Do Your Research, Ask Questions!

By this time most couples should have booked their facility hall if getting married anywhere between August and December. If not, this will help and if so this still will help you! Finding the right facility that
fits your budget can be hard, but with a little research and the right
questions to ask, it will make the process much easier!

Before doing anything a couple should know their BUDGET. This way when you do your research you know where to look and where not to look. Time is not
on your side, so you want to spend your time looking a facilities that
will benefit your Wedding Day! Very Important!!!

A few things to look for when researching the right facility for you:

• -Location
• -Price per person
• -Tax and Gratuity
• -Service Provided
• -How many events at once
• -Ceremony
• -Down Payment
• -Room Capacity
• -Ratings & References/Testimonials

Location- Is the location within a reasonable distance if getting married else where? What does the facility look like? Does it fit the style of your wedding? How many
hours are given within a package- Four hours?

Five hours?

Price Per Person- When finding a location research the rate going for price per person. Ask what it entails: Open bar, Cocktail Hour, Wedding
cake, How many Entree options, Linens? Is this a Sit-Down Dinner or a
Buffet Style Dinner?

Tax & Gratuity- Depending on your state you will know your tax. For example New Jersey's is 7% and our Gratuity is 20%. Add this on to per person when adding up
your total price. By doing this you can assure you will stay within
your budget, you can not cut out tax & gratuity.

Service Provided- Some facilities are full service. Do they butler the cocktail hour? Do they offer a Day of Coordinator- if your planning your
own wedding? Do they offer a Bridal Suite? Do they offer Entertainment?
Facilities are different when it comes to services, so do not hesitate
to ask and research what the facility is going to offer you on your
Wedding Day. Is it included or an extra fee? What are the prices?

How Many Events at Once- Some locations service one event at a time, while some service four at a time. My recommendation is No More Than
two! I've seen it happen where the bride is rushed to take pictures
because the next bride is arriving. You want to have your day flow and
be all about you and your spouse. So I say Less is Best! So do your
research and ask that question! What will make you happy on your Wedding
Day?

Ceremony- If you don't want to get married elsewhere and want to cut down transportation cost, get married at the facility. Do they offer Ceremony Services? Do they offer an outside
wedding location? Do they offer a separate ceremony room from the
reception room? What do you get with the Ceremony? What is the Ceremony
price? It will be additional to the Reception price.

Down Payment- When booking a facility a down-payment will have to be made. Find out ahead of time how much it is. When will the next payment
be due? For example some facilities might ask for $1000 down and 25%
down of the balance 90 days after that. When is the final payment due?
All these are very important when booking a facility and ensuring that
you stay up on your payments! The down-payment also ensures the date for
your wedding. Read over the contract before signing! Ask for a copy!
Make sure you are getting what you are paying for and nothing less!! If
paying with cash, have a credit card ready, as they may want to make a
copy of it for security reasons.

Room Capacity- Making sure your guests will be accommodated is important, as you want their experience to be an unforgettable one! Research and ask, What are
your room Capacities? How many rooms do they have? Is there a separate
room for the Cocktail hour & the Reception? If not, what is the
turn around time? Capacity is important, if the rooms are to small, then
you should keep looking! There is something out there for every
couple's dream Wedding!!

Ratings & References/Testimonials- I feel this is very important! There are plenty of times I have kept looking based solely on this factor. If the
facilities ratings are down, they have little or no references, and no
testimonials-KEEP LOOKING! Very important because their are too many
A-Class Facilities available where you don't have to settle when it
comes to your Wedding Day!

Your Wedding Day is one that should be remembered as one of the greatest days of your life! It will be captured in your Photography and remembered by your
guests as well. Do not settle! Make sure you stick to your budget and do
not go over! Guests don't need alcohol to have a good time-cutting the
open bar out of the package will lower the price, allow you to have a
nice reception and keep you within your budget! Stay firm, listen to
your gut, and do not allow the facility to sway you. They want to help
you, but they also want your money.

If you haven't done so yet or maybe haven't put much consideration into it- Consider hiring a Wedding Planner!! Our job, which we love, is created to make
the planning process easier.

Stay committed to your budget!

Happy Planning and much success to your Wedding Day!

Brittany