What to consider when choosing wedding venues

The wedding season is about to begin and it’s that time of the year we remind ourselves what exactly to consider in choosing the best wedding venue for YOU. There are so many reception venues out there but not all fits into your purpose. Never choose a wedding reception venue just because it has space. You need to determine if this venue works well for you to achieve your goal of having not just a lovely event but also putting a smile on the faces of others who have come to share your joy.

Here are just the basic guidelines in choosing your wedding reception venue. Now, I must say these are just the main guidelines especially when holding a wedding in Nigeria . These might not apply if done in other areas of the world.

Every country as we know it has it’s own unique challenges so let’s see how to go round the curve in finding a good venue for you in Nigeria. Things to consider.

1, Hall Capacity

This looks like a no-brainer but I tell you most people make the mistake of getting a hall that is just a little too small for the number of guests expected. If you are not too sure on the number of guests coming then at least have an idea. One cannot begin to imagine the catastrophe that could occur if you expected 300 guests and then 500 turned up. You might be offering a buffet styled reception but either ways , it’s not fair seeing guests standing up or roaming about because of seating issues. I have been to a wedding where the bride and groom (I was told) had no clue their parents had invited loads of their friends . The hall was not only small for the number of people that came around, the groom could not achieve his aim of having his dream show ( a wedding runway) the bride also could not achieve her dreams of telling the groom how much she loves him because people where just everywhere up and about the hall. It was more like a market place than a wedding!

2,  Location Of The Reception Venue Hall

Your location is a very important factor in determining your venue hall. Major reason is the traffic. We all know how bad traffic can be and very unpredictable too. You really do not want your guests waiting for you or vice versa  because you are stuck in the traffic. Bumper to Bumper maybe. So choosing a wedding reception venue at a  location or closer to where the wedding ceremony is held is always the best option.  Having your wedding ceremony done in Surulere and then the reception somewhere at Ikeja just does not make sense. You also need to consider your wedding guests coming from another state who might not be very familiar with our roads. They have to travel far coming and then they travel far going. Think security too.

{pics from Blue Ribbon Nigeria}

3, Basic Venue Hall Amenities

It’s your wedding but you also need to think of the health, safety and happiness of your guests. Choose a venue hall that has the basic amenities to take care of you and your wedding guests. Does it have clean and good standard toilets for both male and female, standby generator, car parking space, steady power source e.t.c and if outdoor do they provide cooling fans for your guests? What I don’t get with most “OWAMBE” parties is how they could be so inconsiderate of other people and block the major road because they is no proper car parking arrangements for the guests. Even if the venue is your best choice and it has no adequate car park, make provisions for your guests and be ready to “man” some car parking attendants to supervise it without blocking the road for others going about their important business. Don’t forget  to look for the emergency exit signs incase of a fire. A good hall should have an obvious fire exit sign.

4, Inside Decoration

The hall looks tidy and neat on the outside but very plain on the inside (just like a classroom). Now some of you might like that as it provides a blank canvas easy for your event decorators to make us of  and create your dream design but if you are on a budget then that means you should be looking to spend more in decorating that dreary and odd hall into your desired design. On the other hand, if you choose a hall that already has excellent drapings, chandelier that would make decorating a bit easy for your decorators and cheaper too for your pocket.

5,  Theme or Style Of Your Wedding

I chose this to be the last because it’s really not a very common factor in determining a venue hall especially in Nigeria as most weddings do not have come with a distinct theme but it is still important because your style of wedding should not be compromised by the look of your venue hall. Most weddings here are done in a hall and you really do not have loads of choice like historic buildings, castle or the likes. But if you do care about the outside wedding shots you should be looking for venues with good outdoor feel and ample outdoor space. I love a bit of greenery so no sense in hiring a hall that looks just like any other building in the area with structures all over the place. How odd would it be to choose a venue hall that has no feel to it on the outside? A  city themed wedding might hold in such areas but not everyone might like that. Some prefer a hall that comes with a garden for instance. I would hate to take pictures in a cramped place overlooking car parks and moving vehicles. If, like me, you want a hall that gives the romantic look, then look for a venue that offers you the space for your photographer to take the romantic shots that you would cherish forever.