The 15 Rules for Choosing a Venue for Your Vow Renewal

Most of your vow renewal details depend on your venue – from the date to the décor and catering. To find the perfect venue for your vow renewal vision, you need to define your essential needs, including guest list size, transportation access, and style. Consider both traditional event spaces and alternative spaces like museums, parks, performing arts centers, and restaurants. Locations that are particularly meaningful to you are ideal. Still, destinations you’ve also been dreaming of can make for an unforgettable celebration as well. Once you’ve made of list of your top options, it’s time to tour venues with this handy list of rules in mind.

If you’re having a religious ceremony, the first step is to reserve the date at your house of worship.

The availability of your house of worship for your vow renewal will dictate the date and time you need to reserve your reception venue.

Pick a location close to the airport and major roadways if the majority of your guests are traveling.

Your vow renewal really shouldn’t be an episode of planes, trains, and automobiles. Make sure guests can get to your venue easily and quickly. That romantic, inexpensive estate that’s four hours from the closest decent hotel won’t thrill your guests.

Exclude any venue that can’t accommodate your projected headcount.

No matter how amazing the venue may seem, if it can’t hold your guests, it won’t work. Chances are your final headcount isn’t going to surprise you and make it magically work. This is not a time to take chances.

Make sure the venue can accommodate all of your non-negotiables.

Make a list of non-negotiables like having access to wifi, being in a particular location, being able to bring in your own caterer or cake, or having an outdoor space. If the venue doesn’t check off all of the boxes next to your non-negotiables, skip it. Touring places that don’t match up to your list puts you at risk of falling in love with it and then having to change your vision to make it work.

Make sure the venue is really on budget.

It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been dreaming of the venue, if it is a budget buster, you’ll regret saying yes. Before you sign a contract, make sure everything you’ve been promised is detailed in it and that there aren’t any hidden costs. Getting an unexpected bill at the end doesn’t make for a happy ending.

Make sure you know if the venue price is all-inclusive or not.

If the venue price is not all-inclusive, the cost of rentals (tables, chairs, linens, glassware, china, flatware, et cetera) can really add up. You’ll also want to find out if the total accounts for state tax and gratuity.

Ensure setup costs are transparent for the ceremony and reception if they are held in the same place.

You need to know if you will be charged twice for setup if your ceremony is on-site. It’s not uncommon to find that you will be charged double for reception and ceremony prep, even if it’s just to rearrange chairs. This could really impact your decision on where to have your vow renewal ceremony.

Ensure you have a least 2 hours for each setup and tear down.

You’ll want to make sure the agreed-upon amount of time allowed for setup and tear down is in your contract. You also want to know how much overtime rates are as they can be substantial (an hour of overtime can run $1,000 or more). Do not merely accept an initial verbal promise that you’ll have the space all day or “plenty of time.”

Make sure how the venue handles catering works with your vision.

You need to know if you are required to use on-site catering. If you are, you’ll want details on menu options and to know about their tasting policy. You might be able to schedule a tasting for a fee that will be credited to your booking is you select them; if not, get referrals from past clients. If you’re not required to use the venue’s catering, find out if you are able to hire anyone you like or if you’re required to select a caterer from an approved list.

Understand the venue’s rules for noise levels and extending your celebration time.

If you’re hoping to party late into the night, you’ll want to know about curfews or a maximum decibel levels for music. Venues, particularly those in residential areas, must follow legal requirements. You also want to see if it’s possible to extend the celebration time and the cost.

Ensure the venue’s power supply meets your needs.

Check the power needs of your vendors. Your caterer, DJ or band, and lighting vendor should be able to provide you with details on their power needs. If the site’s supply isn’t sufficient for all of them, you may have to rent a generator.

Make sure you can work with the venue’s lighting in the evening.

The ambiance in your space can be totally ruined by bright fluorescent lighting in hallways and other common areas in the evening. When touring during the day, lighting issues might not be apparent. Some venues also have lighting that is too yellow or white for your vision. Take time to find out if it perfect or if you will need additional lighting.

Make sure there are bathrooms available or that you can bring them in.

Don’t assume your venue has adequate bathrooms. Outdoor spaces and rustic venues are commonly lacking in this area. Others have rules about bringing them in. Make sure you don’t overlook this aspect!

Confirm the valet and security policy.

If you need to use valet services, find out the associated costs. Hosts typically cover these at private events. Valet fees can range from $5 to $25 per vehicle, while some venues charge a flat fee. These charges can add up to several hundred dollars, plus you’ll need to tip the valets at $40 to $60 per attendant.

Walk away from venues with overlapping events that could negatively affect your celebration.

Overlapping events can be a big problem, particularly if you’re considering a hotel, resort, or event hall. The noise or guests from the other event(s) can disrupt your celebration, ruin the ambiance, or make your guests feel uncomfortable. Big convention parties with open bars can make you regret your venue selection, no matter how beautiful it is. The same can be true of a wedding reception across the hall. Ask about the potential for overlapping events, how issues are handled, and how any that are scheduled could affect your celebration.