Toronto Wedding Venues
Choosing a Toronto wedding venue is a crucial step when planning your wedding. The location and inner workings of the wedding venue that you pick are equally in importance, which is why it’s critical to ask all the right questions rather than selecting a site merely for its aesthetic value. Are you new to site visits and are unsure of what to inquire about? Don’t have a wedding planner to ask all the right questions on your behalf? Worry not; we’ll help you cover all the basics! Here are 20 questions that you need to ask your Toronto wedding venue!
- What is the maximum number of guests you can accommodate?
- Is this facility wheelchair accessible?
- Do you have an on-site coordinator or facility director? Who will be here to oversee the setup on the day of my event?
- Do you have a valid liquor license? Is it valid for your outdoor grounds?
- Am I allowed to bring in my own alcohol?
- Do you have in-house catering? Do I have the option of bringing in external caterers?
- What are your decoration guidelines & restrictions?
- Some venues don’t allow open flames, etc.
- Do you supply tables, chairs, linens, or place settings? Do I have the option to bring in my own?
- Is there a designated area for cocktail hour?
- You don’t want your guests crammed into a small lobby or left outside.
- Is there a private bridal suite?
- It’s nice to have a quiet place when you need a few moments alone. And no one wants to have to bustle their dress in the bathroom!
- Do you have on-site security? Am I permitted to employ my own security guards?
- Do you have a list of preferred vendors? Will I be allowed to employ vendors outside this list?
- If you haven’t started looking on your own, you can use their list get a kick-start with finding a DJ, caterer, photographer, etc.
- Who will be responsible for setting up and taking down the decor, tables and chairs? When will it be completed?
- Does the price per guest include liability insurance?
- If your venue doesn’t have liability insurance, you’ll want to get your own- you don’t want to be responsible if someone gets hurt at your event
- What are the taxes and service charges on the food and beverage cost per person?
- Is the SOCAN fee included in your price?
- SOCAN licenses allow you to play any music during your event. Visit their site for more information.
- Is there sufficient parking in accordance with the maximum capacity of this venue? Is there a fee associated with parking? Is valet parking available?
- Are there any additional service charges?
- Do you have an alternative plan for outdoor events, should they be disrupted?
- What time must the venue be empty by? Is there a fee if I exceed this time?
Pro Tip: Try to schedule your site visit during the time of day (and year) that your event will be happening. This way you can get a good idea of the natural lighting in and outside of the venue, so that you can coordinate your photos beforehand. And make sure to get any agreements you make in writing, so that you have something to refer back to should there be any discrepancies in the process.
Be as thorough as possible when touring possible Toronto wedding venues- don’t be afraid to ask all the questions you want. If you have a number of venues in mind, asking the same questions during every visit can help you create a comprehensive pro and con list in the end, to aid in your decision.
Do you think we missed some questions? Leave us a comment and let us know what you think the most important question to ask your venue is!
