Wedding Digest Philippines Weddings. More fun In the Philippines Edition | Page 62
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Inspiration Boar
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Choosing a venue can be one of the most difficult things you will decide on as you plan your wedding. Or,
it can be the easiest. Organize your imagination by using an Inspiration Board, a collage of concepts and
ideas, to select your venue. Commonly used by brides-to-be as they dream of their theme, it provides a visual
reference for couples and their suppliers. So, why not use it for choosing your venue?
Step 1: Top 5. If you have absolutely no idea or when there
are too many ideas, start with 5 different venues. In our
country, it is easy to go loco with so many options, from
venues outdoors (farm, forest, garden, backyard), indoors
(hotel, restaurant, ballroom), with water features (beach,
riverside, resort), to themed venues (heritage sites, magical
venues, man-made destinations). Which appeals to you
the most? Surf for one image to represent each chosen
venue type. Preferably, one with a wedding setup ready!
Step 2: Add Shoes. Choose a wedding item to match with
each venue. It can be shoes, or bridal gowns or bags, even
bouquets, anything you love and anything that is so you.
What shoes will you wear for a garden wedding? How
about for the beach? This will help you imagine yourself in
the venue. Feel free to use more than one, it can be shoes
and hairstyles or bags and jewelry.
Step 3: Number Game. Once your inspiration is ready, you
will need figures.
A) Estimate the number of guests. You may not have a
definite list yet, but you should know how big or how small
you want it to be to know the capacity of the venue you
will need
B) Set a budget. How much is your limit?
C) Statistics. If you will have more of elderly guests, take
note of their needs. Maybe a venue that is too far is out of
the question. After you have the numbers, you may notice
some of your chosen venues lose their initial appeal, and
some to gain more. That’s good news because the goal is
to end up with just one.
Step 4: Must Ask. When are you getting married? Popular
venues are easily fully booked during peak season (May to
June and December to February). Consider the months in
between for more options at lower prices. Or make sure you
book as early as possible. Where will your ceremony be?
If it is in a church, then your venue should be close to one
and vice versa. If not, then it is best you get a venue that
offers a ceremony and a reception area. Otherwise, you
risk inconvenience and wasting time and transferring your
guests from one place to the next. Are you ready to travel?
Certain venue options are not readily available in your area.
Beaches are in Batangas or Palawan while themed venues
are in select places. If you really want to get married on a
beach, go ahead and have a beach wedding. Otherwise, a
Resort Hotel could have a similar mesmerizing feel and still
be accessible. What is your theme? Your venue choices
could be indicators of the theme or motif you are going
for. Although, bear in mind that themes can be technically
executed anywhere with the right styling, so the question
really is, what do you need from your venue?
Step 5: Google Or use other social media, from Twitter
to Instagram, to find out what specific venues pass your
requirements and what other people are saying about it.
Go old school and schedule an ocular of your shortlisted
venues to see which appeals to you both. This is the
step right before booking and you should be ready with
your questions on Step 3 and Step 4. Price, Capacity,
Availability (can be in order depending on your priority).
Consider these extra questions: ongoing promos, wedding
packages, other offered products or services, contingency
plans, payment terms, basic rules and regulations. These
additional questions are your tie-breakers and will decide
which venue is the sweetest deal of them all. Create your
Inspiration Board now!