Helpful Tips in Finding the Right Venue for Your Dream Wedding By : Maloy Almeda-Benito Your wedding is a once in a lifetime event so finding the right venue is key. The venue is not just a place to celebrate your wedding in. It is the place where it will showcase who you are as a couple. However, finding the right venue is not easy, as most married couples will tell you. Finding the right venue, most of the time, is a source of countless arguments for the couple preparing for their wedding. The reception venue is too far from the church, too far from the residence of the bride or that of the groom, too expensive, too inaccessible, and so on. To help couples planning their own weddings, here are some things to consider when choosing a venue for your dream wedding: It’s all about you. Most wedding organizers, family members or friends, and even the venue management itself will tell you how to style your wedding and the ensuing reception. But it is not their wedding, it’s yours. So the style & theme of your reception should be about you and what you both like as a couple. Get ideas from other weddings you have attended. There is a multitude of information on the internet. Use these as a guide and tailor fit it to what you want to happen. You need not follow the traditional practices and customs if you are uncomfortable doing so. Remember that this is your day. Make every single detail all about you as a couple. Make Sure It’s a Roomy Fit Getting married in the Philippines is a big family affair. Unfortunately, some families are large enough to be considered a barangay. As such, you need to be able to find a venue that will safely and conveniently fit all of your expected guests. No matter how nicely decorated your venue is, if it’s a tight and unsafe fit, your relatives and guests will be the first to complain. So if your venue informs you of their capacity, do not insist on fitting more people than it can safely and conveniently accommodate. Remember that most Philippine tragedies were caused by people disregarding safety limits or safe capacities. Stick to your budget It’s great to dream of that elaborate wedding. However, remember that this is just one day of your life. While it is great to celebrate the day in an amazing way, you still have to think about your life ahead. Stick to your budget regardless of whether you are spending for your big day or someone else is spending for it. Remember, that what you will be spending is hard-earned money. It’s more important to have enough finances leftover after the wedding to start your married life together. What is the use of feeding everyone at the wedding when you won’t be able to feed yourselves the next day? What your venue should have It is quite difficult to find everything that you need or want for your wedding in one venue, but you should have at least these basic amenities: 1. Airconditioning. A garden venue or one by the beach may be romantic, but remember that ours is a tropical country. It’s either too hot or it’s raining. The heat will ruin your and your guests’ make-up and mood. How can you be in a happy mood when you are all sweaty wearing that heavy gown or suit? You’re supposed to be glowing with joy, not from sweat. You also don’t want to be stressed the whole day wishing and praying for good weather. You don’t want to worry about what you and your guests will do when it suddenly rains or what will happen to your beautiful décor if your outdoor venue gets rained on. An airconditioned venue is more practical and convenient not just for the newly weds, but also for all your guests. Your reception program can go on smoothly even if it’s raining or too hot outside the venue. 2. Sound System and Projector. Does your venue have at the very least the ff amenities: a basic sound system – stereo component/dvd player/ipod or laptop connection, powerful speakers, amplifier, and/or mixer, and microphones, and a projector? Choose a venue with a basic sound system and projector so you save on costs. More importantly, test the basic sound system and projector that your venue offers if these at least meet your standards. 3. Dressing Room. Your schedule will be hectic and tiring days prior to and during your wedding day - make-up, gown fitting, constant traveling (house-church-venue), and the numerous stops at different locations for pictorials. Thus, it is important that your wedding reception venue has a private dressing room where the newly weds can rest and relax a bit and recharge before starting the reception proper. With a dressing room, you can also have your make-up retouched, if necessary, and do a change of clothes when needed. The venue’s rest rooms are not enough and won’t do. You need to have that private airconditioned dressing room for your convenience. You have to look your best and feel good before welcoming and mingling with all your guests during the reception proper. It’s going to be a long night so you both need to prepare for it. 4. Stand-by Generator. Close your eyes for a minute and imagine that you’re done with the ceremony and are anticipating the celebration at the reception venue. The place is ready and decorated just the way you envisioned it to be. And as you’re about to start the program, the power goes off! You have to plan for all contingencies. Don’t leave anything to chance. Again, you don’t want to spend the whole day stressing, wishing, and praying that there will be no power interruption. Choose a venue that has its own stand-by generator to ensure that everything goes on as planned without you having to rent one from a supplier (an additional cost you may not afford). More importantly, choose a venue that will let you use its stand-by generator for free, if necessary. 5. Parking. All venues have reserved parking space for the bridal car, this is a given. The question you need to ask is if the venue has enough parking space (whether free or pay parking) to accommodate a great majority, if not all your expected guests and suppliers. You can’t have a successful wedding reception with just the two of you because your guests can’t attend as there is no place for them to park their cars in your chosen venue. Remember also that public roads are not parking spaces, so if the venue you are considering will tell you that your guests can park on public roads surrounding the venue, think again. If your wedding is on a weekend, chances are that most residents near your chosen venue will also use the same public roads as their parking space. Parking on public roads may inconvenience your guests and put their vehicles at risk of being towed or worse. A big enough parking area is at times forgotten, in preparing for your wedding and the reception, but you need one. You cannot have a successful wedding ceremony and reception without ample parking space. 6. Flexibility. Choose a venue that won’t force you to get the services of their accredited suppliers like a caterer (especially if you don’t know or don’t like their suppliers). Remember that it’s your wedding, thus everything should be your choice. 7. Add-on fees. More importantly, choose a venue that won’t charge you astronomical fees for allowing you to hire a non-accredited caterer or other suppliers. 8. Accessibility. You always hear marketing and/or business professionals say “location is key for any business to succeed”. The same thing goes for your wedding ceremony and reception venues. Keep in mind that you are inviting a lot of your family, friends, and work/professional colleagues to your wedding and a great majority of them are not your neighbors. Their convenience should also be considered in choosing your venue. With this in mind, choose a venue that is strategically located and easily accessible not just for you, not just for guests with cars, but also for your guests who will use public transport. Research, research, research List down what you want so that as you check-out various venues, you may eliminate places that do not meet your needs. This will help you narrow down your choices. Also, make sure to review or get a copy of the venue’s house rules before booking with them so that you are familiar with it as you maybe ordering things from various suppliers that are not allowed or cannot be accommodated by your preferred venue. Relax & enjoy the day As we said, this is just one day in your life. We know that you want it to be memorable, but it is not worth having arguments with your future partner especially when you disagree about the preparations. The day is supposed to be a happy day. Try to stay calm and remember that it is a day to celebrate you as a couple. Nothing else should matter but the two of you on this special day. So relax and enjoy this special day. You have the rest of your life together to look forward to! The author is the owner of Bounce Events Ground, the newest all-occasion venue located at the center of the Metropolis at No.359 Dansalan St., near EDSA-Boni, Mandaluyong City. For more information about Bounce Events Ground, you may view our website bouncepartiesinc, email inquire@bouncepartiesinc or call us at 0922-8bounce/234-2239/717-0295 if you need assistance in preparing for your wedding or any other occasion. Posted on : March 03, 2013
Posted on: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 01:54:59 +0000
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