Monday, June 30, 2008

Choosing A Wedding Reception Site

Choosing your reception site can be a real pain, but the decision is such an important one. Your chosen venue will set the tone for your party...a reception held on the grounds of your local arboretum will be very different from one help in the ballroom of a five-star hotel! As familiar as you probably are with all things wedding, it's likely that you have never personally rented a commercial facility. Before you jump into the process feet first, ask yourself if you know what you want and what to look for.

With those points in mind, here are some of the questions we here at A Music Plus recommend you ask when planning and ultimately choosing a wedding reception site:

  • How much will it cost to use the site? Is that per hour, per head, or flat?
  • What are the deposit requirements?
  • What are the conditions of cancellation? What if the site cancels?
  • Is there a payment schedule or plan?
  • Is there a reception package? Can we order services a la carte?
  • If there is a package, how much does it cost?
  • What is included and what is not included?
  • What are the "extras" and how much do they cost?
  • How long can I have the site? Do we have to clean up ourselves?
  • Is there a minimum hour usage or head count?
  • Is there an overtime fee?
  • What is the overtime fee?
  • Is your party the only party? Or is there one before or after?
  • If there is, will there be sufficient time to clean, prepare and redecorate the site?
  • Does the site provide liability insurance and what does it cover?
  • Is there an in-house caterer or a list of approved or preferred caterers?
  • Can you choose your own caterer? Baker?
  • Will they show you a sample contract before you make your decision?

You will probably think of other questions to ask, depending on what your needs are. These are just the basic questions you should toss out there when you're seriously considering working with a particular venue. Good luck!


A Music Plus
Denver's Wedding Entertainment Specialists
Disc Jockeys, Live Wedding Bands, Event Entertainment Specialists
http://www.amusicplus.com/