Wedding Blog > Wedding Venues

What to do when you cant decide between two wedding venues.

Finding the perfect wedding venue is no easy feat, and getting your shortlist down to two possible locations is certainly a step in the right direction.

Nonetheless, you cannot afford to start celebrating just yet, because finalising your selection is one of the most crucial steps en route to building your dream wedding.
 

A number of ideas can be embraced in order to find which venue is the perfect one for you. Follow the tips in this guide, and you won’t go far wrong.

 


Longview Vineyard | Adelaide Wedding Venue

 


Look at the Customer-Reviews

The fact that these two venues are your major candidates suggests that there are many things to love about them both. However, you will benefit more from reading the experiences of other couples who have hosted their wedding at these venues.

A quick search of the venue's name should bring up reviews from past newlyweds, and checking out all the comments can be highly useful. While you should always take the comments with a pinch of salt, there are some telling issues to look out for;

  • The attitude of staff before and on the day of the wedding.
  • The service & organisation to tailor the event to a couple’s wishes,
  • Quality of food & the venue itself.
  • If there is a pattern of fantastic reviews in areas which matter to you, this can assist with your decision when booking your wedding venue.


Visit the ABIA Wedding Directory to read authetic customer reviews.
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Look at the History

In addition to the reviews you’ve read, you may want to consider the history of the place. If one of the venues hosted a celebrity wedding, this might be an ingredient that makes your event feel even more special. Similarly, getting married at the same place as your parents can be a wonderful thing.
 

Think about the physical location

While there are many items on the wedding venues checklist, the location is arguably the most important of all. Even the most beautiful establishments may not be the best choice if it difficult to get to for certain guests.

Asking your guests to travel to a difficult venue may result in a few less guests, especially if public transport is not available. It is further important to consider if the ceremony and reception are going to be held in different buildings and the drive in between.

As well as the journey to the venue, you’ll also want to think about the parking facilities. In terms of practicality, those elements can make all the difference.

Pia Muehlenbeck & Kane Vato at The Figtree Restaurant (Byron Bay) | Photo by Jarrad Seng

 

Talk to the Team

Falling in love with a building and the backdrops is one thing, but you must not overlook the significance that the personal touches can bring. The only way to confirm whether the venue organisers will deliver the goods is to discuss the vision with them.
 

When viewing the shortlisted venues for a second (or third) time,  don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as possible. After all, this is your big day, and they should be willing to go the extra mile to go the extra mile. Alarm bells could potentially ring if the following issues occur;

  • They only confirm details until the week of the wedding.
  • They will only offer services when you meet their guest number requirements.
  • They are unclear on pricing.
  • They only let you use their preferred suppliers, e.g. DJ, entertainers, photographers, etc.
  • When you speak to the two venues in greater detail, you should find that your gut instincts will go a long way to deciding which is best.
     

 

Find out about potential external factors

The two venues in mind are probably both capable of providing a fantastic event for you to tie the knot in the way that you always imagined. However, you need to consider any possible external factors.

If the venue is going to have renovation or maintenance work completed during the weeks leading up to your event, you’ll need to be sure that those jobs will be completed. Otherwise, you could be getting married in a half-finished building or forced into changing venue at the last minute. This type of stress is the last thing you need after months of planning.

Likewise, if you've fallen in love with the surroundings, you may want to check that there won’t be any changes made during the intervening period. Moreover, if the venue is one that runs several wedding each day, you may want to consider if the other party could disrupt your day.