Choosing the Right Reception Venue For You

By: Damon Taylor

We all want our wedding day to be memorable and enjoyable. Many of us encounter difficulties when deciding on a good reception venue. This article explores various options available to help you choose a reception venue, and applies some simple strategies to enable you to decide on a venue that will cater for your wedding.

Finding the right reception venue is vital to ensuring that your wedding day is successful. Lets face it, we all look forward to the party, and like all parties we all want our guest to have an enjoyable time. Reception venues can at times be misleading. Whilst many venues provide endless information on the service they provide, many of us actually don’t experience this service until our wedding day. If we are unfortunate enough to experience poor service, it is often too late to make any modifications.

Couples often want to know how they can distinguish venues from one another. Unfortunately, venues have a remarkable ability to market their service and prestigious well, however applying the practice does not always present the outcomes promised by marketing experts. I always advise couples to implement the try before you buy strategy prior to choosing their venue. Most venues have their own restaurants, and often the meals provided in the restaurants are similar, if not the same as the types of food offered at a wedding reception. Attending the restaurant at the proposed venue will allow you to experience the service and taste the food. Furthermore, having a meal at the venue’s restaurant is a great indicator of service delivery provided to everyday people not celebrating any special occasions. If the service provided is good, then you know that the service provided on your wedding day will be great. Why? Weddings bring large revenue to restaurants and venues. The better service provided, the more word of mouth referrals the venue will receive.

When deciding on a venue, the following should be considered:

Options available for buffet, cocktail or three course dinners;
Special dietary requirements are catered for;
Meals for children provided, and are discounted in price;
Meals for professionals, such as the photographer or DJ are catered;
Decorations for the room and table pieces are incorporated into the room hire fee;
Microphones, lantern, power cords or connections are available for media equipment;
Cake table provided;
Gift table provided
a wedding Coordinator is allocated to manage your reception;
Place cards for table seating are arranged for you by the staff;
a bar is available and serviced by venue staff;
sufficient car park is available and provided for your guests
Some venues may also provide hotel rooms for you and your guests, however this is dependent upon the venue.

If a room for the bride and groom is inclusive in the cost, ensure that the venue provides additional specialties such as champagne and chocolates.

There are an abundance of venues to consider when organising your reception. Some couples prefer to book function rooms in hotels in order to provide flexibility for guests who require accommodation. This is important to consider especially if many of your guests are traveling from interstate or overseas.

For couples on a budget, hiring a marquee provides the romantic setting without the price tag attached. Marquees can be placed on private property, or placed in parks. If you are considering placing your marquee in public space, ensure that you consult with your local council to check on necessary regulations. You may also incur a small hire fee. Marquees however, are a great way to incorporate the outdoor atmosphere with the indoor setting. For Couples who choose to have a garden ceremony, the marquee provides an eloquent and romantic setting to follow through from the ceremony.

Hiring halls, or functions rooms are great for couples who are creative and who wish to make all the arrangements themselves. Decorators can be contracted, as with caterers, if you wish to have the professional presentation without the over head costs attached. There are an abundance of decorators and caterers available, however if you are opting for caterers, ensure that the try before you buy rule is applied. A good caterer should provide you with sample meals, and discuss the timing of meals and arrangements for the night with you.

Given the options available when deciding on your reception venue, it is advised that you strongly do your homework. Research the company or venue, ask questions and negotiate. Ensure that you apply the ’try before you buy’ rule if able to ensure that the meals provided and service delivery adheres to your expectations. Compare and contrast venues, ensuring that the price quoted reflects fairly on the service provided. You may find that some venues offers more for the price they charge, and you may find that some venues cost an arm and a leg simply because of their name.

The reception is the final celebration for the night. It is important to ensure that your guests have a positive experience to take away with them, because in all honesty, the reception is what we all look forward to and what we all remember about the wedding (well some do anyway). A good and lasting impression provides a great finish to a special day. You want to make sure that your guests leave with positive memories, and great stories to talk about for years to come. Marriage is a lifelong commitment, so it pays to ensure that the memories are positive and memorable.

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