How to choose the perfect venue for your wedding.

Picking a wedding venue is a big deal.
While pretty much every aspect of a wedding is optional, there’s one thing you can’t skip: a venue. After all, you’ve got to have somewhere for your friends and family to gather and celebrate! But finding the perfect venue isn’t easy. It’s expensive, it sets the tone, it has to be available on your special day. There are so many options to choose from so how to choose the right one? The budget and mood of your wedding are two decisive elements of your choice but not the only ones to take into account. Here’s few tips to make the right choice!

As a general rule, it would be better if the venue can be easily reached by your guestss and that it is not way out of the church.

Come regola generale, sarebbe opportuno che il locale non fosse eccessivamente distante dalla chiesa o dal Comune!

Choosing a venue will be one of the first wedding planning moves you make, so you’ll likely want to kick off your search on the earlier side. But it all comes down to your personal preference. Great venues get booked up 12-18 months in advance, so the sooner you get started the more likely you are to snag your first choice.
Furthermore you should take into account:

The style of your ceremony. that your party venue has the ability to set your wedding’s tone, which is why choosing your site wisely is absolutely imperative.

Budget.

Season. Consider how the weather will affect the venue and the season in which your wedding will take place. In case of mid-seasons weddings I suggest to make sure that if it does rain the venue has indoor space for your party.

Your Guests. Where will your guests be coming from? If they are not local, choosing a venue that is easily accessible, has accommodation on site or hotels in close proximity is desirable. If you have guests coming from abroad how far is the closest international airport? These factors should play a role in your decision making; your guests’ comfort and experience is important. It’s imperative to guarantee that your friends and family will be able to travel to and from your event without any discomfort.Furthermore, consider capacity. The size of the venue is incredibly important and will impact on budget and the enjoyment of your guests. Too small for your number of guests and the room will feel stuffy and overcrowded, but too big and guests will feel lost and the space will feel cold.

But it is better to choose a restaurant or a bring-your-own catering venue?

In this case, it is fundamental to analyse both practical and logistic issues:

In both cases it is necessary to have a plan B, in case of rainy weather but also in case of excessive heat.

Other decisive factors are the availability of spaces for musicians or to dance, the lights and atmosphere, the temperature and the climate conditioning. In particular,
the view from the venue and any outdoor space is also a massive plus not only for photographs but for your guests enjoyment. Try to visit the venue in the season/month you are going to get married in or at least make sure to ask the right questions and to ask to the staff to show you some photos of the venue during a certain period of the year.

If have not chosen a restaurant or a venue yet, try to reverse the decision making process: find the right catering and then the venue (just in case you did not hire a wedding planner).
The best caterers can suggest you the best venues for you. The best thing about choosing an independent venue is that you can customise almost everything.

Most importantly, will the venue be able to provide everything you need within your budget, is VAT included in the price, are staff gratuities added and if so are they optional?

On the other hand, the restaurant is less customisable to your style and needs and you have to adapt to its features but, after all, its features are the reason why you chose it and not a limit at all!

In case you invited few guests, opt for the restaurant, whose cost is more depreciable than renting an independent venue. Choose a restaurant if you want the cuisine that you can fnd exclusively there or if you absolutely want its chef!

Another aspect to take into account (or myth to dispel) is the level of catering cuisine compared to that of restaurant. Full service caterers know food in bulk! They know food sustainability, keeping it fresh and looking good for extended amounts of time. Caterers are very good at prepping accordingly and timing food just right for a crowd.

Doing the math, the restaurant is usually the most cost-effective option, unless it is a gourmet restaurant. In case you budget is tight this is the best choice for you, especially if you prefer a smaller and more intimate wedding venue.

If you opt for a restaurant you have to make sure that its capacity fits the number of your guests and that the venue is aligned to the style, theme and mood of your wedding. Does the venue have grounds or ample outdoor space? This is useful if you have children attending and for guests to stretch their legs for ten minutes after the reception meal.
Remember that the view from the venue and any outdoor space is also a massive plus for your wedding photos!

The restaurant offers a more standardised service and it is therefore suitable to the couple who are particularly anxious or have few time to plan their wedding and want to be sure that the format the opt for is well established and guarantees a great result.
If you choose a venue, you will have to take care of every aspect of your wedding and the help of a professional wedding planner can be a huge added value in order to fully and truly enjoy the big day.

You may also take a look to rural venues such as agritoursim that usually offer amazing cuisine and landscapes at affordable prices.

You should also take into account:

The time at which the ceremony will take place because it will strongly influence the reception. Daylight wedding celebration have to provide a lunch that can be followed by a dessert buffet in the afternoon. It is ideal to choose an open air venue during spring and autumn, and an indoor venue during winter and summer.
The ceremonies that take place in the late afternoon are usually followed by a cocktail and then by dinner.

A third option available is the afternoon buffet , called “déjuner sur l’herbe”, an informal way to celebrate your wedding outdoor.

Which are the features of the perfect menu?
There is no thing such an ideal menu for your wedding. Besides your personal food taste,do not forget that excessive and sumptuous wedding menu are definitely out!

You need to determine what kind of culinary choice you want to provide to your guests, while also considering a range of different tastes, potential food allergies, specialty diets.
My suggestion is to choose local recipes to give your guests the most flavorful food made from the highest-quality ingredients. Trust me, It makes a huge difference in how your food will taste. Don’t forget to inform the restaurant or catering in case some of your guests are unable to eat dairy or gluten or suffer from a particular allergy. An experienced chef or caterer will be able to give you a range of suggestions for various dietary requirements.

But who said that you have to spend lot of money for a restaurant or a venue?

And if you are lucky enough to have a big house, with a wide garden or open spaces you could also opt for a party there! Even if it sounds strange, abroad it is commonplace to celebrate wedding parties at home. For this reason there are many agencies specialising in it that will take care of the garden and of the house itself without interrupting the everyday life of residents.

Melania Millesi WP