When you start planning a wedding it can seem that you have
an enormous task ahead of you, and sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. The first items to look at are usually your budget and the size of your guest list, but the next major item on the list should be finding your wedding venue.
Without booking a venue it can be hard to set a date for the wedding, and many couples don’t want to announce their engagement until they have fixed on a wedding date.
How far in advance should we look at wedding venues?
Start gathering information on wedding venues as soon as you get engaged if not before. The internet is a great way to start your search and you can download brochures or ask venues to post them to you. Getting plenty of information about various wedding venues in the area you want to get married will help you to narrow down your search.
Ideally you should start looking at wedding venues twelve to eighteen months before your wedding to give you plenty of time to look at several, and to take a second look at the ones you really like. Try to set aside several weekends for venue visits and just look at one per day so you have the chance to relax and soak up the surroundings.
If you want to hold your ceremony and reception at the same venue you have a slightly easier task, but if you want a church wedding you should start looking as far ahead as possible to make sure your venue and the church are available on the same day.
When should we make a final booking?
Generally you should aim to make a firm booking with you final choice of venue nine to twelve months before the wedding. However, if you are getting married on a Saturday in peak wedding season you may need to book around six months earlier.
If you are getting married at a popular venue you may need to book even further ahead; fashionable wedding venues can have waiting lists of two to three years, with some brides to be putting their names down before they even get engaged.
Is it possible to find a venue at the last minute?
Some couples hate the idea of a long engagement and prefer to arrange their wedding within a couple of months of deciding to get married. Others may have been let down by their original venue, and are looking for a replacement at the last minute.