How to prepare for your first Wedding Venue viewing

So you have reviewed all the available online hotel information for your preferred wedding venues and now is the time to arrange a hotel viewing. This is a very exciting time for couples as they start to imagine their wedding day take shape and envision what there day will start to look like in their mind.

In order to get the most from your viewing here are some things to consider before the viewing:

 - Have your guest list drawn up so you know your numbers. Knowing this information in advance of the viewing means you are able to get a more exact price person

 - Know what date you would like to go for, even tied down to a month and year will help. Our hotel packages are priced based on the month and the package price differs so rather than going home with up to six different prices, having a date will give more exact pricing

 - Think about what elements you want to offer your guests such as:

• Drinks reception on arrival (you can go with beer, champagne, cocktails, you name it we can provide it)
• Canapés on arrival
• Meal choice
• Drinks during dinner (example half bottle of wine per person which is approx 2 glasses each)
• Toast drink (champange or drink of choice)
• Room dressing - are chivari chairs on your wish list or maybe fairy lit draping in the room is more your taste

All these options will increase your price so thinking about it in advance means your price will be more exact

 - Budget. The big question. How much are you both prepared to spend on the venue. We can actually organise your wedding according to your budget so dont be afraid to lay it on the table from the start if you are keeping it low or if a grand affair is what you want then we can advise on the extra touches you may not have considered

If you can provide the hotel this information in advance then we can prepare your quotation for you in advance. This helps to get the talk about price out in the open and leave the viewing time to take in the hotel set up, decór and general queries you may want to ask.

Questions to ask every venue would include:

• How many people can the venue cater for?
• Does it have a private entrance for the Bridal party?
• Is there a private bar for guests on arrival?
• Is there a residents bar after the wedding has ended?
• What time does the bar close?
• Nearby photograph locations
• Bedrooms for out of town guests - price and booking procedure
• After party - do you provide and details

Once you have completed your hotel viewings (try and schedule them for the same day or weekend if possible), you can then shortlist your favourite. We can reserve any date on a provisional basis for a two week period after which a deposit secures your wedding (€800) and the balance is broken down in the run up to your day.

If you are torn between venues then shortlist your favourite by writing out your favourite things about each venue, then ask yourself:

• Does the venue meet your budget?
• Did the venue offer everything you want or wished for (if not you can always ask further questions to find out more)?
• Did the wedding coordinator impress you with her knowledge?

It is all a matter of being prepared to ensure you are gathering the right information.

We hope this has sparked some questions between you both to start the planning process and remember our team of wedding coordinators (award winning may we add), is here for a time that suits you both. To arrange a viewing or to find out more about our wedding packages email Sinead on sinead@inishowengateway.com.