Too often I work with couples who book the venue first without considering anything else. After they bring me in and we do a budget analysis, we find that they overspent on the venue and haven’t left enough money in the budget for catering, flowers, and other wedding essentials. My mission as a wedding planner is to stop disasters before they happen, and helping you select your venue is one of the many ways that I do that. So, let’s dive into my list of seven questions to ask before booking your wedding venue in Nashville.

1. Let’s start with the obvious: when booking a venue, you need to consider the size, guest count and ease of access for those guests. Think not only about whether the venue can hold your 200 guests, but do they have parking for those 200 guests? Downtown weddings are ideal for destination weddings where everyone is flying into town. Guests can stay in a hotel nearby and be close to both the wedding venue and numerous restaurants and activities. But if all of your guests are local and you are having a downtown wedding, then you need to consider parking. Where in the world are 200 locals going to park their car downtown? Costly garages, that’s where. In Nashville a night of parking can cost $50 or more, so you need to consider if you are willing to ask this of your guests. If not, perhaps choose a venue with sufficient private parking.

2. Does the venue have strict vendor requirements? Most venues have a recommended vendor list of their favorite planners, florists, caterers, etc. But some venues have a REQUIRED vendor list, which means that you have to choose from their list no matter whether they are a good fit for you or not. Some couples won’t mind this, but others want to bring in their own favorite vendors. Get the venue’s required vendor list and check out the options BEFORE you finalize booking the venue.

3. Is the venue all-inclusive? Or do they have catering on site? As a wedding planner, I’m definitely biased against all-inclusive venues, but I LOVE venues with built-in catering on site. An all-inclusive venue uses the same vendors for every wedding, and to me their weddings seem unremarkable and over-done. But a venue that has only catering onsite, such as The Noelle, Acme Feed & Seed, or Loveless Events is a special treat. The food is unique to the venue and one of the reasons for booking that venue. It’s part of the guest experience to have this local specialty cuisine, and guests love the more flavorful options than the bland chicken-or-fish catering standard.

4. Are any décor or rental items included? And consider the price and budget accordingly. A $6000 venue that includes tables, chairs, plates, glasses, and cutlery is by FAR a better deal than a $5000 venue that doesn’t include any of the above. My only caveat is that I do not recommend using venue linens. White polyester linens may be inexpensive, but they also look inexpensive. The easiest way to class-up your reception is by leveling up on linens. Otherwise definitely take advantage of the included glassware and tableware, as those are often a way to cut costs without sacrificing too much on the design.

5. When can we get in for set-up and how late can we stay? Does the venue host multiple weddings per day or do you have the wedding for the whole day? If they are hosting a brunch wedding in the morning and you can’t get in until 2 or 3pm, that is going to be very tight for set-up. Likewise, note that some counties have noise restrictions in place, which may mean cutting off your event earlier than you would like.

6. Will we be able to get in the night before for the rehearsal? My favorite venues are the ones that only host one wedding per weekend, which means we can get in the day before for set-up and rehearsal. But that is rare in a venue, so if you are booking a Saturday wedding, the space may not be available for a Friday night rehearsal. Find out how far out the venue can confirm a rehearsal time slot so that you can relay that info to your family and your planner.

7. Where will you take photos? Is there plenty of natural light? Is there an outdoor space for photos? Moody warehouse venues are popular right now, and I admit that I love them, but do you want dark, moody photos, as well? If so, awesome. But if you want the light, airy photos, make sure that there is a place with a lot of natural light. When touring the venue, look for areas that you might like to do your first look, where you could take couple photos, and a place large enough for all of your family group photos.

There is so much to consider before booking the venue for your wedding, and it’s hard to keep up with it all. That’s why I think it’s so important to book your wedding planner first. We can accompany you on your venue tours and worry about the operational details while you can focus on finding a venue that you love. If you need help finding your perfect venue in Nashville, send me a message now!

Seven Questions to Ask Before Booking your Wedding Venue by Kelsey Gray Events