How To Choose An Appropriate Entertaining Venue

Most people loose focus and their priorities once they start visiting spaces.

They spend too much time listening to their friends or they are decorating in their heads before asking basic questions. That's where the trouble starts and many people end up with a space that just doesn't work for them.

So we've answered some common questions to help you pick the perfect venue.

Q:  I've just gotten engaged. I want to find the perfect place to get married. Where do I start?

A:  Be smart, make a list...
• How many people will you invite? Make a list, don't guess.
• What time of year do you want to wed?
• What style of party do you want to throw? Cocktails only? Sit-down dinner? Dancing? Or perhaps a combination of all three?
• Will there be people attending that need special attention? Hotel rooms? Elevators?
• Budget? Be realistic. Nothing goes down, everything goes up.

Q:  I've made my list. Now what?

A:  Start to identify spaces. Use the Internet. Look at your list. Do you need hotel rooms? Then look at hotels. Make your guests' and your life easy. Once you have a list, it's time to make calls.

Q:  What do I ask when I call?

A:  Start by asking if they have your date available and if they can accommodate the number of guests in the style of party you envision.

And don't forget to ask these important questions...
• What is provided by the space and what do you need to provide?
• If your event is at night, is there an event during the day, and can you have the entire day for setup?
• What time can you get into the space, and is there an additional charge to get in early?
• Is there an additional charge for valet?
• Do you need to use their preferred vendors?
• What does their menu look like and what is included?
• Does their pricing include service?  Taxes?
• What are their audio-visual capabilities?

And don't forget, you MUST have a food tasting!