You’re engaged! After you’ve celebrated with your new fiancé and loved ones, you may find yourself asking: Now what? You want to dive into wedding planning, but don’t quite know where to start. We hear so many engaged couples wonder how to select a wedding venue and what wedding venue questions to ask before booking. In this post, we’ve got you covered!
Not only will we give you the top wedding venue questions you should ask before booking one, but we will also recommend wedding venue questions you should ask at every other stage of wedding planning! We’ll take you from wedding venue shopping all the way up to the big day, making sure that you don’t miss a single detail just because you didn’t know the right wedding venue questions to ask.
Here at Celebration Gardens, consider us your wedding planning besties. We’re here to help you have your dream wedding day, from this blog post and your initial site tour through to the day you say “I do!”
Wedding Venue Questions while Venue Shopping
Shopping for wedding venues can be overwhelming! It can feel like you have a million questions for the wedding venues in consideration, but at the same time, you’re unsure if you’re asking the right ones. Before you go on a wedding venue site tour, we recommend brainstorming and writing down all the questions that come to mind. Here’s a handful to help you get started:
- Is my preferred wedding date available?
- What is the capacity of the venue?
- What is included in the venue rental fee (i.e. how many access hours, tables, chairs etc.)?
- What is the rain backup plan?
- Do you have an in-house caterer, or other exclusive vendors?
Celebration Gardens’ sister company, John Michael Events, is our in-house caterer and they can provide all the delightful food & beverage for your wedding day, from hors d’oeuvres to buffets and plated meals to action stations to beverage displays.
How do crab stuffed mushroom caps, chef carved prime rib, or white truffle bacon mac & cheese sound?
Wedding Venue Questions before Booking
After you’ve fallen in love with a wedding venue, it’s time to book it! But before signing the contract, you’ll want to make sure that you are aware of all the venue’s fine print. In this stage of wedding planning, we advise that you ask wedding venue questions that are more detailed and related to your finances. You don’t want any surprises after you’ve signed the contract! Here are the top wedding venue questions we would ask in this stage:
- How far in advance do we need to book?
- What is the deposit amount and payment schedule?
- What is the rescheduling and cancellation policy?
- Can we customize our venue package?
- What is the service charge and tax rate?
At our Orlando botanical garden wedding venue, all of our wedding packages are absolutely customizable! We can adjust the estimated guest count or included vendor services, depending on what your specific needs and preferences are. Not to mention we can also create custom quotes for your other wedding events, like your bridal shower or rehearsal dinner!
Wedding Venue Questions while Wedding Planning
Congratulations, you’ve booked your wedding venue! Now it’s time for the fun part: planning!
If you’ve booked an all-inclusive wedding package like the ones we offer here at Celebration Gardens, then you’re already ahead of the game! Our all-inclusive wedding packages come with all the wedding vendors you’ll need for the big day, so there’s no need to do further vendor research or painstakingly sign 5-10 other contracts. By securing one of our Orlando all-inclusive wedding packages, you’ll have one contract and one point of contact, making wedding planning as easy as it can possibly be!
With your venue and vendors booked in one fell swoop, these are the questions you should be thinking about now:
- Can you share your list of preferred vendors?
- What hotels are nearby where our guests can stay?
- Are there any décor or noise restrictions?
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- Can we do a tasting with the in-house caterer?
- Do you have a “green wedding” environmental initiative?
At Celebration Gardens, we are proud of our partnership with O-Town Compost, who turns waste from our events into nutrient-rich compost. In March 2023 alone, they diverted 285 pounds from the landfill! When having your wedding with us, you can rest assured that your environmental footprint is as minimal as possible.
Wedding Venue Questions before the Big Day
The month prior to your wedding day is the home stretch! With the big day just around the corner, this is the time to wrap up any loose ends and put the bow on all the plans you’ve been making. At this point, we suggest setting up your final wedding venue walkthrough with both your venue manager and wedding coordinator. Make sure to review your timeline and floor plan at this meeting in detail, and talk through the rain backup plan again in case of inclement weather.
We know this stage of wedding planning can be hectic, so here are the top wedding venue questions we would recommend asking in the month of your wedding:
- Has the venue manager connected with your wedding coordinator?
- If it’s going to be hot/cold: Do you have any heaters/fans in-house that we can use?
- Can we bring our own food & beverage into the getting ready suites?
- When can we hold our rehearsal?
- Where are the best photo spots on property?
Not to brag, but our outdoor botanical gardens are pristine year-round and are perfect for your wedding photos in any season! We have a full-time landscaper, Botanical Harmony, who ensures that our lush greenery and flora across our property stays in top shape. No matter where you go at our venue, you’ll find the best natural backdrops for your wedding photos!
Bonus Wedding Venue Questions for After the Big Day
Something newlyweds can forget in the post-wedding glow is that although the big day is over, there is one final wedding planning task to take care of: A wedding recap! Now that you’ve had your dream wedding day, it’s time to reflect on how your wedding venue and vendors went above and beyond for you, and how to thank them. You’ll also want to make sure that any lingering loose ends from the day-of are finalized, if any.
Some questions to ask your wedding venue and other vendors in this final stage of wedding planning are:
- Do I have any final payments to make?
- How can I pay gratuity (if applicable and desired)?
- Did we leave any personal items at the venue by mistake?
- Where can we leave a review?
Almost every wedding venue and vendor would agree that leaving a positive review is the best way to say thank you for a job well done! Reviews are so important for wedding vendors and it’s an easy and free way to thank the people who made your dream day possible.
Have More Wedding Venue Questions?
Celebration Gardens is Orlando’s premier botanical garden wedding venue, located in Winter Park, FL. Our Wedding Gazebo, lush gardens, and Large Event Pavilion provide a seamless flow from ceremony to cocktail hour to reception. We also offer all-inclusive wedding packages to make wedding planning as simple and stress-free as possible!
Are you interested in having your wedding at our beautiful outdoor wedding venue? Contact us today! Our friendly team members would love to chat with you and provide you with a customized quote.