Picking a wedding venue tops the list as one of the most important decisions a couple will make for their wedding. From logistics to decor and sometimes even your wedding date, a wedding venue plays a huge role in how a wedding unfurls. Wedding venues also end up being one of the largest expenditure items for a wedding. While couples and families typically look at budget, amenities, and availability, there’s a range of dynamic factors to keep in mind while choosing the venue of your dream while keeping the budget intact.

In a survey conducted by a content to commerce wedding platform amongst 200+ couples to understand the challenges they faced while picking a venue of their own:

The survey threw light on some interesting challenges that included:

• 42% of couples reported that the decor/stage was not up to mark

• 31% said that their venue wasn’t prepared to handle power cuts and

• 36% reported that they wanted more separation between the preparation of veg and non-veg food

• 68% ended up spending more money than they originally set aside

Keeping this in mind, here are a few tips to keep in mind while booking a venue for your D-day:

Go with clubbed services: Since venues form a major chunk of wedding expenses, going with a service provider that clubs multiple services such as décor and catering services is optimal. Apart from saving it also makes for a more seamless experience decreasing the hassle of multiple vendors.

Don’t forget to ask for more: Don’t shy away from asking for inclusions in the package. Many venues provide extended music hours, complimentary buffet plates, and free valet parking. While booking a venue, ask your vendor for complimentary services to get the most out of your experience.

Importance of lighting and decoration: When done well, lighting and décor can make everything look better, from your wedding cake to your guests. The venue affects the choice of lighting and decoration so before booking remember that some properties have beautiful gardens that require minimum décor and lighting for a day function while others might require a heavy glow. So choose wisely to save big on electricity. For example, If looking for indoor spaces, book banquet halls with good lighting that can be combined with décor and extra lights for a nice effect.

Accessibility & Logistics: While wedding venues are the mainstay for those picture perfect wedding memories, the experience behind the scenes is as important. Ensure that you check for accessibility to the venue (for senior members of the families), ample parking spots for same city weddings, a generator back-up, functional water services, and clean dressing rooms for the bride and the groom.

(Inputs given by The Wedding Brigade)