| If you are just getting
started planning your wedding you
know that there are several critical
decisions that must be made long in
advance of your wedding day, one of
which is the location. By now, you
may have been to some of the Bridal
Shows, like the Bridal Extravaganza
last month, and possibly even visited
some of the open houses, but with
so many considerations out there it’s
hard to know which facility is the
right choice.
Every bride is on some kind of budget.
Your location will be a large part
of that budget, so it’s important
that you get the best place for your
money. Locations are basically one
of two types: all-inclusive or one
where you hire vendors separately.
Typically, an “all-inclusive”
venue will have in-house providers
or a list of preferred vendors for
all of your needs. These facilities
package the services so that you pay
a lump sum for several things including
a rental fee, food costs, alcohol
costs, cake costs, linens and china,
and possibly even flowers. Often times
the facility will even have an event
coordinator that is familiar with
the vendors and takes care of things
on the day of your wedding.
The way these packages are designed
it often seems like a no-brainer.
Why wouldn’t you want to sign
your check and book immediately? Some
of these venues are phenomenal, and
you are getting a great deal,while
others are not as attractive as they
might initially seem.
Whether you are going with an all-inclusive
venue or not, you will need to do
research into the quality of what
you are getting. A good way to judge
this is by attending open houses or
scheduling appointments to meet with
the vendors. With an all-inclusive,
you also need to meet with the in-house
staff to find out what they have.
Look at several vendors’ portfolios,
try food from various venues, taste
cakes, and ask yourself several questions:
Does the facility
have the right linens, centerpieces,
and china?
Are you impressed
by the vendor portfolios?
Can that vendor do
exactly what you envision for your
wedding?
Is the food of the
quality that you envision?
Is the cake exquisite?
You don’t want to regret signing
any contracts between when you book
and your wedding. If you find that
you are settling because of the attractive
package deal or you are worrying about
your budget, keep shopping. There’s
bound to be a location or a combination
of vendors that will work for you.
Ballrooms, halls, or private venues
often let you find your own vendors.
At first thought, this might seem
like a lot of headache and work, but
if you are not satisfied with the
all-inclusive options or have found
a caterer (or florist, cake designer,
etc.) during all your shopping that
you would really like to use, this
is an option you need to consider.
Your options are limitless when
you aren’t dealing with a set
package deal. In addition, you may
even find that you spend less money
for certain elements of the wedding
this way. For instance, you can find
a caterer that has superior food and
costs less per guest than the all-inclusive
price, or you could avoid per guest
charges for alcohol, which do not
account for guests that will not be
drinking, by bringing the alcohol
in yourself.
Choosing your location is a critical
choice. It pays off to consider all
of your options before locking yourself
into a deal. Your wedding day will
be remembered forever and it is important
to have it just the way you have always
imagined.
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