​5​ ​Extra Questions​ ​to​ ​Ask​ ​Venue​ ​Owners​ ​Before You​ ​Select​ Your​ ​Wedding​ ​Venue

The venue is quite literally the foundation on which we build the decorations. So, selecting the right sort of venue is always Step Zero in designing your wedding. When it comes to venue selection the most commonly asked questions that come to mind are i) Is it available on the date of my wedding? ii) Is it affordable? iii) What are the logistics? Is it easily accessible? iv) How many guests can it house? That’s pretty much it.

While all of these are valid questions, they might not be enough to get the full picture. Venues need to be chosen carefully based on many other factors which are invisible at first glance.

Of course, as wedding decorators we make it our priority to understand the venue (and by that we mean all the details like the dimensions and layout of the indoor halls, the scope of the outdoor scenes etc.) before even we begin any décor designs.

We think it is just as important for you also to understand this. We encourage you to go ahead and ask more detailed questions to the venue owners to get a better idea of the venue and the arrangements. Here to help you out, we have compiled 5 important questions from the wedding decoration point-of-view that you need to ask your venue owners before making a down payment on your venue.

1) What are the Mandap plan and measurements? Can I get pictures of the Mandap?

An ultimate timesaver for both you and the wedding decorators is getting a plan of the Mandap, the layout and the size and measurements of the stage. A plan in hand is better than two site visits. This ground plan allows us to plan the mandap décor easily and design the elements to fit the mandap perfectly without leaving any room for errors. Even better is getting the pictures of the stage and mandap area and the photos from any previous event in the same venue. Additionally, if your wedding has outdoor events or entrance arches then the plan of the whole venue would be a boon to have!

2) Is the venue flexible with timings?

A venue that insists on strict timings can indirectly affect your budget and the quality of your wedding décor drastically. Wedding decorations are manufactured in small parts. Have you seen Formula 1 pit stops? Well, setting-up the stage is only slightly more stressful than that. The mad rush while putting together the entire décor on the stage needs a minimum of 18 hours!! Sadly, the backdrop decorators don’t get all of the 18 hours to work because of the venue timings. There is always a pressure to finish the work in under time which directly reflects on added labour and labour charges in the last minute.

3) Are there any other events immediately before or after my wedding?

What goes grossly unnoticed is the wedding décor uninstallation process. Uninstallation might take a little more than half the time needed for the installation, but it is not simply tearing the pieces down. Wedding décor are delicate pieces of intricate work that have to be disassembled in small parts. A typical uninstallation of the mandap needs nearly 10 hours on an average. A good question to ask your vendor would be, ‘are there any events immediately before my reception or immediately after my wedding?’ This way, you can factor in the uninstallation time into the wedding time period as well, without having to stress out.

4) Are there any specific restrictions that can impede the creativity of the wedding decorators?

Everyone wants a unique wedding these days. They demand creativity and originality from wedding designers. The top wedding planners in Chennai and Coimbatore are forever innovating their process and designs. We can’t use run-of-the-mill designs anymore. From sourcing new and unusual materials for the stage backdrop décor to using exotic flowers in themed weddings, when it comes to creativity our imagination has no bounds…that is until the venue owners step in. When venue owners impose restrictions like banning the use of carpets or steel structures, then it becomes a challenge to give you your dream wedding.

5) Does the venue have tie-ups with other decorators/vendors? Are they flexible?

It is quite common to find the venues tied-up with their own vendors for general lights and serial lights, decorations, power backup, electric cables etc. These contracts do not allow external wedding designers to work within the venue. It is best to clarify this before you make an advanced payment on either the venue or to the wedding decorator. The wisest thing to do is to make a thorough research about these vendors in tie-ups and get their quotes, credibility and past reviews and then finally make an informed decision about booking the venue.

Bonus: Are there any hidden charges involved that might overshoot my budget?

Most of the times, it is the simple things that get overlooked. Cleaning charges, maintenance fees, unexpected fines for damage and caution deposit are all items on the venue’s bill that are mentioned only after the celebrations are over. Make sure you clarify the costs with your venue owner to  avoid any unexpected hikes in your budget later on!

The venue you select should complement your style and give you the exact vibe you want. It should also be flexible enough to allow creative freedom to your wedding decorators. So, now aren’t you a little wiser about venue selections? Awesome! Have a happy time picking out your perfect venue!

“Vivahhika is a leading bespoke wedding decorations company that has been creating dream weddings since 2011. We are based in Coimbatore and Chennai and our clients are from all over South India. If you have a wedding coming up and would like us to partner with you, then click here. Let’s talk.”