Questions to ask when viewing a wedding venue: a printable checklist

A venue viewing goes quickly. You walk round, someone friendly shows you the best rooms, and you leave with a brochure and a feeling. The feeling matters, but so do the answers to a lot of practical questions, and it's easy to forget half of them on the day.

Print this page and take a copy to every viewing. The questions are grouped so you can skip whole sections that don't apply, and there's space at the end to compare venues side by side. For the bigger picture of venue types and costs, see the guide to choosing a venue type.

Print this checklist

Before you go

• Ask for the price list, sample menu and a sample contract in advance, so you can spend the visit on questions the paperwork doesn't answer.
• Know your rough numbers: guest count (day and evening), budget for the venue, and preferred dates or months.
• Visit at the time of day you'd be there. If you can, see the venue at a similar time of year too; the light and temperature in autumn can be very different from summer photos.
• Ask to see it set up, or ask for photos of a real wedding in the rooms you'd use, rather than the styled shots.

Dates and availability

• Which dates are available in the months we're considering, and how do prices change by day of the week and month?
• Can you hold a date for us while we decide? For how long, and is there a fee?
• Is it exclusive use? If not, who else will be here on the day, and will we share any spaces?
• Is any building work, maintenance or nearby event planned around our date?

The ceremony

• Is the venue approved or licensed for the type of ceremony we want? Exactly which rooms or outdoor spots does that cover? (The rules differ across the UK; see approved premises explained.)
• Do we book the registrar or celebrant ourselves, and how far ahead do they usually get booked here?
• How many guests can sit for the ceremony, and how long does the room take to turn around afterwards?
• If the ceremony is outdoors, what's the wet-weather plan, and when is the decision made?
• Can we have live music, readings, confetti, candles?

Capacity and spaces

• How many guests can you seat for a meal, and how many can attend in the evening?
• Is there a minimum number of guests, or a minimum spend? Does it change on different days?
• Which rooms are included, and what's each used for during the day?
• Where would the drinks reception be, inside and out?
• Is there a private room for us to get ready in, or to take a quiet moment during the day?
• Where do guests leave coats and gifts? Is there somewhere secure for cards?

Money: what's included and what isn't

• Is the quote inclusive of VAT? Are there service charges on top?
• What's included: tables, chairs, linen, crockery, glassware, staff, a coordinator, a PA system, a dance floor, cleaning?
• What costs extra? Ask about late licences, overtime, security, cloakroom staff, cake cutting, corkage and room hire for extra spaces.
• What deposit is due to book, when are the other payments due, and how much is each?
• What are the cancellation and postponement terms, on both sides? Is any deposit refundable?
• Is there a damage or security deposit, and when is it returned?
• How often do prices change, and is our price fixed once we book?

Food and drink

• Do we have to use your caterer, or can we bring our own? If we can, are there fees or conditions?
• Is there a menu tasting, when does it happen, and is it included?
• How do you handle allergies and dietary requirements?
• What drinks packages are there? Can we bring our own drinks, and what's the corkage charge?
• When do you need final numbers?
• Is evening food included, or extra?
• Can you provide meals for our photographer, band and other suppliers? At what price?

Suppliers and setting up

• Do you have a list of approved or required suppliers? Is there a fee for using others?
• What time can suppliers arrive to set up, and when must everything be cleared away? Is a next-day collection possible?
• Where can suppliers park and unload? Are there stairs or narrow access?
• Are there restrictions on decorations: candles, naked flames, confetti, fixing things to walls, smoke machines, sparklers?
• What power is available for a band, DJ or lighting? Is there a noise limiter, and at what level?

Timings and the evening

• What time can we and our guests arrive, and what time does the venue close?
• When does the music have to stop, and the bar close?
• Are there neighbours or noise restrictions we should know about?
• Can we extend the evening, and how much does it cost?

Getting there and staying

• How much parking is there, and can guests leave cars overnight?
• Is it reachable by public transport? How easy is it to get a taxi late at night?
• Is there accommodation on site or nearby? Is there a minimum booking, or a group rate?
• What's the mobile signal and Wi-Fi like? (Check your own phone while you're there.)

Accessibility and comfort

• Is there step-free access from the car park to every space guests will use, including the toilets? (There's a fuller list of accessibility questions.)
• Where are the accessible toilets, and how many toilets are there overall for our numbers?
• How is the venue heated or cooled? What happens on a very hot or very cold day?
• Is it suitable for children? Is there space for a quieter area, or somewhere for babies to nap?
• If it's a listed or historic building, what restrictions come with that? (See listed building restrictions.)

On the day

• Who will be our contact on the day, and will we meet them beforehand?
• Who looks after the running order, and who calls guests through to dinner?
• Do you have a recommended running order for weddings here?
• What happens if something goes wrong, such as a supplier who doesn't arrive or a power cut?

What to look for (not just ask)

Some of the most useful information isn't in any answer:

• Walk the route your guests will take, from the car park to the ceremony, to drinks, to dinner and to the toilets. Is it obvious? Is any of it outside?
• Check where the toilets are relative to the dance floor and the dining room.
• Stand where you'd stand for the ceremony. What's behind you in the photos? Where would the sun be?
• Listen. Is there road noise, or a kitchen extractor next to the ceremony room?
• Notice how questions are answered. Clear, written answers are a good sign. Vague replies about costs or terms are worth following up before you sign anything.
• Take photos and notes of everything, including the rooms you didn't like. After three viewings, they all blur together.

Comparing venues afterwards

Fill this in while the visit is fresh. Use the full cost for your numbers and date, including VAT, service charges and the extras you'd actually need, so you're comparing like for like.

Once you've chosen, ask for every answer that matters to you in writing, ideally in the contract itself. Then add the confirmed venue cost and payment dates to the budget calculator, and tick "Book your venue" on the checklist.