far in advance can we reserve a date for our wedding?
3. What’s the latest date we can make a change to our reservation?
4. Is there a capacity limit? How many guests can we invite? 
5. Can you host other events besides the reception, such as the ceremony, rehearsal dinner, or day-after festivities? 
6. If we host our ceremony here, how does the rehearsal work?
7. If we book an outdoor space, what’s the contingency plan in case of bad weather?
8. Do you have changing rooms for the bride and groom? Can we book additional space for the wedding party? 
9. Do you have event liability insurance
   , or do we need to have our own?
10. Are there any upgrades or perks available to the newlyweds, such as a massage at a partner hotel?
11. How many events do you typically host in one day? How do you handle the crossover, and prevent confusion among the guests?
12. Can you share photos of other weddings similar to ours?

Payment questions

1. What is included in the base booking fee? 
2. How many hours does the booking fee include? Is it possible to extend our booking for an additional fee? 
3. What is the absolute earliest we can arrive, and latest we can leave? 
4. Is the deposit refundable? How much is it, and when is it due? 
5. When is the remainder of the booking fee due? 
6. Can you share the details of your cancellation policy? How early do we have to cancel to receive our deposit back?
7. If there’s something in the package we do not want, can we substitute or remove it?
8. For venues that host multiple events, can we do a complete buyout of the space?
9. What payment methods do you accept?
10. Can you share a sample contract with me to review?

Food and drink questions

1. Is catering provided in-house? If not, do you have a preferred vendor list we can review? 
2. If we hire an outside caterer, does the venue provide a kitchen for them? 
3. What meal options are available? Do you offer buffets or seated dinners? How many courses? What about desserts and late-night snacks? What is the price per guest? 
4. Are you able to accommodate dietary restrictions?
5. Do we have to use the in-house vendor for our cake or can we use an outside vendor? 
6. Is there a cake-cutting fee? Can it be waived if we cut our own cake?
7. Is a food tasting included, or does it cost extra? 
8. Do we have to meet a food and beverage minimum? What is the tax and service charge?
9. Do you have an alcohol license, or do we need to bring our own vendor? 
10. Can we have a full bar?
11. What is the cost for an open bar? Is there a minimum charge? 
12. Can we pre-stock the bar with our own wine, beer, champagne, or hard liquor? Is there a corkage fee? 
13. Does the venue provide tables, chairs, linens, dishware, silverware, and glassware? If not, what do we need to rent or ask our caterer to bring?
14. How many wait staff will be working for a wedding of our size?
15. Are there any additional food or alcohol-related charges we should know about, such as a bar staffing fee?

Decor questions

1. What, if any, decorations are included in the booking fee? 
2. Can we bring in additional decorations, such as string lights or centerpieces? When and where can we drop these off? 
3. Are there any restrictions on outside decor, such as confetti, sparklers, candles, food trucks, beer donkeys, or lawn games?
4. In case of cold weather, are heaters, umbrellas, or covered tents provided for outdoor weddings?
5. Do you provide in-house flowers or have a preferred vendor? Can we scatter petals on the floor or ground?
6. Does your staff assist with setup or breakdown? To what extent?
7. Are there any restrictions on how we can rearrange the space?

Vendor questions

1. Do we have to work with your in-house or preferred vendors, or can we hire our own? What type of event vendor insurance do you require?
2. Is on-site coordination available? If so, what services are included?
3. Are there any vendors I’m required to hire, such as an officiant? 
4. Can we bring an outside DJ or live band?
5. Do you have in-house photography or videography services, or should we hire our own?
6. Do you offer security services to prevent wedding crashers? Is there an additional cost?
7. When can our vendors arrive for setup?

Logistics questions

1. What does the flow of the event look like, from ceremony to cocktail hour to reception? Will you be moving furniture around during the ceremony?
2. Are there any noise restrictions we should know about? 
3. Is parking included, or can we add it for an additional fee?
4. What accommodations are available for guests with disabilities or mobility issues?
5. Is there a designated smoking area?
6. How many restrooms do you have? If you host multiple events, are any reserved just for our guests? Can we rent portable restrooms?
7. For hotel venues, do you offer a discounted group rate for hotels? How many rooms do we have to reserve? Can we arrange for Welcome Bags to be provided upon check-in? Is a room included for the newlyweds?
8. For non-hotel venues, do you partner with any hotels where we can get a discount?
9. For winter weddings, is a coat check available?
10. Do you have an audio/visual system? What about microphones for speakers?
11. For adult-only weddings, is childcare available? 

Questions to ask wedding venue after booking

You’ve booked your wedding venue. Congratulations! Over the next few months, as you put together your guest list and choose your vendors, make sure everything’s in order by asking your venue these questions.

1. Who will be our main point of contact during the planning process? Can we meet them now?
2. What information do we need to share with our outside vendors? Will they need to access a service elevator or separate entrance? Will we be charged if they drop-off or pick-up items during the days before or after our wedding? 
3. Can we visit during another wedding to see what the setup is like and hear the sound system?
4. Where will the seating chart be displayed?
5. Where will the gift table and cardbox be located? Are any decorations provided?
6. How many people can sit at one table? Do we need to provide place cards?
7. Can we prepare a specialty drink as the newlyweds?
8. How would you recommend guests get to the event? Do you partner with cabs, rideshares, or shuttle services? Are there any traffic tips we can pass on to our guests?

Questions to ask wedding venue at the final meeting

The big day is getting close, and there are only a few more questions to ask. Follow up on the questions below and ask about anything else that’s on your mind.

1. Who will be our main point of contact on the day of our wedding? Can we meet them?
2. Can we visit a few days before our wedding to show the space to our vendors?
3. Will you provide signage to direct guests to our wedding, or do we need to bring our own?
4. What else can we do now to avoid surprises on the big day?
5. Can you confirm how much money is still owed and when payment is due?

There you have it: all the questions you need to ask your wedding venue to make your wedding everything you’ve dreamt it will be.

Questions to Ask a Wedding Venue

You've already landed the fiancé. Now it's time to nail down the venue.

The Haven at Tomales | Morgan McCanne Photo

Hey, we know (because couples tell us every day) that Here Comes The Guide is a fantastic resource to help you find the perfect wedding venue. But once you've narrowed down your list and scheduled some site visits, you gotta know what questions to ask!

To make this task easier, we've come up with this comprehensive list of questions to ask a wedding venue—before you put down a deposit. Scroll down to view it, and don't forget to download your printable PDF!

FREE WEDDING PRINTABLE | Questions to Ask a Wedding Venue PDF

There's nothing quite as satisfying as putting together a drop-dead *gorgeous* wedding binder to help you plan your big day in style. Which is why we've painstakingly written and designed these equal-parts-effective-and-attractive wedding planning PDFs.

Simply click the button below to download our Questions to Ask a Wedding Venue printable ↓

Before We Begin:

• Overwhelmed? Don't be!

  Yes, we've listed 50 questions here, but they're categorized into yummy bite-sized chunks to make this easier to read. Cherry-pick the ones that apply to you!

• Feel free to personalize.

  Add questions that relate to your particular event (e.g. "Can my dog be the ring bearer in my ceremony?" or "Are you okay with us setting up a wedding beer pong table?")

• Keep the answers organized.

  During your site visit(s), keep your notebook, planning binder, or the notes app on your phone handy so you can jot down the answers to all these questions. We've created this printable worksheet to help you do just that.

And our biggest tip: make sure to get everything in writing in your final contract!

Ready? Let's do this.

Como Park Zoo and Conservatory

The Basics

1. What dates are available in the month I'm considering?

TIP: Some venues offer a discount for booking an off-season date or a Sunday through Friday wedding.

Further reading:
Furniture

2. How many people can this location accommodate?
3. What is the rental fee and what's included in that price?
4. How many hours does the rental fee include, and is there an overtime fee if I stay longer? We really like to party.
5. How much is the deposit, when is it due, and is it refundable?
6. What's the payment plan for the entire bill? What forms of payment do you accept?
7. Can I have my ceremony here, too? Is there an additional cost?
8. Are there changing areas for the bride, groom, and/or wedding party?
9. Can we have our rehearsal dinner here? What about a morning-after mimosa brunch?
10. How much time is allocated for the rehearsal?
11. What's the cancellation policy?

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8 Tips for Buying Patio Furniture That Suits Your Outdoor Space

TIP: Some places will refund most of your deposit if you cancel far enough in advance, since there's still a chance they can rent the space. After a certain date, though, you may not be able to get a refund—at least not a full one.

12. What's your weather contingency (backup) plan for outdoor spaces?
13. Do you have liability insurance?

TIP: If drunk cousin Steve gets injured during the dance party, you don't want to be held responsible—if the site doesn't have insurance, you'll need to get your own.

Le San Michele

Food + Drinks

14. Do you have an in-house caterer or a list of "preferred" caterers, or do I need to provide my own? Even if there is an in-house caterer, do I have the option of using an outside caterer instead?
15. If I hire my own caterer, is there a kitchen available for them?

TIP: Caterers charge extra if they have to haul in refrigerators and stoves.

16. Is there a food & beverage minimum?
17. What's the tax and service charge?
18. Can we do a food tasting before we finalize our menu selection? Does it cost extra?

TIP: Be sure to ask if they'll accommodate dietary restrictions and/or food allergies. Usually it's no problem!

19. Are tables, linens, chairs, plates, silverware, and glassware provided, or will I have to rent them myself or get them through my caterer?
20. Can I bring in a cake from an outside baker or do I have to use a cake made on site?
21. Is there a cake-cutting fee? If I use a cake made on site is the fee waived?

TIP: Sometimes if you ask if a friend or family member can cut your cake, they'll waive the cake-cutting fee for you. #discountsforthewin

22. Can we bring our own wine, beer or champagne? What about hard liquor?
23. Is there a corkage fee?
24. Are you licensed to provide alcohol service?

TIP: Some venues (like wineries) aren't licensed to serve hard alcohol. You may need to get permission to bring in an outside beverage catering company if you like your booze.

25. How is alcohol priced, and is there a bar minimum?
26. Are there additional charges for bar staff?

Ogontz

Décor + Rentals

27. Are we allowed to bring in our own decorations?

TIP: Keep the existing décor in mind when planning your own decorations so that they won't clash! And if your event is in December, ask what the venue's holiday décor will be. Because creepy Santa's NOT invited.

28. Do you have an inventory of décor (lighting, candle holders, vases, etc.) we can borrow from?
29. Can I move things around or do I have to leave everything as is?

TIP: Some venues have restrictions on whether or not you can hang things from the ceiling or on the walls. If you're obsessed with string lights, better check on this.

30. Can we use candles/confetti/sparklers/fireworks/animals/lawn games/bounce houses/food trucks/insert your own fun-but- potentially-dangerous liability here?
31. Do you have signage or other aids to direct guests to my event?
32. Do you provide heaters and/or umbrellas for the outdoor spaces?

The Magnolia Venue

Vendors + Staffing

33. Can I hire my own vendors or is there a preferred vendor list we need to stick to?
34. Do you offer on-site coordination? What services are included?
35. Can the venue accommodate a DJ or live band?
36. What security services do you offer?

TIP: In general, you should have 2 security guards for the first 100 guests and 1 more for every additional 100 guests. #thatviplife

37. Do you provide a coat check service?
38. What time can my vendors start setting up on the day of the wedding?

TIP: Some venues host multiple weddings per weekend. Others just host one! If your venue does the latter, ask if you can start the setup the day before.

39. Does the venue provide assistance getting gifts and/or décor back to a designated car or hotel room after the wedding?

MyMoon

Logistics

40. Is there a separate space for cocktail hour?
41. Do you have a sound system and/or microphones for speeches?

TIP: Check where the outlets are located in your event space, because that will help you figure out where the band can set up and where other vendors can hook up their equipment. You don't want the head table to block the only outlet in the room, right?

42. Are there any noise restrictions?
43. Is there parking on site and if so, is it complimentary? If not, where will my guests park?
44. Are cabs/rideshares (like Uber, Lyft, etc.) easily accessible from the venue?
45. If a shuttle service is needed, can you assist with setting it up?
46. How many restrooms are there?

TIP: You should have at least 4 restrooms per 100 people. At least.

47. What overnight accommodations do you provide? Do you offer a discount for booking multiple rooms—or a complimentary room or upgrade for the newlyweds?!
48. If no accommodations are available, what are the nearest hotels to the venue?

TIP: Some venues have partnerships with local hotels that offer a discount if you book a block of rooms.

49. Is the site accessible for people with disabilities?
50. Do you have a recycling policy? We'd love for our wedding to give back.

The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay

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