Your Wedding Checklist – Choosing your venue

Congratulations! Whether you’re newly engaged and raring to go with your planning or have been enjoying basking in your new relationship status and are now taking steps to plan your big day, we know how exciting this stage can be – but also how daunting it can feel!

So, alongside our expert wedding team – and tips and tricks we’ve picked up from many of our beautiful brides and handsome grooms over the years – we've put together a checklist to help you along the way.

In part one, we’re tackling what can feel the most stressful bit – choosing your venue! Here are our top considerations to help you decide…

1. Location

It sounds an obvious place to start when it comes to a venue but deciding on the location can be quite tricky for some. For some couples, this might be an easy choice – perhaps you or your partner have always wanted to tie the knot in the town or city where you met, studied or worked together, or even where one (or both!) or you grew up. For others who don't feel particular ties with a single place, or with family across the country or world, this becomes much harder to decide. Some combat this by planning a destination wedding – inviting their friends and family to join them somewhere exotic for the big day. But while this may solve one problem, it can create a couple more – for example those who are unable to travel for health, financial, childcare or other reasons.

Start by deciding who you absolutely must have at the wedding (besides your partner!) which will put more focus on where it can be held. From there you can decide on exact areas and venues once you feel more settled.

View our virtual tour here.

2. Guestlist

With that in mind, your guestlist plays an important role when it comes to the more specific details about a venue. If you’re inviting family and friends with small children, it is advisable to book a venue with either specific entertainment – a playground, a creche, or similar – or a room you can use to keep little ones occupied if the formality of the day gets too much for them. Consider the accessibility of your venue – are there steps or a ramp to enter the building? Is there a path your guests in high heels can use to avoid sinking into the grass? Do they allow pets? Are there toilets on every floor or are they only upstairs? Is there a lift for those who need it? If you have family visiting from far and wide – is there somewhere for them to park or hotels nearby? These things often pop into a bride or groom’s head on a sleepless night at 3am after they’ve chosen their venue, so try to get a handle on them before you make your final choice.

View our accessibility details here.

3. License to party!

We know that a standard wedding venue or religious building isn’t for everyone, and the types of places you can say I Do these days are excitingly varied and unexpected. Everything from a boat to a pub can become a wedding venue with the right planning! If your heart is set on hosting your big day somewhere unusual and showstopping, it’s important to ensure it has all the right licenses to allow your dream to become a reality. We know it’s not very romantic to start talking about forms and permissions from day one, but from the marriage itself to the music and alcohol, make sure you have permission for each aspect of your day to ensure you stay on the right side of fun – and the law!

The type of wedding you’d like to have has a big impact on the venue choice and the relevant licenses too. If you’re hosting a large-scale Asian wedding with a Mangal Fera, for example, your venue will need the correct permissions for open flames and large guestlists. If you are planning a Jewish wedding with Chuppah rituals, you’ll need to check that your dream location can cater for this too to ensure your day is both culturally sensitive and authentic. If you’re hosting a same-sex ceremony or partnership, certain venues may not be suitable, or the person performing your nuptials may need different certification. It’s important to be clear with your venue manager or wedding planner from the beginning if you plan to include these in your big day so suitable measures can be put in place.

View more info about 116 weddings here.

4. Catering

The food and drink at your wedding can also determine the venue you choose. Are you having an Indian wedding and need specialist Asian catering? If so, you may need to choose a venue specialising in Asian weddings, or a venue that allows external caters. Have you or your partner always dreamt of all your family and friends gathered around one long table for your wedding dinner, sharing meals and stories as a group? If so, your venue will need a ballroom or conference room – or garden! - big enough to accommodate this. Did you both become obsessed with a particular bakery during lockdown and can’t imagine getting married without having them at your wedding breakfast? You might need to consider a venue within a reasonable delivery distance from their shop. If you’re planning a destination wedding, make sure the local area you’re hosting in allows alcohol, meat or dairy consumption, for example, if that will be part of your big day.

View more about our wedding catering by Searcys here.

CELEBRATE YOUR WEDDING AT 116 PALL MALL

An unforgettable day in an extraordinary venue. 116 Pall Mall is one of London’s most majestic London wedding venues. You’ll be spoilt for choice with our wide range of spaces, all ideal for every kind of ceremony.

You can even hire the whole venue on weekends, with capacities of up to 1,500 standing or 50—250 seated.

Make an enquiry for more information or to arrange a tour.

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