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To See Venue, or No to See

TriRen12713TriRen12713 member
in Wedding Reception Forum
My fiance and I live in Alberta but are getting married in Ontario. We have booked a Venue based on the website, and the fact that acquaintances have been to this place before and can vouch for it. We are getting married August 2014, and I was hoping to go down for a bit in March to see the place and do some planing. My fiance thinks that everything can be done via internet and phone and we'd be better off saving that travel money for the wedding. He also says we'll be there a week before the actual wedding and can see it then. I think it's important to see the venue before planning decorations and such, but seeing as I've never planned a wedding before I don't have much to back up this opinion. What do you, the Knot Community, think about this? How important is it to see the venue? Am I being too demanding?
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Re: To See Venue, or No to See

  • JoanE2012JoanE2012 member
    5000 Comments 500 Love Its Fourth Anniversary 5 Answers
    edited January 2014
    TriRen12713 said:
    My fiance and I live in Alberta but are getting married in Ontario. We have booked a Venue based on the website, and the fact that acquaintances have been to this place before and can vouch for it. We are getting married August 2014, and I was hoping to go down for a bit in March to see the place and do some planing. My fiance thinks that everything can be done via internet and phone and we'd be better off saving that travel money for the wedding. He also says we'll be there a week before the actual wedding and can see it then. I think it's important to see the venue before planning decorations and such, but seeing as I've never planned a wedding before I don't have much to back up this opinion. What do you, the Knot Community, think about this? How important is it to see the venue? Am I being too demanding?
    I could never book a venue without seeing it in person to begin with. 
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  • BlueBirdMBBlueBirdMB member
    250 Love Its 100 Comments Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    You must go see the venue.  Things are very different in person and there are questions that you can only get answered in person. 
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  • AddieCakeAddieCake member
    10000 Comments 500 Love Its Fourth Anniversary 25 Answers
    I can't imagine booking without seeing. 


    What did you think would happen if you walked up to a group of internet strangers and told them to get shoehorned by their lady doc?~StageManager14
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  • RebeccaB88RebeccaB88 member
    2500 Comments Fifth Anniversary 500 Love Its 5 Answers
    Ditto. Absolutely go see it. How do you know those pictures are recent? What if there's a lot more wear and tear visible in person that you can't see in photos?  Photoshop can fix a lot of details. They could have even renovated some areas and not have changed the pictures. There will be areas they won't post pictures of.  I would personally want to see the kitchen and bathroom areas too. There's also a lot of atmosphere or feeling to a venue that you just can't get from pictures.  Plus, to me the neighborhood and surrounding areas would make a difference, distance and ease of access from the highway, as well as the condition of parking areas. I would need to see those too. If your FI trusts you to make the final decision and really doesn't want to go, he doesn't have to. You could take someone else with you.
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  • Jen4948Jen4948 member
    Knottie Warrior 10000 Comments 500 Love Its 25 Answers
    Booking a venue without seeing it is like setting a time bomb to go off.

    I'd go see it, at least by myself, and I'd let your FI know that if he chooses not to see it before you book it, he forfeits any later rights of complaint.
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  • JoanE2012JoanE2012 member
    5000 Comments 500 Love Its Fourth Anniversary 5 Answers
    Jen4948 said:
    Booking a venue without seeing it is like setting a time bomb to go off.

    I'd go see it, at least by myself, and I'd let your FI know that if he chooses not to see it before you book it, he forfeits any later rights of complaint.
    They already booked it based on the website.....they just want to know if they should see go see it before the wedding week for planning/decorations.
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  • JCbride2015JCbride2015 member
    5000 Comments 500 Love Its Second Anniversary First Answer
    JoanE2012 said:
    Jen4948 said:
    Booking a venue without seeing it is like setting a time bomb to go off.

    I'd go see it, at least by myself, and I'd let your FI know that if he chooses not to see it before you book it, he forfeits any later rights of complaint.
    They already booked it based on the website.....they just want to know if they should see go see it before the wedding week for planning/decorations.
    Reading fail.  Although I think booking, sight unseen, is so crazy to a lot of us here that we would just assume she can't possibly have done that.

    OP, I still think you should go look at the venue to get a grasp on how to decorate it.  And if it really is way worse in person, you can still get out of it for the cost of your deposit instead of being totally screwed the week before your wedding.  Next time, as I think you've gathered from responses on here, check out all vendors in person before booking.
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  • lyndausvilyndausvi mod
    Moderator Knottie Warrior 10000 Comments 500 Love Its
    edited January 2014
    I had a wedding OOT (plane ride away).  I found the place online and my parents went to check it out and then booked it without us seeing the place first.   

    10 months out we came back to the states and checkout the place.   That is also when we had the food tasting, booked the photographer and florist. Although both the photographer and florist were pretty much booked via emails before we got there.  It was just a formality really.

    The next time I went back was about 3 months out.  That trip included my shower, dress fitting and firm up plans with the venue.   I had the cake tasting then also.  It was only my mom and me.  DH didn't come with me.     I'm not really sure I needed to be there, but since I was there for the other things I just added a venue visit also.   

    Transportation, DJ, ceremony music all were done via websites and email based on recommendation from the venue and other vendors.  For example I asked the venue, florist and photographer who they recommended for a  DJ and our guy was on all 3 of their lists. 

    I can see how people get nervous over not seeing things in person, but it was a positive experience for us and not stressfully at all.






    What differentiates an average host and a great host is anticipating unexpressed needs and wants of their guests.  Just because the want/need is not expressed, doesn't mean it wouldn't be appreciated. 
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  • niki&robniki&rob member
    Second Anniversary 25 Love Its 10 Comments Name Dropper
    edited January 2014
    I am actually planning a wedding in Kelowna from edmonton. I have done everything on line based on pictures that i have found on photographers websites, reviews and vendor recommendations.  Could you ask the venue to take pictures or video for you?  A video would give you a really good idea of the space. Happy planning!!
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  • kmedeiros89kmedeiros89 member
    Third Anniversary 25 Love Its 10 Comments Name Dropper
    I would most definitely go see the venue. I've only just starting planning but so far the two venues I had my heart set on based on the website have both turned out to be places I will not be having my big day. They don't give you all the necessary info on the website, there were many questions answered once I met in person at the two venues. Also one looked much bigger on the website than in person. I say it's worth the trip to check it out, you only get one chance to get exactly what you want.
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  • crackktheskyycrackktheskyy member
    500 Love Its 100 Comments First Anniversary Name Dropper
    I would echo what everyone else has mostly said. I can't imagine planning without even seeing the space. The venue I chose was not the venue I would have chosen from photos online. Now that you've already chosen a venue, it is at least helpful to see the space so that you have an idea of what you're dealing with, especially for some of the smaller details (where to put place cards, floral arrangements, photos if you're including them, etc.) 

    Having an idea of the space has definitely helped me, anyway.
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  • climbingsingleclimbingsingle member
    Knottie Warrior 10000 Comments 500 Love Its 5 Answers
    I personally wouldn't book a venue without seeing it in person. 
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