CHOOSING THE VENUE
for your wedding

Finding the right wedding venue is not hard, but here are some tips to help you make the right decision...

THE BUDGET

Before starting planning your wedding , I would advise you to start with an estimate budget showing the budget for each supplier. It is crutial to determine your maximum budget from the start, including the wedding venue.

The price of a venue can double depending on certain criterias such as the region, the season or the notoriety of the place.

A venue on the French Riviera or in Provence, won't be the same price as one in Toulouse or Bordeaux. Same for a wedding celebrated in summer or off season. It is therefore necessary to target your research, taking theses elements into account.

WEDDING STYLE

You will find wedding venues for every taste... so if I can give you a piece of advise, define your wedding style before staring your researchs.

This is the starting point, that will enable you to define the right type of venue to look for. Would you fancy a bohemian wedding, countryside, romantic, urban, modern or industrial ?

Depending on your whishes, the choice of the region should be taken into consideration, as each of them has its architectural specificities.

For a natural countryside wedding, i would advise to lean toward Gascony, or Lauragais where you will find barns and old white stone houses. They are often surrounded by wheat and sunflower fields… The perfect place to organise an outdoor ceremony.

Houses are often furnished with countryside vintage and rustic furniture. This kind of venues are perfect for friendly long tables and dishes to share.

Around Bordeaux, you will find different kinds of venues. Mainly wineyards and elegant French castles. This region would be more suitable for classical weddings. Buildings are bigger and decorated in a more rich and baroque style : woodwork on the walls, moldings on the ceilling, cristal chandeliers and marble fireplaces.

If you want a romantic wedding, this is the perfect kind of venue for you. Add round tables to your seatting arrangement and that's how it's done !

You prefer getting married by the ocean ? Why not organising a wedding in the basque country? The atmosphere is totaly different over there with its white and red facade houses. Perfect for a relaxed bohemian wedding, with an outdoor ceremony on the beach facing the ocean.

NUMBER OF GUESTS

Starting with defining the exact number of guests is essential to better target your venue. Finding a place for 60 to 80 people is easy, but it is way harder if you plan for 150 guests. Not every venue can accomodate that many people... it is therefore necessary to take this criteria into account when starting your researchs.

If you fall in love with a venue that can't welcome enough people, don't panick... you can always rent a marquee to do an outside dinner. But keep in mind that the cost will increase the overall budget.

If the reception room is too small, favor rectangular tables that take less space. If it is too big for the number of guests, favor round tables that would give the impression of a well arranged space.

Don't forget that space management is crutial for the comfort of everyone. Think about leaving enough space for the caterer to waiter, and the guests to moove around easily.

Also think about leaving enough space for the dancing area. If the remaining space is not big enough, you can always ask the caterer to fold away 2 or 3 tables just after dessert.

EXTRA COSTS

Before booking a venue, don't forget to ask the right questions. This would avoid bad surprises later.

Does the package includes furniture ? Do you need to hire security for the evening ? Does the venue have enough electricity power in the kitchen for the caterer ? Does it include accomodation for the guests or is it extra? Is there any plan B in case of bad weather ? Can you organise a next day brunch on the venue ?

Make sure that the offer is clear to avoid having to add extras that would increase the budget later.

Regarding the furniture, also make sure that what is provided by the venue is to your taste and in adaquation with the style you imagined. If the venue provide wooden foldable chairs, and you planned on having white classical chairs, think about the extra hiring costs and its effects on the budget.

All these details are very important and will help you make the right choice when choosing your wedding venue.

OTHER CRITERIAS

Certain couples would like a venue with accomodations, for others having a pool is a more important. Also think about your expectations when defining your research criterias.

Don't forget the more criterias you will have, the harder it will be to find the right venue. Don't start looking too late, especially if you want to get married on a specific date.

Here are a few tips to help you find your dream wedding venue. And if you are scared of planning your wedding from abroad, or simply don't have enough time, trust a wedding planner to take care of all of it !

Thanks to it's network and address book, he will be able to find the right venue for your wedding ! Did I convinced you ? Discover our wedding planning packages right over here.