40 Wedding Venue Questions You Need to Ask Before Booking

Don't sign on the dotted line until you have answers to these key questions.

By
Jaimie Mackey
Jaimie Mackey

Jaimie Mackey was the real weddings editor at Brides from 2013 to 2015. She also worked as a luxury wedding planner and produced over 100 high-end weddings and events in Colorado

Brides's Editorial Guidelines
Updated on June 13, 2024 09:12AM
Aerial View of Clear-Top Wedding Tent with Glowing Candles and Mingling Guests

Photo by Abby Jiu Photography

In This Article

Availability and Pricing Payment Vendors Logistics
Event Specifics Food and Drinks Production Staff

We all know that what makes the perfect wedding venue is more than just the aesthetics—though good looks are, of course, a huge bonus. There are so many important details you’ll need to go over before you sign on the dotted line, including details like whether or not your venue of choice offers add-on services (like catering) and the proximity of the venue to lodging for your guests to any preferred vendor lists you need to be aware of and the payment schedule should you move forward with booking.

Ahead, we've compiled the key questions that you should ask about a wedding venue before making a final decision. Make sure that you're checking all of your planning boxes by bringing this list of 30 essential questions with you on your site visits.

Outdoor Wedding Ceremony With Flower Petal-Lined Aisle

Photo by Elizabeth Warrick

Questions to Ask Wedding Venues About Availability and Pricing

  1. Is my date of choice available? If not, are there any surrounding dates available? Do you have a waitlist for dates?
  2. How far in advance can I reserve my date?
  3. What are the rates for different days of the week and times (Friday, Saturday, Sunday; morning, afternoon, evening)? What about different seasons?
  4. Do you have different packages available with more or less amenities we can consider based on our budget?
  5. How many hours are included in the rental of the space? How early can our wedding start and how late can it go?

Ideally, you’ll want to be the only event on-site on your wedding day, as having other events happening can result in less setup time, limited venue access, and confusion for your guests. If you’re not guaranteed to be the only event that day, find out how much it would cost to do a complete buyout, as well as ask about how the staff handles having multiple events at once.

wedding reception in industrial warehouse with with blue-and-white patterned tables

Photo by Samm Blake of The Wedding Artists Co.

Questions to Ask Wedding Venues About Payment

  1. How much is the venue deposit?
  2. When do you need the deposit by?
  3. How do you structure the payment schedule?
  4. What is included in the total? Does it cover service charges, gratuity, and cleaning fees, or are those additional line items?
  5. What is the cancellation policy?
  6. When is the last possible date to make changes to our reservation?
  7. Do you require that we use wedding insurance?
White wedding tent with fresh pink floral arch at an outdoor wedding venue at sunset in the summertime.

Photo by Ana Hinojosa

Questions to Ask Wedding Venues About Vendor Teams

  1. Do you have a list of approved or recommended vendors we can use?
  2. Do we have to use your approved vendors? If not, are there limitations or guidelines we need to meet when bringing others in?
  3. Do you provide a day-of coordinator as part of the venue fee?

If your venue doesn’t require you to use their vendors, ask if there are any they recommend most highly. A vendor who is familiar with your venue will already know the quirks and challenges of the space, which will make your planning process that much easier.

A long white wedding table with wooden chairs and pink floral centerpieces under a tent at an outdoor summer wedding.

Photo by Bonnie Sen

Questions to Ask Wedding Venues About Logistics

  1. Is the site handicap accessible?
  2. Are there noise restrictions?
  3. Are there certain rules we need to be mindful of, such as no open flames, restrictions on the types of décor, or setup changes that can't be made?
  4. How early can we arrive on the wedding day to get ready?
  5. How early can our vendors arrive on the wedding day for setup?
  6. Is it possible to have deliveries arrive the day before our wedding, or does everything have to arrive the same day as the celebration?
  7. How many bathrooms are there? Will we need to rent additional portable restrooms based on ou r projected guest list size?
  8. Is parking available on-site? How much space is there? Will guests be charged for parking?
  9. Is there a backup space that we can use in the case of inclement weather?

Sometimes the use of parking is included in your site rental fee, sometimes it isn’t. If there is a fee and it isn’t covered by your rental, ask how much it would cost for you to pay for your guests’ parking for the evening.

Aerial Shot of Wedding Ceremony In The Round

Photo by Glorianna Chan

Questions to Ask Wedding Venues About Event Specifics

  1. What is the venue's maximum capacity? Are we required to guarantee a certain number of guests?
  2. Are there any limitations in regards to how the space can be setup for our wedding?
  3. Do you have your own sound equipment and speakers, or will those need to be rented or provided by the entertainment?
  4. Will your staff be involved in setting up and breaking down the décor? In what capacity?
  5. Do you include all necessary rentals for a wedding (including chairs, tables, dinnerware, and barware) or are we required to bring those items in ourselves?

A venue like a hotel will usually have staff available to help arrange and set the tables, then help pack up any rented glassware, flatware, and dishes at the end of the night. Confirm exactly what the venue’s staff will be doing so you can pass that information on to your other vendors.

Four orange cocktails with garnish in couple glasses being served by a caterer at an outdoor wedding.

Photo by Kristen Marie Parker

Questions to Ask Wedding Venues About Food and Drinks

  1. Do you have an in-house caterer? If so, are food and beverages included in the venue rental fee?
  2. If there is not an in-house caterer, do we have to choose from a list of approved options, or can we hire our own caterer?
  3. Do you have a food and beverage minimum? What are the consequences if we don’t meet it?
  4. Do we have to purchase liquor through you, or can we source liquor elsewhere?
  5. If we can bring our own liquor onto the property, is there a corkage or service fee?
  6. If you do not provide in-house catering, do you have facilities and essentials necessary for an external team to prepare meals on-site?
  7. Do you have a bar and barware for an external bartender to use?

If your venue does allow you to buy your own alcohol, they may charge a fee to serve it on the property—which is still often much less than the price of ordering straight through the venue.

Guests Seated at Long Table During Outdoor Wedding Reception with String Lights Overhead

Photo by Jillian Mitchell

Questions to Ask Wedding Venues About Production Staff

  1. Who will be our point person as we plan our wedding? Who will be our point person on our wedding day, and is this person an on-site coordinator? Can we meet with them today?
  2. How many staff members, included in the cost of the venue, will be on-site during our wedding?
  3. How many events do your staff members work in a weekend?
  4. Is your staff full-time, or do you bring in production staff for each event?

Related Stories