Choosing the right wedding and reception venue can be one of the most important decisions in your wedding. Making a wise choice that fits your needs and budget can provide you with treasured memories that last a lifetime. Choosing the wrong venue can create a range of problems that you will live with forever.  Let our guide assist you in selecting the proper venue help you make the right decision! 

Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

Belmont, NC

When to Book a Venue

The venue should be the first element of your wedding that you book.  The number of venues in the Charlotte area are limited, and the great ones get booked well in advance. Its best to book your venue 9 months to one year prior to your wedding.

Renaissance Suites Charlotte, NC

Seperate Wedding and Reception Venues? Booking one venue for both the wedding and reception can potentially save money and reduce hassle - but a lof of venues are not equipped to handle both.  If you need two venues, you should consider the distance between them and how easy it will be for your guests to be transported between the two.  You certainly dont want to get two venues that are a long distance apart as travel can be tedious and expensive for both you and your guests.

Venue Size - Will it be big enough for your party?

Think about the size of your wedding party, and how much room they will need to be comfortable.  Remember that once chairs and tables are added, and caterers and DJs set up their stations, the area will seem quite a bit smaller. Venues will inform you of how many people can fit comfortably within their space - be sure to keep this in mind when booking. 

And remember that a lot of  venues have several different sections, each with different capacities - and different prices.  This gives you a lot more options within any given venue. 

Indoor, Outdoor, or Both? Many brides desire an outdoor wedding. Consider the time of year, the temperature, and the weather when considering an outdoor venue. Make sure the venue also has an indoor area in case it rains.  Since you book your venue well in advance, its impossible to predict weather, so its necesarry to have a backup plan.

Birkdale Golf Club Huntersville, NC

Other Services Provided by Venues

Many reception venues provide other wedding services as well, including catering, flowers, cakes, and planning.  You can potentially save money on your wedding by getting a package deal from a venue - but dont feel like you have to use all of their services.   You might find it easier to cater everything to your specific needs by selecting all of these vendors yourself.

Also, most venues have a "Preferred Vendors" list - a list of vendors who they have worked with in the past and recommend.  The advantage of these lists is that the vendors on them are most likely professional, reliable, and have worked the venue before and know it inside and out, so there will be no surprises.   

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