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Questions to Ask Wedding Venue During Your Venue Tour
The first thing on any wedding planning list is the venue and the date. And before you know for sure what venue is right for your big day, a wedding venue tour is a must. We love showing brides around our venue and giving them all the warm and fuzzies, but we don’t want you to get distracted by the landscape and forget about what’s most important for your wedding. Read on for our venue tours tips and list of must-ask wedding venue questions.
Things You Need To Know About Wedding Venue Tours
A venue tour may seem rather straightforward, but that doesn’t mean it’s a simple process. There are a few things you need to know before you arrive.
Tours are by appointment only
Make sure you’ve scheduled one before you show up! Many venues will not allow venue tours during a wedding (and would you want them to if it was your wedding day?), so it’s important to book an appointment. Definitely don’t just show up on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday afternoon for a tour because that’s wedding day.
Show up on time
Especially if you’ve managed to book a tour on a Saturday! Tours are scheduled back to back to back to accommodate as many brides as possible. If you arrive late—yikes; it puts a kink in everything! Allow for about 20 minutes for a tour on a Saturday.
Don’t know what to wear to a wedding venue tour?
No need to dress fancy, but business casual is a smart choice. Wear comfortable shoes since you’ll be walking a lot, and check the venue website for a dress code.
Limit your entourage
If you tour on a Saturday, consider who you bring with you. Limit your invites to you and your fiancé, mom and dad, and only who is most important to wedding planning. Saturdays are the most popular wedding days, so most wedding venues limit their time on Saturdays to accommodate venue tours.
So, to make sure you can see everything and get the most out of your tour, limit the amount of people you bring with you for fewer distractions. If you book a tour during the week, you’ll have more time and attention devoted just to you.
Eat before your arrive
Ever been HANGRY? Don’t come to the tour hungry, you can’t focus!
Read Reviews
Google is helpful from a guest’s (or any random person’s) perspective, but The Knot and Wedding Wire tell the good, the bad, and the ugly from real brides. Also, read the venue’s responses to reviews. It will tell you a lot about the ethics of a business.
Social stalk!
Find everything you can about the venue before you see it in person. Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and more. Look for as many photos as possible so you already have a good idea of what the venue looks like during a wedding.
Save your questions for the end
Get through your tour first before asking any questions. Most of your broader questions will likely be answered during the tour, and at the end, you can get more into specifics about your visions for your big day from the size of the dance floor and the sound system to the best start time for a sunset wedding ceremony.
Don’t forget, this is your venue tour
If you need a moment, take one! We don’t mind. If you are not comfortable discussing something in front of us, don’t be shy. Ask for space when you need it. We are not sleazy salespeople! No pressure, we won’t ask you to book onsite, we won’t follow you to your car, and we won’t email you 500 times. Choosing the right venue is a big deal, and we get that. When you are ready, we are ready.
Want even more tips on having the best venue tour? Check out this TikTok we made!
@texasweddingvenue The best way to have the best tour experience, get all the info before the tour and study! #weddingvenuehunting #weddingvenue #texasweddingvenue #bridetobe #engaedaf #weddingvenuetour
Top Questions to Ask Wedding Venue
Once you’ve finished your tour and had you most general questions answered—like where the ceremony will take place and how many people can be accommodated—it’s time to get into the more personal wedding venue questions so you can decide if this is the right venue for your wedding.
Ask for their pricing BEFORE you tour!
Don’t tour a wedding venue without knowing their pricing because what if it’s way outside your budget? If the venue you’re looking at doesn’t list their base pricing on their website, call or email them to get it before you book a tour. If the venue isn’t transparent about their pricing, it will probably make wedding planning pretty difficult.
Ask for a sample contract
Get a full understanding of what’s included at each venue before signing on the dotted line. If you’re interested in Kendall Point as your wedding venue, we can email you our sample contract at anytime, so you can read it without distraction.
Ask what dates are open
Our golden rule is “Fall in love with your venue, not your date.” Your wedding venue will go a lot farther in fulfilling your wedding dreams than an wedding date after all. At Kendall Point, we would love to share our calendar with you so you can know right away how our venue fits into your wedding planning process.
If there’s a specific date you have your heart set on, ask for the venue’s availability before you schedule a tour.
Ask about hidden fees
Be sure to ask about any hidden fees or “plus-plus” fees. Some venues might charge extra if you go over a certain number of guests, or they might charge extra for not using one of their preferred vendors. You want to know about any possible additional fees ahead of time, so you can stay on track with your wedding budget.
Heads up, Kendall Point has no hidden fees or plus-plus fees. We keep it simple, the way it should be.
Ask for photos
Get a clear picture of the venue in action, and maybe some inspiration as well, by looking at photos or videos of previous weddings.
Ask about backup plans
If the venue has an outdoor ceremony space, ask what the backup plan is in case of inclement weather. Ask if they have the option for an indoor or outdoor ceremony and reception.
Ask about preferred vendors
Some venues have in-house caterers or wedding planners you’re required to use, while others have a wedding vendor list for you to choose from. Most venues will at least have a list of suggested vendors they’ve worked with in the past to make your selection a bit easier. You’ll also want to inquire about nearby hotels and transportation options.
At Kendall Point, we’ve made wedding planning easier for you by supplying a list of top-notch San Antonio vendors for you to peruse. This means less time spent searching for and interviewing bartenders, caterers, wedding coordinators, and DJs, and more time finding the perfect dress, planning your honeymoon, and more!
social stalk us!