Eye on Events

By Meera Jegathesan

Picture the Perfect Place for Your Wedding!

When you were a child, did you ever dream about your perfect wedding day? Did it involve a romantic ceremony overlooking the ocean, a simple ceremony at home surrounded by family and friends or a very religious event in a temple or church? Did you always want to have an ornate and traditional South Asian wedding? Are you hoping and praying that all of your guests will be able to travel to the ceremony on time with no delays?

Your wedding will probably be one of the most memorable events of your life. Finding the right place or venue for your wedding is almost half the battle and can certainly impact the outcome of the event in either a positive or negative way. Take note of the following tips and advice on choosing the perfect venue for your wedding so your big day is special and memorable for years to come.

Before you start, consider the following:

Act Early. Pick the venue for your wedding and reception roughly six to twelve months before the actual day. You might wonder why it is so important to get a head start on this search process. The reason is that if you plan to get married during a busy or high-demand time period, then availability (and your options) is likely to be tougher to find.

Geographic Wisdom. Where are you and your future spouse from? Is having a wedding in your hometown important to you or do you want to get married in your favorite vacation spot? The geographic area in which you hold your wedding will play a large part in both the type and size of wedding you host and your choice should be the product of both a meaningful yet practical decision. A wedding at a beach resort in Jamaica might be your dream, but is it really the most convenient location to which 300 of your guests must travel? How expensive will travel be to your wedding locale for you and your guests? You might decide to limit the size of your wedding for these reasons, whereas a wedding closer to home can be less expensive and more accessible. Even in the United States, costs vary across regions of the country. You can be assured that first-tier cities such as New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and San Francisco will have more expensive wedding locations than second-tier cities or suburban areas, so make your choice wisely.

Time it Right. The date and time of your wedding can also impact the type of venue you choose for the big day. The most popular months for weddings are April through September as the weather tends to be warmer in most areas (easier travel conditions) and summer is a time when people usually vacation and have more flexible schedules for work and school. While these factors might make a spring/summer wedding attractive, wedding locations and airfares are likely to be more expensive due to higher demand and availability goes fast! If you want a spring/summer wedding, it is always better to book your venue in advance and ask your event manager how much your flexibility can make a difference in your costs. For example, ask how much a weekday rather a weekend in August can make a difference on hotel room rates and venue rental fees, and you might be surprised. Avoid popular holiday weekends such as July 4th, Memorial Day, Labor Day and New Year’s Eve, as these are popular leisure travel weekends and rates might be high. Consider an Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas wedding instead if you are on a budget and have no religious conflicts, as venues are more likely to be empty. Avoid traditionally celebrated days such as Valentines Day, Mothers Day and Fathers Day because vendors, such as florists, tend to be extremely busy with special requests. Finally if you are considering a venue in a downtown location, avoid high-demand months such as March, October or early December as these are busy months for corporate convention demand and holiday parties, respectively.

Financial Fundamentals. How much can you afford for the perfect venue for your wedding and how much can your guests afford? There are four financial components to your venue rental decision that you must consider:

- Lodging costs: Will your guests be traveling from other parts of the country or world and need accommodations over the day(s) of your wedding? If so, you should attempt to set up a guest room block at a nearby hotel at an affordable rate, roughly six to twelve months prior to your wedding day. Guests can then make their own reservations prior to a certain date and pay for their own rooms upon check-in. Room rates are likely to be more expensive in a downtown location or resort versus a suburban or airport area, but rates can also vary with time of year. Many hotels will have “wedding rates” already set up which are more appealing than the hotel’s standard rates. If you need to book more than ten guest rooms per night at a hotel, contact the hotel’s sales department and they should be able to negotiate a block of rooms for your wedding at an adjusted rate. If you plan to host your actual wedding or reception event at the hotel, you are even more likely to get a better break on the guest room costs for the event; however, the hotel may ask you to sign a contract in order to reserve those rooms for your guests. The contract then transfers liability to you if all the rooms are not picked up, but the hotel will still keep those rooms aside just for your guests without selling them to others. If the block is lower than ten rooms, your guests may need to call the hotel and book that date’s prevailing rate (no discount) on their own. Also make sure that the hotel can provide all the services necessary for your guests to enjoy a comfortable stay, such as dining options, iron/ironing board, parking and easy access to the airport and wedding and/or reception site.

- Venue rental costs: Many venues might charge rental fees for using a room for the wedding and/or reception, and the price could range from hundreds to thousands of dollars per day, depending on the facility you choose. This rental fee is used to cover the labor of setting up the room and also other services, such as lighting, air-conditioning and heating and set-up for chairs and tables. Most venues do not charge for tables and chairs, however, if you do want something more fancy, you might need to cover this cost out of your own pocket. Don’t be afraid to negotiate wedding venue rental charges. Your event manager may be able to waive or discount this charge by giving you a large amount of food and beverage consumption or a guest room block at your wedding.

- Catering costs: Do you plan to offer food to the guests at your wedding? If so, ask your event manager to provide a full set of banquet menus so you can make the best possible choices. Many venues will protect themselves by setting food and beverage minimums or guarantees – what this means is that you will need to commit to feeding a specific number of guests at a specific price per person. If your attendance falls below a specific amount, then you might be held liable for a penalty charge. Many South Asian weddings bring in an outside caterer to prepare and serve traditional South Asian food at the wedding venue. Many venues might not allow outside food to be prepared and served within their own facilities. As a result, the venue may charge a “service fee” per person that covers use of the kitchen, use of the venue’s plates, flatware and glasses, meal service and cleanup. This fee could be anywhere from $25.00 - $50.00 per person, depending on the type of meal being served. The venue may ask you and the outside caterer to sign a liability waiver to also remove the legal responsibility from the venue if a guest(s) becomes ill after consuming the outside caterer’s food on the venue’s property.

- Hidden costs: Hidden costs might not be disclosed to you at the time you choose a venue but can become evident as you begin the planning process. Examples of hidden costs include service fees, taxes, the cost for audiovisual equipment, cake cutting fees, storage for your party favors and the cost of using an extra bartender for your cocktail hour. Always make sure you ask your event manager questions about these amenities so you are fully aware of what you will be charged upfront.

Mandap or Maybe Not? Will you have a traditional South Asian wedding with a priest or a Christian or non-denominational ceremony with an officiant? Most South Asian weddings are very specific in terms of the structure of the ceremonies and decorations. Many Hindu ceremonies, for example, include a mandap (ceremonial wedding altar), an open fire and live musicians. A wedding may also have a baraat, where the groom arrives to the wedding—often on top of a horse—and is greeted by his friends and family. Ask yourself if your wedding and its events will be traditional and will need to include some of the above features. These considerations could impact the type of venue you choose—for example, some venues may not allow an open fire in an indoor space or a horse on the premises—so you should keep this in mind during your search.

Optimize Your Options. Where you decide to get married has as much to do with the where, when and how much as it does with your own personal preferences. After all, a wedding is about you and your future spouse, and you want your ultimate location to reflect your own personal tastes and preferences. So what is important to you? Maybe it is more important for you to hold your event in a location with an outdoor feel. Do you want your guests to dance at your reception with a window overlooking the ocean or a vineyard? Do you want your wedding hall to have a lot of windows to bring in natural light? You might be unaware of all your options when searching for the perfect wedding venue. Here are some common wedding and reception venues you might want to consider:

- Hotels/Resorts are ideal venues for weddings due to their conveniences. Most full-service hotels offer both guest rooms for accommodations and small or large meeting space for the actual events. Depending on the size of the hotel, you might have a wedding for 100 people or a wedding for 1,000 people. Hotels also provide in-house catering and offer dozens of other amenities, including on-site restaurants, spas and laundry services, which can be important for your guests. Hotels are also located in downtown, suburban, airport or beach areas, so you have plenty of options for both ambience and activities for your guests. Another great benefit of using a hotel is that you are likely to rely on one event manager for all of your on-site details. That event manager will work with you and your vendors to craft all the details into a well-produced event. Many hotels and resorts have wedding packages that are constructed for your convenience and include affordable pricing and even a free suite and champagne for the bride and groom on their wedding night. Hotels today across the United States are becoming more experienced with hosting South Asian weddings – this should be a huge reassurance for you if you are planning to have one yourself!

- Estates/Mansions are usually historically preserved buildings and carry a great deal of natural ambience, including gardens and lawns, terraces and tall windows. Some of these venues have in-house catering and some work with an outside caterer. Estates and mansions usually work better for smaller weddings (200 people and smaller), so if you want to have a larger number of guests at your wedding, you might want to consider a hotel.

- Religious Institutions such as temples, churches, and mosques are always common locations for wedding ceremonies. However, these venues can have limitations of which you should be aware. Many religious venues are limited in size, so seating for your guests could be an issue. Some might not allow video and photography or loud noise in the main ceremonial room, so always ask if you can take pictures or play music in a non-disruptive way. Finally, avoid holding your wedding on a religious holiday, as the venue might not even be available.

- Wineries are now becoming popular wedding sites, especially in California, due to their gorgeous views of sprawling vineyards and historic buildings. A great benefit to using a winery is that you don’t have to look far for a good bottle of wine and many wineries now have in-house catering or preferred outside caterers they work with. However, wineries might prefer that you only serve wine and no other types of liquor at your event, which may or may not be an issue for you. Also pay attention to noise ordinances and liquor laws since wineries may not allow your event to last beyond 10:00-11:00 p.m. in the evening for these reasons.

- Parks/Gardens are beautiful venues for weddings and receptions due to their abundances of flowers, greenery and access to the outdoors. While parks and gardens might be attractive for these reasons, you are likely to need a municipal permit for use of the grounds for your event. Additionally, parks and gardens are blank spaces, so you may need to bring in your own catering, tables, chairs and décor. Finally, as in any outdoor wedding, weather is an uncontrollable force, so keep this in mind when choosing this option.

Walk the Talk. Before you begin your venue selection process, consider the following initial steps so that you can make the best possible choices:

- Do your research. Consult your local convention and visitors’ bureau or chamber of commerce for venue recommendations. Ask friends for referrals. Peruse websites and magazines for venue ideas. Once you determine the type and size of wedding you desire, make a list of ten different venues to research so you have adequate options. Try to put some alternative ideas on that list, such as a winery or an estate, because visiting these places may inspire additional ideas that could make your wedding better.

- Make the call. I do not recommend visiting a venue without making an appointment first, since you want your event manager to spend as much time with you as possible. Remember to be courteous of his or her own schedule and ask when a good time would be to visit the venue and meet with him or her. Ask your event manager if you can visit the venue on a day when another wedding is taking place. This could be a great way for you to see how the venue handles a wedding and give you even more ideas for your own.

- Visit the venue. When you visit the venue, your event manager will likely give you a sales kit which will give you all the information about the venue, such as menu pricing, onsite amenities, floor plans and room capacities. Tour the facility (and guest rooms if it is a hotel) with the event manager and remember to explain clearly the vision of your wedding to him or her. Your event manager will probably recommend a few places within the venue for your wedding, but you should ask for all the available options. Consider the flow of your wedding and how guests will get from one place to the next. Is there additional space for the cocktail hour and is there a dance floor? Ask how late the rooms can be used. Would the room be better suited for a DJ or a live band? Will you be able to have open fire during the ceremony for a Hindu wedding? Will the room’s ceiling height be adequate to fit a mandap? What type of linens and china can the venue supply for your reception tables? Prepare your questions ahead of time so that you arrive at the meeting well-organized. If you have more questions after your meeting, type them out in an email to the event manager so that they can be answered as thoroughly and concisely as possible at his or her convenience.

- Sign on the dotted line. If you decide to pick a venue for your wedding and are satisfied with all the costs and restrictions associated with that venue, your event manager may ask you to sign a contract. Every venue contract will include food and beverage minimums and guarantees, service fees, specific times in which the rooms can be used, setup fees and cancellation penalties if you decide to break the contract. The contract is a legal document and is designed to protect both parties (you and the venue) in the event the wedding is cancelled or rescheduled. Carefully read over the contract and don’t be afraid to negotiate specific terms with your event manager if they do not meet with your satisfaction. Once the contract is signed and the venue has been determined, you may seek out other vendors, such as florists, DJs and photographers. Always ask your event manager for recommended vendors as these vendors might have worked in this particular venue and might be able to give you a better price for their services because of their relationship with the venue.

- Arrange a meeting with your vendors. As you get a few months closer to the actual wedding day, arrange a time when your vendors, such as florists, DJs, and photographers and caterers can meet at the venue in the presence of the event manager to discuss the final preparation and view the layout of the wedding site. The vendors may want to do this earlier in order to get a feel for the room’s ambience.

Finding the perfect place to get married can be both a time consuming and frustrating experience. However, like every other aspect of wedding planning, organization and awareness is key and can have a significant impact on the feel and experience of the actual event. Good luck, be smart and happy searching!

Meera Jegathesan works as a sales manager and event planner for a major hotel company in the San Francisco Bay Area. She always thinks outside the box and her next big idea is just around the corner.

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