Picking your Raleigh wedding venue is one of the hardest tasks of wedding planning and can feel overwhelming at the start. But we are here to help get you started on your journey!
Does this sound like you? You just got engaged to the love of your life. It was a perfectly romantic day and you are on cloud nine. You go to bed that night so excited for your future and getting to start planning your fairytale wedding. Life is good! Then you wake up the next morning and family and friends start immediately asking what’s your date?! Where are you getting married?
First piece of advice is taking a deep breath and believe that everything is going to work out. Lucky for you, we are here to help with the first question that ran through your head, “Where are we going to get married?” As venue owners, we believe that picking the right venue sets the foundation for your dream wedding and then all the other pieces can start to fall into place. But even finding your venue can be a daunting task. You may be asking; how do I begin my search? And what questions should I ask when I go on my wedding venue tours?
Again, lucky for you we have given hundreds and hundreds of tours and have compiled a quick guide checklist for you that you can use on your next venue tours (hopefully at Walnut Hill) that will hopefully make your experience a little smoother. The following list will make sure that you find the perfect venue just for you that meets your needs which in the end is the most important thing. Good luck to you all, enjoy the process, and happy venue hunting!
- For wedding venues with outdoor ceremony options like Walnut Hill, make sure to ask about back up plans in case of weather. You should also ask to see all the different options for ceremony sites.
- We know that having the comfort and space to get ready for your special day is very important, so it crucial to ask, “Can you show me the spaces where both the bridal party and the groom’s party will be getting ready?” (See the wedding details section of this site to see the amazing “Hill House” and “Estate House” options that Walnut Hill offers). We love that we can give our couples two full houses so both sides of the wedding party have ample space to get ready and relax and no one in cramped into one small suite.
- It is very important to get a thorough tour of the reception space where dinner and dancing will be held, but don’t forget about the cocktail hour. This is such a crucial time between the end of the ceremony and when the reception begins that it is a great idea to ask on your tour, “Can you show me all the different options that I have for my cocktail hour?” This is also a great time to ask the venue owner, “What are the alcohol rules for the venue?”
- Ask about what amenities and rental items are already provided for you! Tables and chairs can add up quickly when planning a wedding! Double check that your venue is providing you with ceremony chairs as well! And ask, “Who will be setting up and breaking down those items?”
- Lastly, you want to make sure that you have a great relationship with the venue owners and the venue team. As a family-owned wedding venue we believe that customer service is the most important aspect in finding the best venue for you. Venue owners should genuinely want to go above and beyond for their couples, so it is a great idea to ask, “What services does your venue provide that will ensure our wedding day will be as perfect as possible? Why should we pick your venue above all the other venues in the area?” Find out a few things that set us apart here!
