How to Choose your Perfect London Wedding Venue
The first step of planning a wedding is definitely finding the venue, without it, it's almost impossible to make any major decisions around it. However, finding your venue can be overwhelming, especially in London where there are so many options to choose from, but don’t worry, at Urban Weddings we’re here to help.
We specialise in helping couples find their dream wedding venue in London. Here are our top tips to choosing a venue to make your life easier and your vision come true.
Have a clear idea of your overall wedding budget
First things first, it’s important to know how much your total budget is. With dry hire venues, the cost shouldn’t exceed 20% of your budget. With package options you’ll need to look at the minimum spend, and the special wedding packages offered by the chosen venue. At Urban Weddings, we’re here to help you focus on the venues that will be a good fit for your numbers and budget.
Think about the style you both want
What kind of wedding do you want to host? Have a brainstorming session with your partner and think about the style of venue you both imagine for your perfect wedding day - from a warehouse, a railway arch, a boutique hotel, a stunning Grade II listed space - there are countless venues to choose from! Aim for a space that feels authentic to both of you.
Choose between dry hire venues or package options
You may ask yourself what’s the main difference between these two options. Well…
Weddings in blank canvas venues allow you to customise your venue exactly the way you want. It’s great for those who have a very clear picture of their perfect wedding day. You and your partner can really create something personal, with your own theme, suppliers and plans for the day. Whether you want a warehouse venue filled with cute fairy lights or an extravagant 70s themed party, a dry hire space can become anything! However, with blank canvases you need to supply everything from staff, to furniture, to decor and security etc. Because these venues need a complete build on the day, they tend to be quite expensive with even a small guest list and a cash bar. Dry hire wedding events start around £20K minimum.
Another great option is package venues. There are many amazing bars, restaurants and pubs all over London that have the perfect setting for wedding receptions. These places are already beautifully lit, furnished and ready to go! With this option you will still be able to play with the decoration, choose from a wide range of menus such as feasting versus plated food, and book your evening entertainment, including DJs and bands. This way you can have fun planning your big day without the additional costs of hiring in the staff, tables, chairs, cutlery etc.
Think about your ideal wedding locations
Are you relatively flexible in terms of locations as long as it’s well served by public transport, or do you have a favourite area in London you’re set on? Don’t forget that location is crucial for stunning wedding picture backdrops, so you’ll need to consider your preferred aesthetic and if you need greenery, an industrial backdrop, or perhaps a riverside view?
Do you want to hold the ceremony and the reception at the same place?
If you book one venue for the whole day, guests won't need to travel between locations and neither will your wedding party. However, if you want a more specialised ceremony space and opt for two separate event venues, we recommend you make travel time short, provide your guests with maps of both locations on the invites, or why not rent wedding transport such as a bus? Just try to keep the gap between the ceremony and the reception between 60-90 minutes maximum.
How many guests are you expecting at your wedding?
The venue you pick will determine the number of guests you can invite depending on the space they have to offer, so before you dive into your venue search, try and have your guest list roughly finished beforehand. For a London wedding, keeping it under 200 will make your life much easier… we would know!
Create a must-have list
Think of things that you 100% want/need on your wedding day that will impact your choice of venue. Here are a few examples come up often:
Pet friendly
Wheelchair accessible
Outdoor area
Venue licenced for ceremony
Indian open flame ceremony
Big bathrooms
A changing room
Supply your own drinks
Parking
Proximity to hotels
Visit the venues as soon as you can
In a perfect world, you'd book a venue at least a year before your wedding, so as soon as a venue catches your eye, book your visit. Most wedding venue tours last about 45 minutes to an hour for a visit and consultation with the venue manager or the wedding planner. Ideally if you can, it would be best if you and your partner could visit together, if it’s not possible due to busy schedules don’t forget to take lots of pictures and maybe even a video!
How we can help
At Urban Weddings we can help you find your perfect wedding venue for free! We have a list of stunning dry hire and package options.
Because we work closely with our wedding planning team The Wedding Arrangers, we are used to dealing with planning and setting budgets, so don’t hesitate to drop us a line if you have any questions regarding what’s doable within your plans.