A wedding in New York City is like the pinnacle of all weddings. A lot of couples are dreaming of getting married in NYC. Why? It’s because of the gorgeous wedding venues the city offers! From beautifully-manicured gardens atop a building to luxurious event spaces with skyline views, you could have everything you ever wanted in a venue. But before you spend that hard-earned cash on booking your NYC wedding venue, it’s wise to check these things first:
Events
NYC is a bustling city. Thus, you can expect events popping up, especially during weekends. So before booking that wedding weekend, you should check for any concerns that might affect your wedding. There might be major events on your big day. If your venue is a hotel, you and your guests might be short of rooms, as many rooms might already be booked. Or, if it’s a park, restaurant, or other venue that might be in the way of a major parade, it might be an issue for your guests.
Insurance
It’s your wedding day. Of course, nothing terrible will happen to your guests. You made sure everyone would be safe at your wedding. But, the truth is, you really wouldn’t ever know! So it might be best to think about liability insurance when booking your wedding venue. Do they have insurance that will cover guests from unfortunate events? If yes, what is the specific coverage? If none, you might think about getting separate wedding liability insurance.
Decor
Depending on the season, some NYC wedding venues already have a statement of their own with regard to decor. If you’re already in love with how the venue looks as it is, you’re in luck! You wouldn’t even have to pay more for decor.
Plan B
What will you do if your booked venue suddenly shuts down permanently about two weeks before your event? Sounds unbelievable, but it can happen (it already happened to an event company in the US). So having a plan B will surely save you from that disaster.
Reputation
Most couples book a venue based on its reputation. If a venue has excellent reviews regarding service and working relationships with clients and other vendors, then booking that venue should be a good decision.
Vendor Network
Find out if the NYC wedding venue has tie-ups with vendors. In that case, you might be able to get discounts with other vendors if you’re referred by your venue. Also, some venues have their preferred vendor list. So it might be an issue if you would like to bring in specific vendors, like a photographer of your choice.
Inclusions
Make sure to check all inclusions in the venue, especially furniture rentals. Some include these for free, while some charge a fee. This can significantly affect your budget. Thus it’s essential to know the details.
Additional Costs
Here are some items that can add up to your costs (as venues differ on what they do or don’t provide for free):
Catering
Corkage and cake-cutting fees
Rentals (tables & chairs, silverware, linens, etc.)
Wedding liability insurance
Wedding Planner
Day-of Coordinator
Service charges and taxes
Storage and late pick-up fees
Parking