Twelve questions to ask a wedding venue

Venue viewings are designed to sell you a feeling. These questions are designed to tell you what the day will actually be like.

Exclusive use

Will you have the property to yourselves, or are there other guests on site? Some venues sell exclusive use as an add-on; others cannot offer it at all during high season.

Catering and alcohol

In-house only, or may you bring an external caterer? Is own alcohol permitted, and if so is there a corkage fee? These two answers move a budget more than almost anything else.

The wet-weather plan

Ask to see it, not hear about it. An 'indoor option' that seats sixty when you have invited a hundred and forty is not a plan.

Accommodation on site

How many does it sleep, and is it included or charged separately? Guests who can walk to bed change the shape of the evening entirely.

Ceremony on site

Not every venue is licensed or set up for the ceremony itself. If you want both in one place, confirm it early.

Accessibility

Gravel paths, lawns and staircases matter to older guests. Ask specifically about the route from parking to ceremony to reception.