So many couples have no idea what to ask when touring a wedding venue – here’s a list to get you started.
First, let’s start with a few things that you should do before you even tour A Wedding Venue:
- Confirm that the date(s) your considering are available. Always have at least 3 options in mind, as dates can often end up being booked between requesting the tour and actually being on site..
- Make sure that you’ve researched the wedding venue well. Look up reviews, google real weddings, check out photos on google and instagram. Does it fit your vibe (we have a whole list of venues to consider based on your aesthetic, if you have no idea where to start)?
- Make sure that you have started working on your venue spending plan. Your venue cost is usually 1/5 to 1/7 of your total wedding budget.
- Be ready to book. Dates go quickly, and if you’re not quite ready to sign on the line and pay your booking deposit, don’t waste the venue’s time.
Once you’re at the wedding venue for your tour, here are 40+ questions you should ask:
- Hours of access (even 12 hours of total access may require you to start getting ready off-site) and what time your wedding has to end for cleanup?
- Who is responsible for set up and clean up?
- Getting ready spaces – what do they look like, what’s their capacity, can you have champagne or any drinks in there while you prep, can you use hairspray inside the getting ready space?
- Nearby lodging and accommodations?
- Ask to see the common places people have their photos taken – group photos like wedding party, family photos, etc.
- Do they have sample books you can look at from past weddings?
- Can they show you weddings that took place during the same time of year as you’re hoping to be married in?
- Ask about the sun – where does it fall on the ceremony space throughout the day when you’re hoping to have your wedding?
- Do they have AC? What about heaters for outdoors?
- If they have a firepit, is it real wood, and if so do you have to supply the wood yourself?
- What’s the rain plan or backup?
- What is the dance floor situation?
- Are children allowed and what are the rules?
- Do they have ADA friendly restrooms or what is their mobility friendly solution?
- Where is the power/electricity that your vendors (or you) can use?
- Are pets allowed and what are the rules?
- Alcohol and bartending requirements
- Catering requirements
- Music rules (some venues don’t allow live bands)
- Drop offs and pick ups of rentals
- Do they require a licensed planner or coordinator?
- Max guest capacity
- Max parking capacity
- Insurance and banquet permit
- Trash fee
- Damage deposit (how much, what it covers, when will you get it back)
- Refrigeration availability and locations?
- Restrooms (and who cleans them and how often) – how many and where are they?
- On site contact for emergencies day of, do they have any staffing for things like parking?
- What the wedding venue provides inclusively (tables, chairs, linens, etc), and what they charge extra for?
- What will I be responsible for renting?
- Does Uber or Lyft service the venue, and can guests leave cars there if they do need to uber or lyft home due to over-consumption?
- Payment options – do they have specific payment plans or ways they accept payment?
- Vendor lists (do they make you have to choose from their list or can you hire anyone) and requirements (and do they require licensed and insured vendors only)?
- Where do we sign our marriage license?
- How does a wedding day flow here?
- Where does catering set up a buffet?
- Specific rules for photographers or videographers (btw, a wedding venue CANNOT legally require you give them use of the photographs or videos from your wedding pros – that’s not yours to release, they have to get that from the photographer/videographer)?
- Rules for decor (what do they and don’t they allow – like tape, pins, nails, balloons, confetti, rose petals, etc)
- Rules for your special exit (do they allow sparklers, bubbles, etc)?
- What is the booking process?
- Do we get a rehearsal? When?
- Do we get any additional walk-throughs of the wedding venue before the wedding?
- What all will the wedding venue need from you before the wedding?
- What should I expect after we book with you? Does the wedding venue provide a client portal or any check-ins prior to your wedding?
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the single most important question to ask on a venue tour?
Ask what happens if it rains. Not “do you have a rain plan” – ask them to walk you through exactly where the ceremony moves, who moves the chairs, how much notice they need to make the call, and whether you can see that backup space right now during the tour. A venue that gets vague on this has either not thought it through or the backup is worse than they want to admit. In the PNW, this question is non-negotiable.
Can a venue require us to use specific photographers or videographers?
No. A venue can maintain a preferred vendor list (photographers they’ve vetted and recommend) and can require that vendors carry liability insurance – but they cannot legally require you to sign over rights to your wedding photos or videos, and they cannot prohibit you from hiring a licensed, insured photographer of your choosing. If a venue tries to mandate that you hire from an exclusive list with no outside option, that’s a significant red flag. The copyright on your wedding photos belongs to your photographer, not the venue.
How far in advance should we tour and book a Snohomish wedding venue?
For peak season (June-September) Saturdays at popular venues, 12-18 months is standard and 24 months is not unusual. Some of the most in-demand Snohomish venues – Twin Willow Gardens, Pemberton Farm, Lord Hill Farms – fill their peak season dates well over a year out. Don’t tour a venue you love without having 2-3 date options ready, because your first choice date is likely already gone by the time you get there.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the single most important question to ask on a venue tour?
Ask what happens if it rains. Not “do you have a rain plan” – ask them to walk you through exactly where the ceremony moves, who moves the chairs, how much notice they need to make the call, and whether you can see that backup space right now during the tour. A venue that gets vague on this has either not thought it through or the backup is worse than they want to admit. In the PNW, this question is non-negotiable.
Can a venue require us to use specific photographers or videographers?
No. A venue can maintain a preferred vendor list (photographers they’ve vetted and recommend) and can require that vendors carry liability insurance – but they cannot legally require you to sign over rights to your wedding photos or videos, and they cannot prohibit you from hiring a licensed, insured photographer of your choosing. If a venue tries to mandate that you hire from an exclusive list with no outside option, that’s a significant red flag. The copyright on your wedding photos belongs to your photographer, not the venue.
How far in advance should we tour and book a Snohomish wedding venue?
For peak season (June-September) Saturdays at popular venues, 12-18 months is standard and 24 months is not unusual. Some of the most in-demand Snohomish venues – Twin Willow Gardens, Pemberton Farm, Lord Hill Farms – fill their peak season dates well over a year out. Don’t tour a venue you love without having 2-3 date options ready, because your first choice date is likely already gone by the time you get there.
