Choosing a wedding venue is right up there on the list of most the difficult decisions to make, so you want to get it right. We cannot give a magic equation for choosing the right one but we have some thoughts that may help you.
A quick tip!
Firstly something we hear time and time again is couples just “know” when it’s the right venue and this “feels right” syndrome is very important you must feel comfortable with you venue and its staff/wedding coordinator, sometimes you have to trust your gut instinct.
Wedding photographers can have different ideas on what makes a good wedding venue and are usually on the look out for stand out features at a venue and how these can be used to make great pictures for you album. Something we love is great architecture, modern or old we just love it the textures, shapes and even the straight look of a building can be great for photographs. If a venue has been used for filming like Stoke Park or Syon Park then that is usually a great way of knowing that the architecture of that venue photographs well. The National Trust have a portfolio of amazing wedding venues hardly matched in terms of great architecture check out their website to see what we mean. Another thing that photographers like is if the venue has some great interiors to use if the weather is inclement, it isn’t ever expected that there are loads of rooms to use but it is certainly worth choosing a room or two you like which could be used if called for, Stoke Place in Buckinghamshire and Eynsham Hall in Oxfordshire both have some quirky boutique interiors that are a photographers dream, if a more traditional feel is in order then Basildon Park in Berkshire could be just the ticket. Interior photography is something you should ask the venue about though as some venues charge extra to use the interiors of their buildings or may have special requests for the photographer such as a reduced use of flash photography.
Now if the Great British weather is playing ball then having a few good outdoor locations is a real bonus at your chosen venue, there are some amazing venues around Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire with superb gardens which are just perfect for photography Clivedon, Waddesdon and Danesfield House are just some that come to mind.
A quick tip!
It is always worth asking a venue if they are planning on having any improvements made to their building in the year of your wedding, it is highly unlikely your venue will be doing building work on your wedding day but we have heard stories of such things happening.
A common concern of many couples is “will our guests like our venue” you know what? if you like it that’s all that matters it’s your day! But something worth considering is the kind of service the wedding venue gives, The Tythe Barn in Bicester is very well know for giving exceptional service to their wedding clients and their guests and this is so important for making the day special for everyone. If you are having a reception in a marquee most catering companies will provide the service team as well but it is always worth knowing if they use an experienced team or whether they hire temps, Lousia Clark a company based in the Thames Valley offer an extremely high level of service with exceptional food all adding up to what can only be described as a top restaurant experience for you and your guests, trust us we have seen them in action they’re perfection.
A quick tip!
Not strictly a wedding venue tip but booze is always an important thing to get right for the big day and one of our previous brides may be able to help she is a wine expert check out her website, Sophie Rudge Thinking Wine.
Something worth considering cautiously is travelling time between a church and reception venue, if you have found the perfect venue and it’s over an hour away from your church then think carefully before going for it, because it means a large portion of your day will be taken up with travelling also it heightens the chance of guests getting lost and turning up late and that can lead to delays for the rest of the day. The average travel time at weddings tends to be thirty minutes or under and this is usually fine but don’t forget to provide a good set of directions for your guests to follow. One thing to remember is to remind anyone who will be needed for photographs at the wedding venue they should know that they will be needed in advance so they make it to the venue on time thus not holding up the proceedings otherwise your chefs will be pulling their hair out if the meal ends up being delayed.
A quick tip!
A good thing to do when trying to find that special venue is not just to trawl the internet go out and look at lots of venues in the flesh as some venues websites don’t do them any justice.
If your having a civil ceremony and the reception in the same location you need to go and see how a venue feels first hand, you will want a real wow factor from the moment you and your guests arrive. There are plenty of venues out there with the wow factor and some of our favourites are Highclere Castle, Woburn Abbey and Eastnor Castle they have wow in abundance.
Hopefully there are some small nuggets of helpful info there for any venue hunters. To see any of the venues mentioned please just click on them and you should be linked over to their website.
