30 Wedding Venue Questions You Should Be Asking

Before you sign on the dotted line, go over these important 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 06/21/23 09:30AM
Outdoor wedding venue with fresh pink flower arrangements, in-ground pools, and stone arches overlooking the ocean.

Photo by Pablo Laguía

In This Article

Pricing and Availability 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, from whether your venue of choice offers add-on services (like catering), to the proximity of the venue to lodging for your guests.

Ahead, we've compiled the key questions (recommended by wedding planners!) 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.

Questions to Ask Wedding Venues About Pricing and Availability

  • Is my date of choice available? If not, are there any surrounding dates available? Or do you have a waitlist for dates?
  • How far in advance can I reserve my date?
  • What are the rates for different days of the week and times (Friday, Saturday, Sunday; morning, afternoon, evening)? What about different seasons?
  • How many hours are included in the rental of the space? How early can we arrive, and how late can we stay?

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.

Questions to Ask Wedding Venues About Payment

  • How much is the venue deposit?
  • When do you need the deposit by?
  • How do you structure the payment schedule?
  • What is included in the total? Does it cover service charges, gratuity, and cleaning fees, or are those additional line items?
  • What is the cancellation policy?
  • When is the last possible date to make changes to our reservation?
  • 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

  • Do you have a list of approved or recommended vendors we can use?
  • Do we have to use your approved vendors? If not, are there limitations or guidelines we need to meet when bringing others in?

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 About Logistics

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.

Questions to Ask About Event Specifics

  • What is the venue’s capacity?
  • Do you have your own sound equipment and speakers, or will those need to be rented or provided by the entertainment?
  • What is the backup plan for rain or inclement weather?
  • Are there any décor restrictions?
  • When can vendors arrive for setup?
  • Will your staff be involved in setting up and breaking down the décor? In what capacity?

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 About Food and Drinks

  • Do you have an in-house caterer? If so, are food and beverages included in the venue rental fee?
  • 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?
  • Do you have a food and beverage minimum? What are the consequences if we don’t meet it?
  • Do we have to purchase liquor through you, or can we source liquor elsewhere?
  • If we can bring our own liquor onto the property, is there a corkage or service fee?

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.

Questions to Ask About Production Staff

  • 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 them today?

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