Welcome to the world of wedding planning! One of the biggest decisions you’ll make is choosing your wedding venue. This is where you’ll host the celebrations and what you choose will determine not just your location, but it’ll solidify your date, help to piece together your theme, and so much more.
A big thank you to Caroline from The Hardiman Hotel, for sharing her expert advice on how to choose your wedding venue.
Episode breakdown
Determine your guest list
You can’t pick a venue until you know how many guests you’d like to fit in it. All you need at this point is a rough guest list.
Ask your venue:
- What is your venue’s capacity? They’ll usually tell you how many guests can fit into different spaces of the venue in different ways they could set it up for you.
- Could I see different seating plans you’ve got for your reception space?
- Do you have photos of the venue set up for a real wedding and filled with guests?
Select the location
Consider where your guests are coming from – if most guests aren’t local, you’ll want to choose a venue that’s easily accessible.
Your guests’ comfort is really important.
Know your budget
Again, you’ll only need a rough idea of your budget but you do want to make sure you know what you can afford.
Consider the theme
You’ll want to choose a wedding venue that fits with your overall wedding theme and style.
Your wedding theme will impact your choice of venue as well as the dress you wear and so on!
Discuss the food options
The way to anybody’s heart is through their stomach – and it’s no different for wedding guests.
Talk to your wedding venue about their food options!
Use the weddingsonline Venue Finder
Say goodbye to endless Google searches and make the most of the weddingsonline Venue Finder.
Put in your county, number of guests, venue type, and if you know it, how much you’d like to spend.
You can add in more details about your wedding such as the date, and your query will be sent to stunning wedding venues in Ireland that match the criteria.
Caroline shares three things to consider when choosing your wedding venue:
- Time of year (Christmas is the most magical time for weddings at the Hardiman)
- Family traditions, like getting married at the same venue as your parents
- The food
