A lot goes into planning a wedding and finding the perfect venue to host all your closest friends and family for your big day. There are a lot of details to think about and questions to ask before you book your venue. We’ve compiled 5 important questions to get you started when considering a venue. Bring this list with you when touring so you’re prepared to meet with the venue coordinator.
1. Do you have my date available?
Asking if the venue has your date open is arguably the most important question to start with! If the venue you’re considering doesn’t have your ideal date available then there is no reason to continue further in the process. No need to discuss the details of the decor if the date you have your heart set on is unavailable.
However, if you are flexible on your date and are shooting for a month or time of year, then that makes booking a popular venue much easier! You can still have a beautiful fall wedding in September as well as in November.
2. How many people can this venue accommodate?
Believe it or not, finding the right size venue can be crucial to the success of your wedding. Are you planning a small, intimate ceremony and reception or a large bash with your whole group of friends, family and all their plus ones? Typically, a small wedding is considered to be 50 guests or less, a medium sized wedding is 50-150 guests and a large wedding is 150+ guests. Where does your guest list fall?
Shoot for a venue that can accommodate a little more than you need. You want the space to feel full but not crowded. You also want to make sure the venue isn’t too big for your guest list, making it feel cavernous. There is definitely a sweet spot to keep your guests mingling yet comfortable.
3. Do you have an in-house food and beverage caterer, a list of preferred caterers, or do I need to provide my own?
Quality in food, service and pricing can vary drastically with catering companies. Picking out your own caterer can be overwhelming! Your food and beverage catering should also reflect your personality and the overall style of your wedding but also be within your budget. Where to start?!
Most venues will offer a preferred vendor list for you to choose from for catering. This may seem to limit your options but consider the alternative: the venue has a list of vendors for a reason. Typically, the venue adds vendors to this list after years of experience, clients providing rave reviews of their service, and they have learned how to work together making it seamless for your event. Using a preferred vendor can provide you with confidence that they will take great care of your special day because they have with many others.
4. Can you host both our ceremony and reception?
Having your ceremony and reception at the same location can bring a ton of benefits. This means that your guests don’t need to find transportation between events, pay for parking twice, or have a block of time open in the middle of the day. This all makes for a smoother transition between your ceremony and reception.
Having your ceremony at the same place as your reception could also save you space in your budget. Booking one venue for your ceremony and another for your reception can use up a significant portion of your budget. Many reception venues offer adding on your ceremony for a small additional fee.
5. What makes your venue special?
This is our favorite question! Your venue should feel special and fit your style and personality. There may be a unique amenity that you find out about that isn’t advertised or how couples have made the space their own. No matter the answer, a great venue should be able to answer this question honestly, thoroughly and excitedly!
This Booking the perfect venue for your wedding has never been easier with FIVE Event Center! Our unique space boasts historic Minneapolis architecture with a one-of-a-kind modern atmosphere. Our dual-level space has a bar on each level and a stunning staircase that makes for a great backdrop for your wedding day photos.
At FIVE Event Center, we have a long list of amenities to make your wedding truly special. In addition to a personal event manager that will guide you through from beginning details to final touches in planning the wedding of your dreams, we also have customizable lighting and projector to make your event truly your own. Our venue also has an elevator and staircase to easily accommodate all your guests from one floor to another. Coat check, plenty of private bathrooms, and free parking in our lot after 5pm on weekdays and all day on weekends making it most convenient for your guests.
We have only the best of the best companies on our preferred vendor list. We have worked with these vendors for years and they have proven their success through high quality products and service. We even carry our own liquor license so we can work together to create your custom beverage service package and you can rest assured that it will be handled with the utmost care.
We can comfortably seat 200 guests in our upstairs level or 375 guests for a cocktail style event using both floors. We can host both your ceremony and reception in our space, making your wedding fun and convenient for you and your guests.
Contact us today to get started on planning your big day!