The guide to planning an ideal wedding in 2018

Dresses. Suits. Invitations. Catering. Bridesmaids. Decorations. Theme. Dates. Location. There is an abundance of considerations to take on board when it comes to choosing a wedding venue. It should be a unique and special day for you and your fiancé, so it is important to make the right decisions to suit you.

Here, Hotel St. Pierre have listed some tips to help you kick off the search for the ideal venue for you and your partner to tie the knot.

Shared decision-making:

Since it’s an event concerning two people, the couple should have discussions prior to and during the wedding planning process. These discussions should include all aspects that affect the planning of the wedding including budget, number of guests, and the time of year you would like the ceremony to take place.

A few things to research before booking a venue include:

• Read venue vendor reviews and testimonials
• Speak to recently married couples
• Look at wedding photographer portfolios online

Strategise:

Pick around 3 non-negotiable essentials; whether it’s, location, time of year, outdoor and indoor facilities, or catering. By doing this, you can reduce the need to compromise on the fundamentals of your wedding day. Your budget can be adjusted to these essentials therefore making it easier to shortlist your options.

Once you have your list of fundamentals, you can begin to consider your variables. These are options that didn’t quite make your list and you are willing to compromise on, such as guest list size, or decorations.

Choosing the venue:

There will be multiple factors affecting your choice of venue. It’s important to ensure that all your variables fit within what the venue has to offer in terms of their wedding packages. For example, the number of guests you wish to invite will ultimately determine how large a venue you require. Diane Kolanović-Šolaja from Dee Kay Events suggests aiming low in numbers as it’s easier to add guests on rather than deduct invitations which can be awkward. There are plenty of other considerations to negotiate and discuss with the potential vendor. These include:

• Availability of the function room spaces. Does the venue allow you full access to the required spaces and how long for?
• Investigate the catering services thoroughly; can the menu be tasted prior to the wedding day? Is self-catering allowed?
• Weather permitting, is there an option for an outdoor as well as indoor ceremony?
• Are photographers provided or can they be hired externally?

As newly-weds-to-be, these are all the likely questions you’ll have for any venue you look into. You can also visit The Bridal Guide for an even more in-depth guide to wedding planning.

If you are a recently engaged couple, and are looking for a humble wedding ceremony in the heart of Yorkshire, Hotel St. Pierre have various packages available for 2018. As a hotel, we can reserve up to 10 rooms at a discounted price, so guests can stay overnight, with the bride and groom being able to enjoy one of our Luxury Suites.

There’s plenty of countryside and scenery to take in too, ideal for wedding photography to make a memorable day for you and your partner. Visit our weddings page for more information or use our contact form to get in touch.