5 Pro tips to finding the perfect venue for your event.

FEB47363-C4F7-4680-A548-6E180913654EWhen planning an event, there are a million different questions that are thrown your way. One of the biggest and most important is where you will be holding your event?? In order to answer it you need to have the answers to so many other questions. To help you on your way to answering a few of these questions and choosing your venue, we have made a little list of things to consider while making your decision.

Size

When asking questions on size the first thing that comes to mind is how many people can the venue accommodate. If you plan on having 50 people at your event, you might want your venue to be able to hold seventy. If you plan on having 300, you might want the capacity to be 350-400.

What a lot of people miss when thinking about venue size has less to do with capacity and more to do with the physical size of the venue. These two things might seem synonymous, but the aren’t. It is important to ask questions like, how tight will the seating be? Will your guests be able to move freely through the venue space without any uncomfortable hindrances on their movement? How big does the space feel? Is it cozy and comfortable? Is it open and spacious? Two venues with the exact same max capacity might feel entirely differently based on room layout.

It is also important to consider any size accommodations that will be necessary for your event specifically. For example if you want to have food stations instead of a buffet is there room + guests? If you ask these questions when considering size, you will be on your way to ensuring perfect comfort at your event.

Cost

When planning an event, staying in budget is always one of the biggest concerns, so cost is obviously a factor when choosing your venue. Consider the time of year and the day of your event when planning for cost. One of the biggest ways to lower the price of a venue is to have your event on a day that is less sought after than others. You should also be aware of any additional services a venue offers, but we’ll touch on that later.

Location

The main thing to consider when it comes to the location of your event is how easily your average event attendee will be able to reach it. If most of your event guests will be “in-town” guests, then holding the event in close proximity to their homes or offices makes sense. The key to venue location is limiting the hassle your guests will have to face while traveling to your event. And for Tulsa, finding a route that is not under construction is the true challenge. I’m sure I’m not alone when I say I Wish I had the patent on orange cones and barrels.

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Additional Services

Do you want to hire your own caterer or do you want the venue to handle it? Do you have all of the equipment you need for your event or will you need the venue to supply it? Does the venue have its own setup/cleanup crew or will you need to hire someone to take care of it? All of these questions should be asked before you choose your event venue and should also be considered when looking at cost. If one venue can take care of 5 things you would have to handle otherwise, it might be worth spending a little extra money on.

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Mood/Ambiance

Perhaps the least technical (but by no means least important) aspect of a venue to consider is how well it matches the mood or ambiance you wish to establish. If you are hosting a Fundraiser Gala, you probably want a venue that has an extravagantly fancy feel to it. If you are throwing a company (family) party, you are going to want your venue to be less formal and more fun. Think hard about the message you are trying to send to your event guests and how you can get it across with the environment you choose for your event.

Now you are well on your way to finding your perfect venue.  Still need a little extra help narrowing down the potions, we are here to help. Contact us at sharon@tulsaweddings.com

Being a gracious hostess/bride isn’t always easy on your budget.

Admit it: You’ve been to at least one wedding where something about the events made you uncomfortable or possibly even cringe. For instance, maybe dinner was delayed 1/2 hour while the bride and groom were having formal pictures taken. Or, you ordered a drink at the bar only to find out it was a cash bar, and you have $0 cash. Not very nice, was it? But now, the tables are turned and you’re the hosts. Your guests deserve to go home happy—and what couple wouldn’t want that?—a few of our gracious host suggestions:

Pick your wedding date carefully.
Sure, holding your affair on a Friday or Sunday night — or even a weeknight — is a great way to save money. But this might pose a problem for guests who don’t live nearby. Many will have to take a day off from work in order to attend your wedding; your immediate family and your wedding party may have to take even more time off in order to attend your rehearsal dinner. A clever compromise, if you’re really set on a Friday or Sunday affair: Hold your wedding on a holiday weekend, when most working guests would automatically have an extra day off.

Think your menu through.
Chances are some of your guests observe dietary rules — maybe a few vegetarians or folks who keep kosher. Be sure to take a look at your guest list and see who might fall into this category. Most caterers will provide meals to accommodate these guests for little or no extra charge. Just be sure that the catering manager knows where these folks are sitting, and that your guests know ahead of time that you’ve taken care of their needs.

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Let’s talk wedding registry for a second. Registering for gifts is a wonderful concept — it takes away the guesswork, and it ensures that you’ll get the things you need and want for your new life. Just be sure that, in addition to selecting your favorite pieces, you choose items in a range of prices—everything from spatulas, hand towels and cookbooks to crystal stemware, electronics and sporting equipment. This way, every guest will find something within his or her budget. Most all stores offer the option to purchase a gift card for any amount as well.

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Help your single guests feel extra welcome. Make sure you seat them where they’ll know other people. For instance, you can put unattached colleagues with other work people; your high school or college buddies can all sit together, whether single or hitched.
Another thought, go ahead and ask your single pals with whom they would prefer to sit—this way, they’re sure to be comfortable. In addition, while you are under no obligation to invite single guests with dates (unless they’re living with someone or are in a long-term relationship), it’s a very nice gesture to do so, and your friends will surely appreciate it.

 

Let’s talk wedding dessert ideas beyond cake…

 

As you’re planning the wedding reception menu, know that it’s not just about  wedding cake anymore. In fact, the latest trend is to cap off your nuptial meal  with totally scrumptious confections that are all about who you are as a couple,  while giving your guests a sweet reward.

Skip Wedding Cake Altogether

If you’re not a wedding cake kind of  couple, don’t feel obligated to have a four-tiered, fondant-covered masterpiece.  Some brides and grooms are opting out of serving a traditional wedding cake.  Cupcakes on stacked tiers with the top tier as a small cake is a stylish  and popular alternative. Down South, there’s a trend to forgo the groom’s cake and do mini  pastries, logo cookies with the bride and groom’s photo on them, or miniature  wedding cake cookies instead.  Looking for more options:

  • Serve individual cakes in the shape of, say, an open Tiffany-style box  filled with cream and berries. (eye-candy)
  • Have a dramatic chocolate fountain, actually shaped like a three-tiered wedding cake. The word on the street, however, is that the fountains can get  messy if not manned properly, but no one ever said indulgence was a tidy business.
  • Can’t live without a grand wedding cake? Wedding cakes are gorgeous, but who  says you can’t pair yours with treats? If you choose a cake with light and  fruity fillings, try richer desserts (chocolate, anyone?).

How should you serve it?

Dessert is king, so why not serve it  regally? Dessert stations — basically a buffet setup that guests visit — are  where it’s at right now. Even if you’re doing a seated meal, a dessert station  gives guests a chance to circulate a bit. We’ve seen stations that range from  totally elaborate Viennese tables with every confection imaginable to simple  themed offerings. Case in point: the candy bar. Many caterers include the sweets  the couple loved from their childhood-like malted milk balls, jelly beans, and  caramel popcorn. Empty bags are available for guests to take home their  favorites.

Creating your dessert options should be cohesive with the overall theme and ambiance of the evening. Use your imagination and consider what you order at your favorite restaurant for inspiration.

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