Choosing your venue is one of the hardest choices you’re faced with when planning a big event like your wedding, and if you’re considering a religious or spiritual ceremony first, it can make the decision even tougher – do you have both in the same venue? If not, should they be near each other? And how are guests going to travel from one to the other?  While you might have a very clear image in your head of your perfect venue, it’s very hard not to be influenced by other people’s views and expectations. Here are some tips to follow to make choosing your perfect venue that bit easier:

1. Start with the guest list 

Practicalities here: if you’re just in the rough stages of planning and your guest list is already hitting the hundreds, you might need to compromise on the intimate candlelit venue you have in mind. Or if you’re staying with a family-and-close-friends vibe, you might not want to be rattling around in a huge country barn or festival-sized marquee. Most wedding venues are flexible and super-helpful, with many very happy to make the odd adjustments here and there – additional chairs to accommodate more guests, or perhaps an alternative dining room or hall for fewer numbers – but check websites, social accounts and reviews to give you an idea.

2. Be realistic with your budget

Be realistic with your expectations, but remember most venues will have a variety of different packages to suit different budgets. If you’ve got your heart set on somewhere in particular, the venue’s events manager or wedding planner will be able to suggest some ways where you can save money without compromising on your day:  perhaps you can serve grazing platters or canapes to your evening guests rather than a meal, or choose a midweek or evening wedding.  Venues like Brocket Hall for example, set in over 500 acres of leafy Hertfordshire countryside, provide a variety of different options from the Oak Room at the Melbourne Club, situated on the grounds of a breathtaking lake, or the smaller Auberge du Lac, another stunning venue suitable for a smaller gathering.

3. Location, location, location 

Your guests will travel for you, but making things easy for them will mean you can relax and enjoy your day without worrying about guests getting lost and desperately contacting you for directions. If you choose to have a ceremony is in a separate location to your main wedding venue, that’s absolutely fine – just make sure it’s super-clear on your invite or wedding site, along with any travel times between the venues and details of public transport, Uber coverage or a taxi number. I remember at least a few guests at my wedding checking into the venue hotel then settling in for a drink at the bar, before realising  our ceremony was in a church 20 minutes away – resulting in a mad dash across the countryside and a pint or two that had to wait till later! 

4. Keep an open mind

Some couples know exactly where they want to host their big day from the moment they announce their engagement, while others spend months and months deciding. Many end up choosing a venue that’s worlds apart from what they originally had in mind. Just like when you’re buying a house, sometimes it’s the smaller details that are the deciding factor: maybe you love the way the natural light falls in your venue or perhaps there’s a focal point in the grounds that you think would make the most beautiful backdrop for your wedding photos.

5. Consider what works with the seasons

Some venues naturally lend themselves to certain seasons: a manor house with a beautifully-kept lawn provides a stunning backdrop for a midsummer wedding, or a gastropub’s oak-beamed room with a roaring log fire offers warmth and atmosphere for a chilly winter wedding. Other venues work all year round in ways you might not have expected. I’m lucky enough to photograph weddings at Kew Botanical Gardens, and it’s fascinating to see the changing seasons and the impact they have on couples’ weddings:  although you’d assume spring and summer are the most obvious choices there, the softer colours, changing light and warmer hues of autumn and winter also create a really special day.

6. Be creative – and ask friends and family to help

Still can’t find what you had in mind? Get creative. Look for quirky and unusual spaces to hire; consider renting furniture to create your own style, from jewel-coloured sofa and reclaimed wood tables to LED colour-changing bars and dance floor hire ; and check pre-loved sites for vintage décor finds. Alternatively, keep it hassle-free and hire an events company to take care of it all for you!