How to Tour a Wedding Venue

Finding a venue is one of the most exciting parts of wedding planning! Assuming you’ve already browsed online and narrowed down your venue options to a select few, it’s time to walk through them in person and see which one gives you all the feels. From beach-front ceremonies to historic mansions, to rustic spaces with modern touches, we’ve got you covered. But before you write a check with a couple of zeros on the end, you need to feel confident you’re making an informed decision when officially booking your venue.  

At Wedgewood Weddings, we’ll give you a tour of the entire venue (which is way more helpful than only looking at pictures), sit down with you to answer all of your questions, customize an all-inclusive package for you, and give you an exact price quote - without any hidden fees! And it’s easy! Our venue walk-throughs take 60-90 minutes, are completely free, are offered seven days a week, and there’s no obligation to book. We recommend visiting a few different venues so that you have options to compare, leading you to the absolute best choice.

“It’s so helpful to tour more than one venue. If you think you’ve found the right one and you still have appointments set at other venues, it’s still smart to go tour them. You’ll want to be especially certain that you explored every option!”

— Nicole,

Wedding Director,

Brentwood Rise by Wedgewood Weddings

The Ultimate Guide to Your Wedding Venue Tour

5 Things to Look for In a Wedding Venue:

• Cleanliness
• Friendly, organized staff
• Clear, concise answers to your questions
• No pressure to book
• The guest experience – Was it easy to find? Was parking a hassle?

3 Things to Consider During Your Venue Tour:

• Most importantly, can you two picture yourselves getting married here?
• Can you see yourself working with the wedding planning team?
• Can you realistically afford it?

Questions to Ask During the Tour:

• How long is the space available for on the day? 
• Is there a dressing room on site? (Or will you have to arrange a different place to get ready on the morning of your wedding?)
• Who would be your point of contact through the planning process? 
• Are there any limits to the food and alcohol you can serve?
• Is there anything you’ll have to provide on your own? 
• Are there any restrictions? (Like noise ordinance, curfew, parking)
  
  

“I suggest only bringing the ‘decision-makers’ to your tour. It’s fun to bring along all your closest friends, but choosing your venue is an important decision - it makes sense to only have yourself, your fiancé, your parents, and/or any financial contributors at the tour. They’ll be the most helpful (and impactful) when trying to narrow down your options!"

— Paige,

Wedding Expert,

Boulder Creek by Wedgewood Weddings

You can relate to the feeling of knowing when something (or someone!) is right for you. That same gut feeling will hit you when you walk into your future wedding venue. If you and your fiancé absolutely LOVE a venue when you tour and know it’s the right space for your wedding, you can absolutely book right then and there. But it’s also totally normal to think about your decision for a little while and circle back later to place a deposit.  

It’s also possible to be really torn after touring venues... If that's the case, talk it over with your fiancé, take the time to see which one keeps coming to mind, and listen to your gut. There’ll be different pros and cons to each option, but if you have a strong feeling about a particular venue, it’ll make everything worth it!

“I always suggest that couples write down any questions they have and bring them with them on the tour. They often get a little distracted (in a good way) while on the tour, so having that original list of questions will keep them on track and make absolute sure that they won’t get home and realize they totally forgot to go over some important details!” 

— Kimberly,

Wedding Director,

Aliso Viejo by Wedgewood Weddings