Valuable Tips for Selecting a Wedding Location
Filed underTips for Previewing a Location
Make Appointments.
If you liked what you read about a site on HereComesTheGuide.com, then we recommend you make an appointment to see that location rather than just driving by. Sometimes an unremarkable-looking building will surprise you with a secluded garden or hidden courtyard. And sometimes the opposite is true—you’ll love the stunning façade, but the interior isn’t your style.
Incidentally, we’ve withheld the addresses of privately owned properties. Should you happen to know where any of these facilities is located, we urge you to respect the owner’s or manager’s privacy and make an appointment instead of stopping by.
When you do call for an appointment, don’t forget to ask for specific directions, including cross streets. You can also look up the site on HereComesTheGuide.com and print out a detailed street map. Try to cluster your visits so that you can easily drive from one place to another without backtracking. Schedule at least 30 minutes per facility and leave ample driving time. You want to be efficient, but don’t over-schedule yourself. It’s best to view places when you’re fresh, and your judgment isn’t clouded by fatigue.
Bring along printed pages from the website.
We’ve listed the street address for each site, and our illustrations in the book often make it easier to identify the buildings you’re planning to see. And if you bring the web pages into the facilities with you, you can double-check our information with the site representative and jot down changes on the appropriate page.
Bring a notebook.
If there are too many changes to fit legibly on your printouts, have a small notebook ready. Make sure you write down the date, time and name of the person relating the information, and then play back your understanding to the site representative to confirm that what you heard is correct. Remember to have that notebook in front of you when you review your contract, and go over in detail what you were told versus what’s in the contract before you sign anything.
Bring a videocam, or a tape recorder and digital camera.
Let technology help you keep track of your visits—your likes, dislikes and any other observations. A word of caution: you’d be surprised how easy it is to confuse various sites in your mind, so make sure you keep a log of photos. And bring extra batteries, tapes, and memory cards along—whatever you need to make your gear work properly.
File everything.
Many facilities will hand you pamphlets, menus, rate charts and other materials. Develop a system for sorting and storing the information that keeps your notes, photos and handouts together, clearly labeled and easily accessible.
Bring a checkbook or credit card.
Some of the more attractive venues book a year to 18 months in advance. If you actually fall in love with a location and your date is available, plunk down a deposit to hold the date.
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