How to find a venue: the questions that matter

Capacity seated vs standing, what is included, vendor rules, rain plan, end time. Ask before you fall in love.

Every venue looks perfect in photos. These questions find out whether it fits your wedding.

• Capacity, seated with a dance floor. Not the standing number on the website.
• What the fee includes. Tables, chairs, linens, setup, teardown, a coordinator?
• Rental fee or food-and-beverage minimum? They price very differently.
• Vendor rules. Required caterer? Approved list? Outside alcohol?
• The rain plan. For any outdoor part: where does it move, and when do you decide?
• End time and noise. When does music stop, and when does everyone need to be out?
• Setup and teardown hours. Can your florist get in the morning of?
• Parking and getting home. Shuttles, rideshare, lodging nearby.
• Deposit, payment schedule, cancellation. Get it in writing.

Tip: tour at the time of day your wedding happens. Light, sound and traffic change everything.

A wedplan.ai guide on the Finding a venue board. More planning guides.