One of the first things you’ll think about after you’ve become engaged (beyond the dress of course) is your perfect wedding venue. You may have been planning this day since you were a little girl, but none of your Pinterest boards can come to life until your venue is officially booked. Catering arrangements, reception entertainment, date, time, everything hinges on the wedding location. Once you have the right spot, all the rest of those wedding day details should fall into place. Keep these helpful hints in mind while looking for your reception site.
Budget: Choose Wisely
Not all wedding receptions are created equal, and there is no right way to do them, but make sure you find the right venue for you and your budget.
The average cost for a 150-person wedding is about $27,000 (higher in urban areas). You should expect 48-50 percent of that overall cost to go towards the reception. So when it comes time to plan the most expensive part of the wedding, know how to save! Consider marrying in a less popular month (avoid June, September, and October) or consider an evening other than Saturday, such as Thursday, Friday or Sunday.
Lodging: Do the Deal
Beyond a wedding for you, make it a vacation for your guests.
If your reception is in a hotel where many of your guests are likely to stay, do not hesitate to discuss special rates, discounts or perks with the event coordinator or banquet manager.
Backyard Beware
While a backyard reception may be sentimental, it may not be as simple and cost effective as you think.
Unless you are planning a VERY small wedding celebration, backyard nuptials can be costly in comparison to a proper banquet hall. One must consider renting everything which would be provided at an established facility, accessibility and resources for the caterers, restrooms, parking and an inclement weather plan.
Choose Conventional Over Complicated
There will be plenty of details to cover for your big day. It may be best to start off in a simple direction by going to an established wedding venue.
Choosing an unconventional venue such as a woodsy preserve, art gallery or any other location that is not experienced in frequent weddings can end up being a costly decision. There will be significantly more details to work out and typically hidden or last minute costs which may put you over budget. If cost is a concern, choose a place that is well versed in wedding celebrations and has a planning brigade already in place.
As a bride, how is your wedding reception planning coming along? Or as former bride, do you have any advice as it pertains to the reception? Share with us on Twitter and Facebook about your wedding reception experiences.
