When it comes time to begin planning your wedding after you say, “I Do” there are so many details to consider. The planning goes far beyond just thinking about what you want to be your first dance and smashing cake into your husbands’ face! We hope the booking checklist will help with your pre-planning ideas.

Ceremony Venue

There would be no room to celebrate this wonderful day if there is no ceremony! Once you decide on if you will have a traditional religious ceremony in a church or something non-traditional at your reception venue you can start looking into more details about various venues. How many guests will it accommodate, is there parking available, etc.

Reception Venue

What style and feeling do you want to provoke with your wedding reception venue? Guests absolutely love when they do not have to drive from the ceremony to the reception. This way you do not have to consider location to reception from ceremony or providing transportation for any out of town guests. There are a number of venues that offer All Inclusive Packages that have the ability to be both your ceremony and reception venue. If that option is not for you, you can always start looking for a reception venue based on proximity to the church you will be married in.

Again, how many guests will the venue accommodate and is parking available are key factors. Also, you want to check into whether the venue is full service or not. If they are a full-service venue then most everything you need to make your space beautiful and serve your guests is offered. If the venue is not a full-service venue then they are simply renting you the space and what you put into décor is what you get out of it. You will also need to inquire on per plate cost and drink costs as well. Be informed on the food tasting policies also. Will there be a tasting prior to finalizing the menu? Is there a fee associated with the tasting? Liability insurance, cancellation policy and weather contingency if you are planning an outdoor event are also details you want to consider when making your decision.

Officiant

This can be tough to nail down if you are not a member of a church or know someone ordained to legally marry you. You can always ask for recommendations from friends or family that recently got married. You want to be sure to find someone you are comfortable with. This person is going to guide you and your guests during this very special day so you want to be sure you feel confident that they know your story and what you want out of your ceremony.

Your officiant is going to set the atmosphere for your wedding. Be sure to make time to meet with them beforehand and convey the tone you wish to set for your big day. The may want to schedule time to meet with your family and close friends and they should definitely want to hear more stories about the happy couple to get to know you better if you are not already familiar with each other.

Be sure to ask questions about the officiant fee and what is included with it. You do not want to assume anything when you are booking these services. Is pre-martial counseling, legal registration, travel and performing the ceremony all included in the fee? What is the officiant back up plan if an emergency arises?

These are just a few key details you want to be sure you know about before entering into any type of agreement with a venue or vendor. Be sure to know exactly what to expect for the money that you are investing into this day. You want to try to remain as stress free as possible!