Wedding receptions provide lasting memories. Given the significance of this event, you want your memories to be outlined with the perfect backdrop. Choosing the right venue is how you can achieve this. To meet this goal, ensure you know which mistakes to avoid when selecting a banquet hall.
Overlooking Parking
Is their adequate parking at the venue? If there isn't, does the venue at least partner with a parking service that can assist you in this area? When parking is an issue, the effects can trickle down and put a damper on your reception.
For example, if a number of your guests are having parking difficulties, this could prolong the amount of time it takes for everyone to get inside the hall, delaying the start of the reception. A delayed start could cause you to extend beyond your agreed upon contract hours, leading to costly penalties. Always ensure your parking needs are met.
Not Researching Cancellation Policies
A scary thing about life is that its full of twists and turns and when bad things happen, you rarely get warning. Whether it's a death in the family, an emergency or an illness, there are a number of scenarios that can arise and force you to change your reception date or time.
Make sure you find out what the venues cancellation policies are ahead of time. Ideally, you want to choose a venue that offers some wiggle room in this area, such as a full refund, a nominal change fee or a free rescheduling. When you know ahead of time what the potential penalty is, in the event of an issue, this is one less thing you have to stress over.
Booking The Venue Too Quickly
In many cases, it's always best to do everything quickly. However, when it comes to your wedding reception—early booking might lead to a few hiccups, such as the venue not being sized to accommodate your guest list. For example, if the venue can only accommodate 100 people, but you and your finance have at least 150 close friends and family, how do you trim down this number without offending someone and putting a damper on your own memories?
The main takeaway is that it's not necessarily bad to book early, but you should at least set aside a little time to determine your anticipated guest lists, theme and other important factors about the reception before booking to ensure the venue is on par to meet these needs.
The more effort you put into selecting your venue, the more cherished your memories.
