8 Things to Keep in Mind When Choosing a Wedding Venue

Selecting a venue for your big day is one of the first steps to planning your wedding. There are many different aspects that play a pivotal role when choosing the perfect host for your soiree. From budgeting to parking to vendor selection, you want to know what to look for. The following eight tips are some of the most important aspects to consider when assessing your options.

Devil’s Thumb Ranch by Jessica Christie Photography

1.  Availability  

This is a BIG one. Are they available on your desired date? Venues book fast (up to two years in advance), so when you find THE ONE, you want to secure the spot as soon as possible. If your preferred venue isn't available on the date you set, is your date flexible? If it is, you can have the venue of your dreams just on a different day.  If it's not, time to keep shopping!

2. Price

Does your preferred venue fit within the budget you've set? On average, venues that do not provide food and beverage on site can cost up to thirty-five percent of your total budget. On the opposite end, venues that do provide in-house f&b options, such as hotels, resorts, and country clubs, can run up to sixty percent of your budget or more.

3. Capacity

You want to ask the on site contact what the maximum occupancy is for your desired service style (ie cocktail reception, dinner, dancing, etc.) Having this information can guide you in creating your guest list. You don’t want guests to be crowded, but you also don’t want a venue that will make your party feel sparse.  A good rule of thumb is to never invite more people than the maximum capacity allows. 

4. Parking

Experiences in Colorado have taught us that there are several venues that don't have ample on-site parking (ahem, mountain top locales). Therefore, couples are forced to provide transportation for their guests to and from the venue.  If you procure a venue that does not provide an adequate parking solution for your guests, this will have a significant impact on your budget.  

Dunton Hot Springs by Laura Murray Photography

5.  Preferred vs. Exclusive Vendors

It is important to know what vendors are recommended or even allowed at your chosen venue. Many places have a preferred list of professional vendors with whom they have worked and built relationships with. Some of those vendors are exclusive to the venue (you are required to use that vendor).  A venue's preferred/exclusive vendor list is generally well vetted but you need to make sure those companies listed also fit within your budget.  

6. Plan B

Very important! It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to have a backup plan for your special day - especially in Colorado. When you are touring different venues, make sure their backup plan can accommodate ALL of your guests for unforeseen circumstances, such as adverse weather conditions. Whether it means setting up a tent for an outdoor ceremony or moving the ceremony inside to the reception room, it is vital to have worst-case scenario plans in place. You don’t want your festivities to be ruined due to poor planning. 

7.  Cancellation/Postponement Policy

You may not think to ask your venue about their cancellation policy, but you can never be too sure! Knowing what the cancellation policy is for your venue and your vendors is essential. If the wedding has to be canceled/postponed due to force majeure events (like a pandemic or act of God) or personal circumstances, you want and need to be well informed of the venue’s policies. 

8. Special Provisions

Most Colorado venues have special provisions listed in their contracts regarding the dos and don'ts of your celebration. These can range from requiring a professional wedding day management coordinator, to private event and vendor insurance, to flameless candles. Some venues even restrict flower petals down the aisle and the throwing of confetti or rice at the ceremony or grand exit. It's important to ask about any special provisions, for each specific venue, during your initial site visit.  

While the above tips are great to reference when selecting a venue you can never ask too many questions or be too thorough. Each wedding and couple is unique and it's important that your selected venue is the perfect fit for your celebration.   

Until next time,

Cheers!

6 Key Considerations for Potential Caterers

When it comes to your wedding day, or any special occasion for that matter, food & beverage is one of the most important elements. While several wedding & event venues in Colorado have their own in-house catering team, this post is specific to those that do not. The considerations below are certainly not the only ones you should contemplate, but they will assist in jump starting a productive and informative conversation with any off-site caterer. Catering friends: would love your special insight + input! Leave a comment with your thoughts at the bottom of this post.

Photo by Sarah Porter Photography

Photo by Sarah Porter Photography

 1. Full- Service or Limited. This is probably one of the biggest considerations when it comes to researching potential caterers. Full service caterers are on site a couple of hours, pre-ceremony, to assist with setting up tables, linens, folding napkins, placing menus, etc… A full-service caterer also provides bussing, tear down, clean up, and trash removal services. Whereas a limited service caterer is responsible solely for food service. They arrive shortly before the ceremony starts, get food out for guests to enjoy during cocktail hour, serve dinner, clean up the kitchen, then they’re out. Which, if you don’t have a wedding planner and service team, means you (or your guests) are throwing away table scraps, removing trash, sticking around after your reception to clean up, and breaking down tables.

2. Bar & Alcohol Services. If they can supply bar & alcohol provisions & staff, your interview process just got a whole lot simpler! By combining food and beverage service together, it is one less vendor to be procure & manage. Not to mention how much time it will save you with regard to computing the quantity
& types of alcohol needed.

3. Average Staff to Guest Ratio. How does that change based on service style (i.e. buffet, plated, family style, French style, etc…)? When chatting with the event designer, ask if staff costs will be broken down by line-item or grouped together. If staff is itemized, it makes it easier to determine appropriate tipping protocol.

4. In-House Pastry Chef(s). Often times if there is an in-house pastry chef, that team is also able to provide dessert service. But, make sure you’re aksing what their dessert capabilities are. They may specialize in bite-sized desserts such as cheesecake bites, tiramisu bites, cake pops, cupcakes, etc…not necessarily a full blown, intricately detailed wedding cake.

5. Sharing your Event Designer. On peak wedding & event weekends, it isn't uncommon for larger catering crews to work more than one wedding per day. However, it is important to ask if your sales representative/event designer is committed to another event the same day as your wedding. If he/she is committed to multiple events on a single day, it doesn’t spell disaster. It simply means that proactive communication, ahead of your big day, is all the more important. Avoid last minute changes to catering & rental orders and allow some grace in their response time in the days leading up to your soiree.

6. Average Price per Person. Again, there are varying inclusions among all companies. For instance, one caterer's price per person also includes rentals such as; silverware, china, glassware, linens, etc. Whereas, another caterer may not include those items in their per person price. When comparing costs, it is important that it's apple-to-apples. Along those same lines, ask if they provide complimentary tastings or if they charge for the initial tasting and place that amount towards your final invoice if you book with them.

The above considerations are a short sampling of things to keep in mind when researching & interviewing potential caterers. If you’ve already been through this process OR are a vendor in the events industry, I’d love to know what YOU think is important to consider with regard to food & beverage service!

Until next time,

Cheers!

 

7 Beauty routines To Avoid the Week of Your Wedding!

Now that all of your planning is done and you're less than 7 days away from marrying the love of your life, you have no worries. Right?! But, what about the things you wouldn't normally think of? Especially, regarding your beauty routine(s)?  Below are some tips to help keep your bride-to-be appearance & comfort in tip-top shape for the big day!

Image by Ashley Scobey

Image by Ashley Scobey

1. Don’t be in the sun for extended periods of time. No matter what style of dress you have (strapless, sweetheart, sheer, etc...), odds are that your favorite shirt or tank will leave a tan line that doesn't quite match up. A side note: if you’re getting married in my beautiful home state of Colorado, the sun is much more intense at altitude which affects fairer toned skin much quicker than normal.

2. Don’t drastically change your hair. That goes for your cut, style, or color. As women, it’s known that a drastic change to our hair is the magic potion for curing most any ail. But, the week of your wedding is not the time for that change.

3. Don’t alter your skincare routine. This is a BIG one and should go without saying! But, any changes to your skincare routine can disrupt the natural oil balance in your pores and could lead to redness, dry & flaky skin, oily appearance, or a breakout. Keep things as routine as possible and don't forget to moisturize!

4. Don’t flash whiten your teeth. Don't get me wrong on this one. I love a beautiful set of pearly whites. But, as the daughter of a dentist, I know that extreme and "flash" whitening will lead to unbearable sensitivity. Instead, plan to gradually whiten over the course of a few months, and on the big day, you'll be able to enjoy that cold glass of champagne, sensitivity-free.

5. Wax. Let's be honest, you're likely going to do this the week of the wedding. My advice? Try to do it earlier in the week, as opposed to later, so the swelling and irritability goes away before any planned activities.

6. Don’t stress about diet and exercise. The week of your wedding (or anytime for that matter) is no time to worry about losing another pound or two. You’re getting married! And, that’s all that should matter.

7. Try not to do any heavy lifting, moving, or physical labor. If you're like me, you don't mind doing physical labor. But, if you're like me, you also end up with mysterious bruises, scrapes, and scratches all over your body. To keep your specimen in pristine condition for those wedding day portraits, try to avoid anything that could result in one of those awesome yellow/purple/green bruises in the middle of your forearm.

Do you have other ideas and advice? I’d love to hear it! Comment below.

Until next time,

Cheers!