9 Questions to Ask Your Wedding Venue

Who knew getting married would be this baffling?

Are toasting drinks included in your venue package? Will your photographer be providing any prints? Who’s making the playlist for the DJ or providing the pins for the bridesmaids’ hair?!

If you’re in the wedding planning stage, you’ve started your research and come up with more questions than answers, this page should help you get straight on one very important aspect of your big day: the backdrop.

On this page, we’ll take you through the sorts of questions you should be asking your shortlist of wedding venues before you make any decisions, sign any forms or hand over any cash.

We all have preconceived ideas of what a venue should be like and what it should provide but the reality is often a little (or a lot) different. Making sure you know exactly what you’re getting out of a venue is good practice for any wedding planner, so let’s break down the 9 questions you need to ask every single time.

1. Can I have my ceremony AND reception there?

First thing’s first, you need to find out exactly which part of the day your venue is providing.

Places like churches and registry offices are almost always ceremony-only venues, so if you’re after a traditional wedding, you’ll probably need to find a separate venue for the reception.

And if you have your dream reception venue in mind, it’s worth checking whether they actually allow you to perform the ceremony there. It’s becoming more common for venues to be dual-purpose but it’s still not always the case, so check with your venue which part of the day they provide.

Here at The Old Wheat Barn, we’re fully licensed to hold weddings AND there’s plenty of space afterwards for your reception. That means you don’t have to move all the guests to a new venue and there’s only one space you need to decorate – a logistical dream!

2. Are catering options included?

You might assume that a wedding venue has its own kitchen and menu but not all venues provide that service. If they don’t, then it’s up to you to source the food, hire the chefs, craft the menu, and ensure the guests don’t go hungry on the big day.

Some couples know caterers that they’d love to use, but for many, that added organisational stress is something to avoid, so ask your venue if they provide food or whether you’re on your own.

If catering is included (either in the original price or as an add-on), it’s a good idea to ask what dishes they make themselves and what they ‘buy in.’

Not only do external suppliers add unnecessary air miles but they also act as an extra link in the chain – they’re one more cog you’re relying on to get all your food in. If something goes wrong on the external supplier’s end, it could scupper the venue’s ability to provide food for you, which could jeopardise your entire wedding meal.

All the food at The Old Wheat Barn is homemade, locally sourced, and ethically produced. That means it’s better for the environment, and still delicious. Download our free brochure to see all the food options we offer for your wedding.

3. How many guests can you accommodate?

This is a pretty big one to get right – nobody wants to be the one to tell cousin Rod he can’t come to the wedding because there’s not enough space.

If you and your partner have a huge list of people you have to invite, make sure your venue’s big enough to accommodate them all. Otherwise you’ll have to find a different venue (or let the culling of the guest list begin).

Once you know how many people you can bring along, you should think about where they’re going to sleep (if sleeping is part of the itinerary!).

Obviously you won’t be able to put up all your guests, but lots of venues have a few rooms for immediate family and close friends, so check what your venue provides.

Click here to see how many guests our Old Wheat Barn can accommodate for.

4. Can I decorate the venue myself?

You probably have your dream décor in mind for your big day, and while most venues will let you decorate in whatever weird or wonderful way you see fit, it’s worth checking your venue definitely allows this.

That being said, a venue that comes pre-decorated can be a good option for couples looking to minimise wedding planning stress. You can save money on decorations and spend more time thinking about other aspects of the wedding, safe in the knowledge your venue will still look beautiful when the day rolls around.

From a more logistical standpoint, you should definitely find out if chairs, tables, cutlery, crockery and so on are provided, or whether that’s up to you – nobody wants to be eating soup with their hands after all…

At The Old Wheat Barn we have loads (seriously loads!) of decorations you can take advantage of for just £200.

5. What’s the availability for the venue like?

Before you get excited and start imagining yourself walking down the aisle of your dream venue, it’s crucial you ask them about availability.

Certain venues don’t operate all year round, so if you envisage a winter wonderland of a wedding, ask your venue if that’s a possibility. Likewise, you’ll find many venues come with long waiting lists, so if you’re in a rush to wed your love, you could be disappointed.

Often, there are certain times of the year when it’s cheaper to hire out a venue too, so if you want to save a bit of cash, consider having a wedding in the ‘off-season’ (or on a weekday as that’s often cheaper too).

Weddings at The Old Wheat Barn take place between April and October, so you can make the most of the rolling fields and lovely patio area.

6. What happens if it rains?

Let’s be honest, if you’re getting married in this country, rain is a distinct possibility (even in the so-called summer).

If you’re planning on a gorgeous outdoor wedding, better check what the contingency plan is if it starts raining cats and dogs, or even if it’s too warm.

Weather woes can put a real dampener on your wedding, and while lots of venues will have a backup option (particularly in this country), best to be certain what the plan is.

The Old Wheat Barn offers the best of both worlds, with plenty of indoor space for all your loved ones AND beautiful outdoor areas if the weather decides to behave.

7. How much does it all cost?

The big one – cost. This can be the make or break factor for lots of couples, so clarify with your venue exactly what you’re paying AND exactly what that gets you, broken down into exhaustive bullet points.

The venue might have given you a baseline figure but this may only consist of the actual space itself; things like catering, decorations, and overnight accommodation might all cost extra, and if you’re not aware of that, you could be hit with some nasty surprise costs down the line.

For an initial breakdown of what you’ll pay for a wedding at The Old Wheat Barn, check out our new pricing brochure. Then, when you come and look around, we’ll talk through the exact numbers and figures. And during your planning process we’ll also provide you with budgeting tools to keep you on track too!

8. What’s your sustainability policy like?

It’s no secret that weddings often aren’t the greenest of events. What with the electricity, heating, one-use plastic, air miles to bring the food in, and everything else… the environmental impact of this one event ramps up pretty quickly.

If being green is something that’s on your mind (as it should really be for all of us), ask your venue what they do to be more sustainable. There are several venues who use sustainability as a USP, so if you’re conscious about minimising the environmental footprint of your wedding, consider seeking out one of these venues.

And if you need any help finding green venues, look no further than our (solar powered) Old Wheat Barn – with an air source heat pump, a commitment to regenerative farming, biodegradable confetti, and ethically produced food, it’s safe to say being green is always on our mind.

Check out this blog to see all the things we’re doing to make our weddings more sustainable.

9. Can you help with planning?

I get it – wedding planning is hard and sometimes we all need a helping hand.

Some venues will go out of your way to lend you extra assistance in the planning process, others won’t. Some will be really responsive to questions you ask, others won’t.

It’s hard to know exactly how helpful your venue will be until you start dealing with them, but one thing’s for sure: at The Old Wheat Barn, we make it our mission to simplify the planning process as much as possible, giving you far fewer wedding-induced headaches.

That’s why every wedding at our barn comes with wedding planning expert Julie. She’s on hand every step of the way, from the very beginning to the big day itself – if anyone can take your initial ideas and transform them into reality, it’s Julie.

That’s just one of the many perks you’ll receive when getting married at our barn. Let us know if you want any more info, and hopefully we can be part of your wedding planning journey.