How to choose your Essex wedding venue
You’re engaged! But now you need to find your perfect wedding venue in Essex
As Essex’s wedding planner of the year 2023, I’m here to help!
Have you been searching for the perfect wedding venue in Essex? Look no further! Choosing your wedding venue is an important decision, so it's vital you take the time to explore all of the options available to you. Whether you're looking for something traditional or something more modern, you'll be sure to find the perfect spot to celebrate your special day in Essex.
So take a deep breath and get ready to make one of the most important decisions of your life whilst I talk you through a step by step guide and a list of important considerations to think about when choosing your venue!
Wedding Venues & suppliers who align
You have your eye on that gorgeous Essex wedding venue but really, it’ll be the suppliers you choose that could make (or break) that lovely aesthetic vision - my point here is choose suppliers who will deliver the overall wedding aesthetic that you want and enhances the venue, not takes away from it - consider creating a Pinterest board that you can show your suppliers before booking
Location location location
Essex is quite a big County so ask yourself, Is the venue easily accessible to both you and your guests? Is it close to any other points of interest such as hotels or transportation? These are important elements especially if you have people travelling to come to the big day - Consider who is coming to your wedding before settling on a location
Wedding guest numbers
The perfect opportunity to sit in the garden with a bottle of fizz (or tea if you’re feeling more ‘Bridgerton’) and start creating your list of guests - this is vital to choosing your venue and whilst there is a huge selection of wedding venues to choose in Essex, not all are capable of dealing with large numbers, or are too big for more intimate numbers - Make sure the venue can comfortably accommodate your guest list - whilst a wedding venue may say they can cater for up to 200 people, this number usually means the maximum number of tables and chairs, leaving not much breathing space or room for anything else - consider choosing a venue that caters for more than you are looking for so you have extra space, especially in the hotter months
Wedding Budget
I wouldn’t recommend it, you could visit every wedding venue in Essex however, my suggestion to you is write down a list of needs and wants, from this, start hunting for your ideal venue then narrow that list down to your top 5 (both of you choose your favourite, then 3 others) then start visiting them! Even better, try and visit on an open day where you will be able to see the venue all set up for a wedding day and start gathering quotes - make sure you find out exactly what is included in the cost and don’t get caught out with the VAT being added on at invoice stage! - Consider adding 20% on top of your budget to cater for those little extras that the venue offer as an upgrade option
Dates
Start looking at dates to hold your wedding day on, consider the months, days, school holidays, bank holidays and celebrations as these can make a difference to availability and more importantly, cost. There can be a considerable difference between a January midweek wedding compared to a Saturday in August for example - if budget is tight, consider opting for a last minute deal but remember, you have to give at least 28 days notice of marriage (yes, I have fully organised a wedding in less than 6 months!)
Compromise
As an engaged couple, you will fall into two categories, you both have the same vision for your wedding day or you have totally opposite tastes and cannot agree on everything. Remember, it is a day of celebration for both of you and there will have to be compromises made along the way, the same goes for your venue, it may not have a lake that you were hoping for but it has beautiful views from the wedding dining room - compromise. Consider creating you needs and wants list before visiting any wedding venue as this will help you rule venues in or out before you get overwhelmed
A wedding planner
Still feeling the heat? Consider hiring a wedding planner to support you. Not only do we know the best venues in the area but we are tenacious when it comes to supporting you in delivering YOUR best day. We know which suppliers work best with which venues and we can work to your budget so that you do not spend money you don’t have. Plus, we all need a non-biased wedding bestie right?
So there you have it; my top tips on how to choose your favourite wedding venue in Essex along with just some pictures of my personal favourites.
Where have you chosen to get married in Essex? Drop your comments below!