5 Questions to Ask Your Wedding Venue before Booking

We know planning a wedding can be extremely stressful and take great deal of time.  We also know that planning a wedding can be very expensive.  One of the biggest and costliest decisions will be your reception venue.  You can ease your stress by knowing which questions to ask when shopping for a venue.  Being prepared with the right questions can also save you significant amount money.  Here are five questions to ask when searching for a venue. 

1.       Does the Venue Supply Tables and Chairs?

This is an important question to ask your venue.  There are several venues out there that do not supply tables and chairs for your event.  If the venue does have chairs, what type of chairs are they?  Chiavari chairs are the most common and most desirable for weddings.  Chiavari chairs can run up to $10 per chair to rent.  White garden chairs are another common wedding chair which can run around $4 per chair.  120 inch round tables seat 10ppl and typically run about $10 to rent.   As you can see, renting tables and chairs is no small expense and can add up very quickly.  It will cost you about $11 per guests to set them up with chiavari chairs and round tables of 10.   For 150 guests, that is an additional $1650. 

2.       Does the Venue have China, Glass and Silver?

Most independent venues do not supply china, glass, and silverware.  This can get extremely expensive and is not always presented at the beginning when getting a quote from the venue or caterer.  China, glass and silver can cost $5 to $10 per person depending on what type of event you are having.  For a 150 person wedding, that can be an additional $750 to $1,000. 

3.       Does the Venue have a Dance Floor?

Your guests are going to want to dance.  You can expect to pay about $1000 for a 20 foot by 20 foot dance floor. 

4.       Does the Venue Supply Table Linens and Linen Napkins?

If the venue does not supply tables and chairs, it is likely that they do not supply linens either.  Linens for a 120 inch table cost about $17 each.  Napkins start at around 75 cents per napkin.    Keep in mind that you are responsible for covering more than just the tables for your guests to sit. You have to add buffet tables, cake tables, gift tables, and registration tables.  On average, you will need one table for every 10 guests and an additional 8 tables for other items.  For a 150 person wedding, that is 22 tables and 150 napkins.  This could cost an additional $486.50. 

5.       Does the Venue Charge for Parking?

If you are having your reception in or near downtown, there is a good chance your venue either charges for parking or requires valet service.  This could cost anywhere from $5 to $15 per car. If you calculate one car per two guests, a 150 person wedding would have 75 cars.  On average, that is an additional $750. 

  You can see how fast these items add up.  If you don’t ask the right questions, you could be facing thousands of dollars in additional charges that could have been avoided.  Be informed, save money.