Wedding Venues
One of the first decisions you will make in your wedding planning process is your budget. Once you have determined that, the next big decision is where you will be getting married.
Vermont has many beautiful and established venues. To help determine the best one for you, you need to figure out what is important to you: distance to the nearest major airport? Onsite accommodations? A beautiful view? A certain aesthetic like barn wedding, gorgeous charm, or historical connection? Whatever type of venue you envision, chances are good that you will be able to find it. Make a list of your “must haves” for your wedding venue, and this will help you whittle down your venue choices.
Photo Credits: (Top - L to R) Amy Bennett Photography; Dana Ullman Photography (x2); Vanessa Halliday Photography
(Bottom - L to R) Blooming Photo Company; Arielle Thomas Photography (x2); Blooming Photo Company
General things to consider when choosing a venue:
Space: How does the space flow? Walk the space and think about where you want things placed and how your guests will experience the event. Are there areas you won’t be able to place tables, which can dictate your floor plan? If you want your reception space to remain secret from your guests until a big reveal after cocktail hour, you will need to make sure they do not have to walk through the reception space to get from the ceremony to cocktail hour. (Keep in mind - this can also mean you will need two bar spaces - one for cocktail hour and one for the reception, depending on how close they are!)
Capacity: What is the capacity of your venue? What is your tentative guest list looking like? There is usually some flexibility and not all of your guests will be able to make it to your wedding, but if your guest list is looking like 300 people will be invited, make sure not to fall in love with a space that can only fit 100 people.
Parking: If there isn’t enough space for your guests to park, you may feel the need to provide transportation. If you choose to provide transportation, this increases your expenses, especially if the majority of your guests will be staying at multiple locations. More stops means a bigger transportation bill.
Vendor Needs: As you look at your venue choices, think like your vendors. Is there a good place for your photographer to use as a backdrop for your group and formal photos? Look at the space your caterer will need. Is there a kitchen? If not, when selecting your caterer, you will need to make sure they can either bring everything they need with them or you will likely need to rent the equipment necessary. Is there access to water and power? You will need to take this into consideration for not only catering but the DJ/Band and portable restrooms if needed or you’ll need to factor in renting generators.
Ease of Access: If you have guests with mobility issues, make sure that it will be easy for them to get between spaces - from the ceremony, cocktail hour, and the reception. If it is a long or challenging walk, is it easy to drive between locations or to push a wheelchair?
Bathrooms: Are there bathrooms on site that can accommodate the size of your wedding? If not, you will need to rent portable restrooms.
Getting Ready: Can you get ready on site or will you need to travel to the venue? Make sure to factor this into your timeline, and ensure you have someone who can drive you between locations.
Location: Will your ceremony take place on site? If not, you will need to factor in travel for you and your guests between the ceremony and reception, and you will also need to make sure that it is easy to find your venue for guests who are unfamiliar with the area and may depend on GPS.
Curfew: Do some research and see what the local curfew is. We have several venues that we work with that the local ordinance is 10pm. That means your DJ has to shut down when the party might be really rocking. Factor this in and plan for your wedding to start earlier so your dancing isn’t cut short.
Rain Plan: If you are planning an outdoor ceremony and cocktail hour, is there a space for a rain plan? If you are renting a tent for the reception, a rain plan would most-likely be to move everything under the tent. Make sure you get a tent big enough to accommodate this or plan to have your guests sit in their seats for the ceremony and have a plan of where you will exchange vows where everyone can see. The dance floor can always function for multiple uses, having the ceremony and cocktail hour on it, before removing tables to allow for dancing, but you need to ensure you have the space for this.
Break Down and Clean Up: Who is going to do it? If your venue requires all décor and personal items to be out by end of night, you need to be prepared to do this after your wedding reception (or ask someone to be responsible for it). We normally stay until the end of the night to do this, but if you have not hired someone, you will need to plan for it.
Photo Credits: (Top - L to R) Hilary Eyestone Photography; Nicole Sauer Photography; Winding Roads Photography (x2)
(Bottom - L to R) The Event Sisters; Hilary Eyestone Photography; Nicole Sauer Photography; Winding Roads Photography
Private Property Weddings:
Over the last few years, we have found that many couples are turning to private property to host their weddings. It might be their childhood home, or a family friend’s land, but either way it is usually a space that was not initially intended to host large functions like a wedding, so it may require some extra planning.
Many people have the impression that hosting a wedding at your home is less expensive than a venue. Often, this is not the case, and we’ll detail why below. This article is not intended to dissuade you from hosting your wedding on private property, but to guide you so that you are prepared and knowledgeable about what to plan. Here are several key items that you need to be aware of, in addition to the above:
Cost: Remember, you have to bring in all of the infrastructure and vendors to your home that would have already been established at a dedicated venue.
Space: Does the space require work? Will you need to do electrical work, landscaping, or grading to make an area level and more functional? Maintenance work can add up quickly.
Housing: Consider how close or far away your guests will need to stay, and if you are able to accommodate some guests onsite (i.e. spare bedrooms, camping on the lawn, etc.).
Insurance: We strongly suggest getting event insurance for your wedding weekend, especially if you are not hosting your event at a formal venue with business insurance. Plans are relatively cheap for a good level of coverage. It is not uncommon for someone to turn an ankle, and you will most-likely be serving alcohol, so protect yourself and your family’s property by purchasing an insurance policy for the unexpected. We recommend that the property owner also contact their homeowners insurance to add an additional level of liability insurance for the weekend as well.
Garbage: This is often overlooked or forgotten about. Make sure you have a plan for garbage - do you have enough garbage cans; who will empty those cans; where will full trash bags be accumulated; and who will take care of and pay for the trash removal after the event?
Water and Electric: You will need close connections for both. Electricity for lots of things - lights, sound, DJ, band, a bathroom trailer - and water for the caterer, bar, and your guests’ refreshment. Make sure these things are close, otherwise people will have to haul it a ways and you will have to supply or rent a generator.
Rentals: You will need to either rent or buy things like chairs, benches, tables, a tent, dancefloor, linens, glassware, silverware, plates, and service ware (think everything from coffee urns to commercial kitchen equipment). This is where a good portion of your budget may be spent to create the space for your wedding.
Arbor: You will need to plan to build, rent or buy one, if this is important to you to have at the end of your aisle.
Extra Necessities: You (or whomever you assign to this) will need to be on site for all deliveries and pick up by your vendors. Bathroom trailers, tents, rental furniture, tables and chairs, linens, etc. Someone will need to be present onsite for anything that needs to be picked up or dropped off, so this may extend the time period that you have to be onsite (factor this in to when you plan on leaving for your honeymoon!).
Stress & Comfort: For many couples, hosting an event on your property provides a great level of comfort, as it is your space that you are familiar with and that you have control over. You know where everything is, so when someone’s fork falls on the ground, you know where the backups are. Plus - you’ll be able to go to sleep in your own bed on your wedding night, potentially making any hangovers the next day a little more pleasant. If your dream is to host your event at your home but the thought of all the above stresses you out, hiring an event planner can alleviate all of that stress for you so you can focus on the fun parts of planning and hosting while the professionals bring it all together.
Photo Credits: (Top - L to R) Amy Bennett Photography; Holly Shankland Photography; Jaquelyn Potter Photography; and The Event Sisters
(Bottom - L to R) Arielle Thomas Photography; Shem Roose Photography; Amy Bennett Photography; and Dana Ullman Photography
Having a wedding at a venue? Here are some things to consider, in addition to the general items above.
Hours: if you are renting a venue, what do their packages look like? Are you renting the venue for 6 hours or the entire weekend? This will be extremely important for how much decor you plan for. If your venue is only giving you 6 hours, there is very little in terms of decor that can be accomplished, and you are better off using every bit of that 6 hours for having fun.
Privacy: Ask your venue if the space is private and if they host more than one event in a day. If you don’t want to share your day with another bride and groom, you need to ensure you aren’t going to have any surprises before you sign the contract with them.
Supplementals: Does the venue include anything in their price? Do they have decor, signage, staff, accommodations, guest activities, parking and transportation, tables and chairs, etc. that can save you from having to rent or hire these things out?
This list may seem long and daunting, but it is really meant to keep you as informed as possible. We love to help our clients handle any and all of the above, and we have years of experience and knowledge to tackle the surprises that come along during wedding planning. If you want help, reach out so we can chat about how we can help you execute the perfect day!
Regardless, good luck and happy planning!!
