As you embark on your search for the perfect Long Island wedding venue, there’s an array of standards your chosen spot definitely must meet for you to have the day of your dreams.
And though many of these components might sound painfully obvious, absolutely all wedding venue details must be accounted for and nothing can be taken for granted. Wedding planning is a fast-moving train, with time passing by in a blink of an eye, which is exactly why it can easily become overwhelming if you’re not on top of all decisions. Your wedding venue must have enough space to accommodate all your guests, all of whom are going to need a place to park their cars. Meanwhile, the venue’s wedding food menu should be diverse enough to satisfy an array of tastes.
Those are just a small sampling of the various features you’ll need to see from your potential wedding venue. You’re going to have a lot on your mind during the race toward your wedding day, up until the moment you start to walk down the aisle. Make the process as stress-free as possible with our list of some of the top things you ask of your wedding venue—all elements that can elevate the day for you, your partner, your wedding party, and all of your guests.
Is The Wedding Venue Available?
Yes, a most obvious question, but if your favorite venue isn’t available on your chosen date, you need to either switch venues or choose a new day on the calendar—and you need to do that as quickly as possible. Some of the most popular wedding dates could be booked years in advance, so if you’re dead set on a particular day for your wedding and reception, this question should be the first one you ask as you research wedding venues. Conversely, if the wedding venue has your date open, book it immediately! Chances are someone will be aiming for that same date, especially if it’s during a particularly popular time of the year for weddings.
Can Your Wedding Budget Handle The Venue?
If you’ve dutifully built a comprehensive wedding budget—and we hope you have—you’ll know exactly how much money you have to spend on the wedding venue. That budgeting process will also teach you that not every venue you come across is going to be cost feasible—it will also teach you that there are all sorts of financial considerations you’ll need to examine when planning your wedding. So don’t break the bank on any one component! You could go into the initial phase of wedding planning with the best of intentions to be as frugal as possible and then before you know it, you’ve blown past your targeted spending amount and you’re more stressed than you’ve ever thought possible. Have a good idea in the early stages about how much you want to spend on a venue and be upfront about it with each one you contact.
Is the Wedding Venue Easily Accessible?
The location of your wedding venue should certainly be a factor that you’ll need to take into consideration. How easy to find is the wedding venue? Is it accessible via public transportation? Is it located on a busy street? Is it too isolated for its own good? Is there a hotel nearby? You want your guests to be able to get to the wedding venue with as few hiccups as possible—indeed, it won’t be much of a wedding if the majority of your guests are stuck in traffic or lost in the backwoods of some off-the-beaten-path wedding venue. Think about where your guests are coming from and how the majority of them will travel to the wedding venue before you settle on booking it once and for all.
Is There Ample Parking?
This is related to the previous question—and it might be easily overlooked—but you definitely don’t want your guests circling the neighborhood in search of a parking spot. Wherever you get married, you should ensure that the wedding venue has its own parking lot and, ideally, a valet option for an added layer of peace of mind. This also helps protect against any guests arriving late to the ceremony or reception.
Will There Be Room For My Wedding Guests?
If there’s one detail you need to have figured out as early as possible, it’s the number of guests you have at your wedding. And once you have those numbers ready, it’s time to find out if your venue of choice can accommodate the amount of family and friends you want to bear witness to your nuptials. If you have 200-plus attendees set to arrive at your wedding gala, the venue should have room for that amount and then some. Equally, if your wedding is a more modest affair, you should check if the venue has a smaller ballroom available for the reception.
Does The Wedding Venue Style Match My Vision?
One of the last things you want your wedding to be described as is outdated and unfashionable. If this happens, every time you look back at your wedding, either in your memory or immortalized in photos, you will only be able to think about how much you wish you could change. The problem with the past is, you can’t change it! So, if your wedding venue is dressed in outdated decor, it will never match the wedding of your dreams. Instead, choose a wedding venue that places a premium on timeless beauty—this way, no matter how much time passes, your wedding will always remain stylish. Don’t be shy about asking your venue of choice for a tour so that you can be sure it has the look you have in mind.
How Varied Is The Wedding Food Menu?
Let’s be honest, a big part of what people love about weddings is the food. From the cocktail hour to the main course to the late-night snack, your guests are going to crave an array of gourmet bites and exhilarating beverages to keep them full of energy and on the dance floor. Your wedding should be an extravagant and indulgent affair—and the best way to ensure that happens is to see that your venue serves cuisine meant for a party with those attributes. First, the cocktail hour should have playful, delicious, and passable finger foods that enliven the appetite and get everyone into the party mood. Then, the main course should present an air of refinement before the dessert delivers a decadent coda to the event. And for any attendees that are especially hard partiers, a late-night snack might be an ideal final touch. Also, the opportunity to add menu enhancements is a big plus.
Are The Wedding Vendor Options To My Liking?
Any wedding venue that has the best interests of its customers in mind should offer as many vendor options as possible—this will help you build the perfect wedding that matches your vision in every way. Wedding vendors include florists, DJs and entertainment, photography and videography, limousines, custom cakes, rental attire, hotel accommodations, make-up artists, decor, and even cigar rollers. When you host your wedding at the Watermill, not only do you get a team of in-house specialists, but they also recommend local vendors for all your additional needs—helping you to breathe easier.
Does The Wedding Venue Have Good Lighting & Sound Equipment?
Does your preferred wedding venue have its own lighting and sound equipment, or are you going to have to provide that through a third-party vendor? Ideally, this is an element that the venue should provide, but it is worth asking just in case. When wedding lighting is done correctly, it can set the mood to the desired balance of romance mixed with revelry and oftentimes it is the final piece to an unforgettable wedding event. As for sound equipment, this is something usually provided by the DJ, but it doesn’t hurt to confirm that detail with your wedding venue professional.
How Knowledgeable Is The Wedding Venue Staff?
And finally, you want to hold your wedding at a venue that has hosted hundreds or even thousands of “I Do’s” on its grounds. Not only does this level of experience breed professionalism and courtesy in the venue’s treatment of you and your guests, but it also means that they will be able to improvise should unforeseen circumstances pop up. Whether it’s having a bridal attendant or maître d' on hand to step in and take care of business or simply white-gloved staff members with unmatched attentiveness, the knowledge and professional courtesy of the wedding venue staff is an aspect of your special day that some of your guests will remember.
