So you are engaged and its time to check out some wedding venues to have your reception at. My own advice is to go along to any wedding exhibitions that venues may have scheduled. Get to see the reception room decorated for a wedding, then whittle your final selection down to about 3 venues.
While some venues may appeal to you both there are some points that you may not have thought about. Your photographs are all you have left to remember your special day so here are some tips to consider when booking your venue.
Does the venue have any locations outside for photographs?
I very often come across wedding venues with little or no outdoor locations for photographs. If this is the case, I always recommend to my couples that they pick a location either near to the church or to the wedding venue for bridal party/family & their couple shots. A location that means something to the couple can be a lovely idea. Speaking to your photographer in advance of your wedding day about locations for photographs is a must! He/she will advise on what is best. If a location is picked by the couple, the photographer will almost definitely want to see it in advance of the day.
It may rain, does the hotel have a room they can allocate to you?
We live in Ireland after all so we can never depend on the weather. Almost 90% of the time I get outside for photographs, even if it means running outside between showers, however, there have been times when the weather has been so bad that going outside is not possible. This is when you will need to have a nice room set aside for photographs. This room should not be where the guests are having their drinks or in the room where you will be having your meal later. Firstly guests would be in the back of all of your shots and secondly, if you are shooting in the reception room you will have chairs and tables in the background. This is an important point to bring up with your wedding coordinator! A little extra advice, have umbrellas at the ready, rainy shots can be fab!
Band set-up
One thing that gets on my goat at weddings is the long delay between the end of the meal and the band set up. You know it, its when all of the tables are pulled away to accommodate the dance floor. This is when the band come in and set up in front of everyone, this can take up to an hour sometimes. Ask your hotel and band if it is possible for them to set up before the meal. This is a much smoother transition and the day flows much better. Unfortunately, there are some venues who simply don't have the room for the band to set up before the meal so if this is the case something like a photo booth can be a good distraction to entertain the guests during this transitional period.
Microphone facility for speeches
The speeches have started and are in full flow! The best man is in the middle of his speech, nervous as hell and to make him feel even more nervous, the microphone stops working and more attention is on him! I've seen this situation so many times! My tip is to ask the hotel when you have your initial visit about their PA system. On the day of the wedding have the best man or a groomsman check the microphone in the room and ask the hotel/venue to have spare batteries just in case!
These are just some small tips to help! I really enjoy putting them together for you and really hope they come in handy when you are booking your wedding venue!
Thanks so much for taking the time to read my blog posts!
Luv Jenny xxx
While some venues may appeal to you both there are some points that you may not have thought about. Your photographs are all you have left to remember your special day so here are some tips to consider when booking your venue.
Does the venue have any locations outside for photographs?
I very often come across wedding venues with little or no outdoor locations for photographs. If this is the case, I always recommend to my couples that they pick a location either near to the church or to the wedding venue for bridal party/family & their couple shots. A location that means something to the couple can be a lovely idea. Speaking to your photographer in advance of your wedding day about locations for photographs is a must! He/she will advise on what is best. If a location is picked by the couple, the photographer will almost definitely want to see it in advance of the day.
It may rain, does the hotel have a room they can allocate to you?
We live in Ireland after all so we can never depend on the weather. Almost 90% of the time I get outside for photographs, even if it means running outside between showers, however, there have been times when the weather has been so bad that going outside is not possible. This is when you will need to have a nice room set aside for photographs. This room should not be where the guests are having their drinks or in the room where you will be having your meal later. Firstly guests would be in the back of all of your shots and secondly, if you are shooting in the reception room you will have chairs and tables in the background. This is an important point to bring up with your wedding coordinator! A little extra advice, have umbrellas at the ready, rainy shots can be fab!
Band set-up
One thing that gets on my goat at weddings is the long delay between the end of the meal and the band set up. You know it, its when all of the tables are pulled away to accommodate the dance floor. This is when the band come in and set up in front of everyone, this can take up to an hour sometimes. Ask your hotel and band if it is possible for them to set up before the meal. This is a much smoother transition and the day flows much better. Unfortunately, there are some venues who simply don't have the room for the band to set up before the meal so if this is the case something like a photo booth can be a good distraction to entertain the guests during this transitional period.
Microphone facility for speeches
The speeches have started and are in full flow! The best man is in the middle of his speech, nervous as hell and to make him feel even more nervous, the microphone stops working and more attention is on him! I've seen this situation so many times! My tip is to ask the hotel when you have your initial visit about their PA system. On the day of the wedding have the best man or a groomsman check the microphone in the room and ask the hotel/venue to have spare batteries just in case!
These are just some small tips to help! I really enjoy putting them together for you and really hope they come in handy when you are booking your wedding venue!
Thanks so much for taking the time to read my blog posts!
Luv Jenny xxx
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