Looking for your dream wedding venue? Not sure where to start? Well, the lovely team at Elmore Court share with us today the top questions you should ask your venue when trying to book your dream wedding…
Elmore Court…
What makes a perfect wedding venue anyway?
Well that really comes down to what kind of wedding is perfect for you… Dream weddings are as diverse as the lovers planning them, whilst one couple might aspire to a pre wedding dinner and cocktail party, with a day of ceremony and feasting followed by and an all-night rave spilling into day three of celebrations, another might long for a magical wedding ritual ending with a delicious meal and a night of connecting with nearest and dearest round the fire.
Cotswold Wedding Photographer James Fear 
Photo by Andy Gaines Photography 
Cotswold Wedding Photographer James Fear
Visualise your dream wedding…
It might sound obvious, but sometimes working out what you want can be the hardest part of getting what you want…
So, your first step in planning must always be to get the brief down to a T…
What are you top 3 priorities that would make your wedding perfect?
For our couples, this is usually a mixture of a few of these things;
*Wedding date availability or season
*Party vibes, music and curfew
*Food!
*Flexibility and ability to choose your own look and feel (and suppliers)
*Guest accommodation
*Ease & stress reduction… Waking up on the morning of the wedding in The Coach House just a few steps from where you will marry is always a massive bonus!
Now you’ve gone through what will make your wedding feel like you, be sure to hold this ideal when visiting potential venues and visualise your wedding in that space…
Try to picture all your guests at the venue, would they enjoy the atmosphere? Would they gel with the team? Would they love the accommodation and enjoy waking up there?
As you walk through the venue see the dinner, drinks and party unfolding- does it flow? Does it feel right? If so this could be one for the shortlist!
Photo by Steven Rooney Photography 
Photo by James Davidson Photography 
Photo by Eve Dunlop Photography
Dates V’s details…
At the same time try not to get too fixated on a specific date or wedding season, if a venue is a good one it’s likely they will have had many hundreds of postponed weddings to fit into already busy calendars (Yep, that’s us!) so by keeping an open mind around dates and times of year you are much more likely to secure a date at the venue you fall for…
As a rule of thumb, we would advise allowing 18 months- 2 years lead time on dates, so if you’re viewing venues in 2022 it’s best not to be too fixated on marrying before 2024… Unless of course time is of the essence and the number one priority for you is to get married quickly. If so that’s a very handy way of knocking venues off your list!
Crunch the numbers…
Your guest list and wedding party size is a crucial factor in deciding where to host your wedding. Couples that book Elmore Court are often initially attracted due to the fact we can host big wedding up to 200 capacity, and that we can accommodate 40 overnight guests exclusively within the grounds for the ultimate house party…
Now you’ve considered all of these important factors, here’s a few questions you can take away with you on your venue hunt…
Enjoy searching!
Photo by Andy Gains Photography 
Photography by Andy Gaines 
Photography by Andy Gaines
Party Wedding…
If you’re planning a party wedding ask questions like;
Do you have a curfew?
Do you have a late license, or can you apply for one for our wedding?
What’s your capacity for dinner and dancing?
Do you have onsite accommodation and if so how many do you sleep?
What is your sound system, PA, stage and dancefloor like? (make sure you get a good look at it all if you’re able to visit in person or watch lots of videos if not)
What are your bar prices?
Can I choose my own band, DJ and other entertainment or am I restricted to a list of suppliers?
Photos by Gary Nunn Photography 
Foodie Wedding…
If you and your guests are real foodies
Ask to see the menu.
Try to meet or talk to the chef, if that’s not possible ask about the chefs background and experience/ inspiration.
Do you provide tastings?
Look for reviews relating to the wedding food online.
Ask if the food is locally sourced and/or seasonal.
Sneaky Restrictions…
We’ve noticed there can be lots of little sneaky restrictions and hidden things added at many venues sadly, so be prepared to dig these out.
Make sure you ask about all the little details;
Does the venue allow real candles and naked flames?
Are there hidden added charges like cake knives, stands, frames, tables etc?
Is there an early cut off for live and/ or recorded music? What about after that curfew, is there a strict no noise policy after a certain time including talking?
Are there restrictions on wedding suppliers, who you can book or the type or style of wedding you can create as a result?
Find out about the terms and conditions before you sign a contract. This is especially important during covid times.
Thank you so much to the Elmore Court team for sharing their top tips with us today! To find out more about Elmore check out their website HERE.
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