18 questions to ask a wedding venue before you pay the deposit
By the Venue Answers team · · 3 min read
Most venue regrets come from a question nobody asked before the deposit. These are the ones that matter, grouped by what they protect you from. Ask them on the tour, then ask for every answer in the contract or in an email you keep.
Will everyone fit, in any weather?
- What is the seated capacity for dinner, with a dance floor? "Capacity" on a website often means standing, or seated with no dance floor.
- How many guests can be seated indoors if it rains? This is the number that rules out the most outdoor venues. If it is lower than your guest count, the rain plan is a tent, and you should know who pays for it.
- When do we decide to move inside, and who flips the room? Ask whether the venue staff moves chairs and decor or whether that falls to you and your vendors.
- Which spaces are heated and air conditioned? A barn that is cooled in the reception room but not in the ceremony space is a different venue in July.
What does it really cost?
- What exactly does the rental include? Tables, chairs, linens, setup and teardown, a bridal suite, a coordinator, staff during the event. Get the list in writing.
- What are all the required fees? Cleaning, security, bartender, service charges, sales tax, a venue coordinator fee. Ask for a sample invoice for your date and guest count.
- What is the price for a Friday, a Sunday or an off-season date? Many venues will discount dates that are not published as discounted.
- How much is the deposit, is it refundable and when is the balance due?
- Is event insurance required, and how much coverage? Many venues require a one-day liability policy naming the venue.
Who can you bring?
- Can we use any caterer, or only the approved list or in-house kitchen? If in-house catering is required, ask for per-guest pricing now, not after you book.
- Who serves the alcohol, and under what permit? In Indiana, alcohol at a venue has to be served under a state permit, and servers need an employee permit. In Kentucky, most wedding bars run through a licensed caterer. The state rules, side by side.
- Are there vendor rules? Some venues require vendors to carry insurance or come from a preferred list, or they charge an outside-vendor fee.
How long and how late?
- What time can we and our vendors arrive, and what time must we be out? Rental hours often include setup and teardown.
- What time does the music stop, and what time do guests leave? These are often two different times. A 10:30 pm music cutoff changes how you plan a summer evening when the sun sets after 9.
- When can we decorate, and can we use the space the day before?
Getting guests there and home
- Is there a step-free route from parking to the ceremony, the reception and the restrooms? Ask for grandparents and anyone using a wheelchair or a cane.
- Is there enough parking, and can cars stay overnight? Rideshare is thin in rural Southern Indiana and outer Kentucky. If guests may leave cars overnight, they are more likely to get a safe ride home.
If plans change
- What happens if we need to postpone or cancel, and what happens if the venue cancels? Read this clause in the contract before you sign, not after.
Do your homework before the tour
Every venue page on this site already lists the published answers to many of these: seated and indoor capacity, catering and alcohol rules, rain plan, curfew and what is included, plus which facts the venue has not published. Use that list to skip the questions you already know and spend the tour on the unknowns. Our decision brief builds the question list for up to three venues automatically and gives you a link to share with whoever is helping pay.