Tag: Glendalough Manor

Questions to Ask Possible Wedding Venues

Posted on by Glendalough Manor

Before you go to any venue it is best to be prepared with a list of questions.  I hope to give you a detailed list of questions to ask to help in your venue search.  Asking the right questions before you decide on a particular venue can prevent any surprise costs during the planning process!

1.       How much is the facility rental fee? Is there a food and beverage minimum or guest minimum I must have for certain days/times?

2.       What if anything is included in the facility rental fee?  If the venue provides tables and chairs make sure to ask how many of each and the sizes of the tables.  If you may use more than the allotted number of tables and chairs make sure to ask if there would there be additional costs of renting chairs and/or tables. (As a side note 60” round tables will seat 10 people and 72” rounds will seat 12 people).

3.       Is there a separate ceremony fee?  What is included? (Chairs, audio visual?)  Is there a back-up plan for the ceremony?  If there is make sure you will not be too disappointed if you have to use it!

4.       How many people can you fit comfortably for seated dinner? What is your maximum capacity without chairs?   Make sure to use the word “comfortably”.  Many venues can fit more people in the reception room than would be comfortable for your guests.

5.       How many hours are included in the room fee?  Does that include setup and breakdown? Who handles the setup and breakdown?  Try to look for a venue that handles all setup and breakdown of the tables and chairs.

6.       Will there be a facility coordinator?  Will someone be there to coordinate vendors and ceremony on the day of and coordinate the rehearsal the day before?  If the venue does not provide one you may want to look at hiring a wedding coordinator to at least run the day of.  This helps lessen the stress on you and your family on the wedding day. (I will have another blog on wedding planners later!)

7.       Do they have a preferred vendors list?  If you use those vendors do you receive any perks for using their preferred vendor?  Are you allowed to bring in outside vendors?

8.       Can you bring in an outside caterer?  If not, will there be a menu tasting?  If the facility has an on-site chef make sure they provide the dinnerware, flatware and all serving utensils.

9.       What type of bars do you offer?  Many times you are not allowed to bring in outside alcohol.  If a venue provides the alcohol they will handle all of the permits and liability.  Make sure they provide the bartenders and ask if there are additional charges for the number of bartenders.  Also make sure there are no hidden fees such as wine corking as well as whether they provide a sparkling cider or champagne toast included in the fees.

10.   Do they have adequate parking?  This can be a very expensive detail that many brides overlook. Make sure to ask this question!  Some venues partner with local hotels so make sure to ask if they provide free shuttles or any discounts.

11.   How many weddings can you have on one day?

12.   Are there any additional fees?  Gratuities, tips, etc I should be aware of?

Lastly make sure to ask each potential venue for a sample contract before leaving.  That way you can review the contract and ask any follow up questions if needed.

I hope this helps in your venue search. Make sure to check out www.glendaloughmanor.com if you are still on the search for a venue.  It is an all-inclusive facility that would be happy to schedule a tour and answer all of these questions for you!  You can click on the pricing tab or the cost calculator to get more detailed information about this beautiful garden venue.

If you know of any questions that helped you in your search please comment and let us know.

Happy Planning!

What type of venue is right for me?

Posted on by Glendalough Manor

Choosing a venue can be a daunting task but if you know the right questions to ask and what type of venue fits you and your wedding budget it can make this difficult decision much easier.

If you are new to searching for a venue the phrase “full service” venue may not make any sense to you. A full service venue can be a great thing for a bride who has limited time to plan a wedding and wants an easier planning process. One of the things I loved about working at Glendalough Manor is that they basically hand you a guideline of steps that need to be completed and in the end you had planned the majority of your wedding. 

Well, I want you to know that many venues are not like that.  While working at other venues and helping brides stay in budget I realized more and more that sometimes a facility rental fee is just that…..you get the rental of the space for a specified number of hours and other than that you were on your own.  Many brides do not realize the work and cost that can be involved with choosing a “do-it yourself” venue that only supplies the space.  When looking at venues make sure to find out what the facility rental includes.  If the facility rental only includes the rental of the space that means you will have additional expenses including the tables, chairs, rental of linens, dinnerware, flatware, dance floor, audio equipment that are usually included with a full service venue.  All of these items add up and in the end can be much money and not to mention all of the extra work involved in coordinating and reserving all of these items. Make sure to be aware if choosing a “do-it yourself” venue that you understand restrictions, permits, parking (which can be very expensive) and any other costs that may be associated with the venue. 

Make sure you weigh both options and add in all costs.  Sometimes a venue that may seem cheaper is actually the same price as a venue that includes everything you need and is less hassle in the end.

Look for my next blog where I will outline questions to ask possible wedding venues!  Happy Planning!

Budgeting for a Venue

Posted on by Glendalough Manor

Picking a venue is one of the hardest things you will do in the planning process and will probably be one of the first things you should do after deciding on a budget.  The venue you choose will set the tone for the wedding including the dress you buy, the colors/theme you choose, and be a crucial decision in maintaining your budget.  You may wonder where you should start looking.

The internet of course is a great resource for local venues in your area or I would look for local wedding magazines that may compare venues and pricing.  Also look at reviews and testimonials…this may help in asking the right questions at the venue.  (PLEASE NOTE….there is always two sides to every story.  Read all the reviews and take the negative reviews with a grain of salt.  If there are 20 good reviews and a few bad ones I would not cross it off the list.)

Before you go on your search you must be prepared and answer a few questions of yourself.   Do you want a “full service” venue or a “do-it yourself” venue?  Over the next week I will explore the differences between both types of venues so you can understand the pros and cons of each.   My advice is to have a list of questions prepared for each venue (which I will help you prepare this week) and after visiting your top five venues compare all of your notes and make an educated decision.  As you begin your search…..as hard as it may be…..try not to choose the first venue you go to or pick a venue just because you love the look of it.  Sometimes that quick decision may blow your budget! 

I promise once you decide on the venue everything else will fall in to place!   Make sure to read our blog this week before you go on your search!