Wedding Digest Philippines Weddings. More fun In the Philippines Edition | Page 62

own Des ign by: M avic Des igns Wedding G ide u G e Venu Inspiration Boar d 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!