Your Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Wedding Venue

Oh hey there! HUGE CONGRATS! If you’ve stumbled upon this blog post, we reckon you’re finally wearing a ring on your finger. You’ve told all your friends and family that there are some serious celebrations afoot. You’ve already got individual Pinterest boards for the dress, the suits, the hair, the makeup, the party favours. You’ve got a date in mind. You just need a venue. So how on earth do you begin the search for the perfect place to hold a party of a lifetime? There are a handful of things you need to know. Let us be your guides.

1. Know how many people you’re inviting

SOUNDS OBVIOUS, but surprisingly easy to forget in the moment. Whether you’re inviting everyone from Auntie Pam to the guy who fixed your boiler that one time, or just a few of your favourite people, you need a space that suits your guest list. You don’t want folk to be rolling round a massive venue like pinballs if you’ve only got 30 guests, and equally you don’t want everyone crammed in like sardines that can’t move their elbows if you’re at venue capacity. It’s pretty common to underestimate how many people you’ll want at your Big Day, so have that chat with your partner (and any family members who’ll want to have a say – we’re looking at your Mama mainly) early on to avoid setting your heart on a venue and then having to rule it out based on its size.

Top tip: It’s always a good idea to pick a space that’s versatile with a number of spaces that you can use – say one that maybe has a saloon bar, a terrace, a terrace bar and a dancefloor…wonder if there’s anywhere like that in London…?

2. Know Your Budget

Budget is obviously ultra important when picking the venue for your big day. We know London in particular has some wedding venues that really are what dreams are made of, but these often come with a hefty price tag. While having your reception in a stunning Victorian Greenhouse is a gorgeous idea, it’s not attainable for most couples and we’d warn you to exercise caution before looking at a venue that might not sit comfortably within your budget. Remember too that loads of places add on costs that can quickly mount up. The last thing you want is to fall in love with a venue and learn that when everything is totalled up, it’s way out of reach. Our Capital has some amazing venues that won’t break your budget though (and we pride ourselves on being one of them), so don’t be disheartened. Just remember to settle your budget before you even start looking for you venues.

3. Know Your Vision

Pinterest boards make it easy to define the “creative vision” you have for your wedding and the venue is a more important part of that than most people realise. Think of it as the canvas to your work of art. Will you need to be able to put up decorations? Will you want to take responsibility for these or will you be happy for the venue to source (and charge) as they see fit? If you’re keen to have a wall of fairy lights, is there an appropriate space for this? Want massive Mr & Mrs (or Mr & Mr or Mrs & Mrs) lights on the dancefloor? Hoping to have a photo booth for quirky reminders of the day? You’ll need power sockets. Make sure there’s plenty of space for all of the details that you might want to include on your big day.

4. Know what’s included

Again, it sounds incredibly obvious but there are many things which may or may not be included in the venue hire price. It’s important to think about food and drinks, but don’t forget to consider other little details – do you need to pay for chairs and tables? Are chair covers included? Are you hiring a completely blank canvas that you need to decorate completely? Can you bring in your own caterers or do you have to use in house catering? And don’t forget, most places will include a service charge, so be sure to add that into your budget.

5. Know You Won’t Be Just a Customer

We believe those who choose to host their wedding with us have entrusted us with a huge responsibility and we don’t take that lightly. The Chapel Bar has obtained a reputation for being an outstanding wedding venue and we pride ourselves on the high quality of food and excellent service standards we offer. We understand and value the importance of your wedding day and we will work with you from the beginning to make your Big Day an unforgettable one. Our staff will assist on every planning stage, from menus and décor to entertainment and everything in-between. We’re the perfect private venue to hire for your Wedding Reception in Islington, London and we know exactly how to make your wedding an absolute blast – so if you’re looking for somewhere to host your wedding venue, we’d say you don’t need to look any further.

Call us on 020 7833 4090 or email info@thechapelbar.co.uk for a natter about your wedding needs and to come and see our awesome space. You’d be a fool not to.