The ManicaPost
Ann Ruthenburg
HELLO readers, I hope you are well, loving and treating each other good.
It is important too, to think carefully before putting others before yourself.
Yes, 2019 needs should be a better year, not just for individuals, but all of us.
It starts with you, before judging others, judge yourself.
I say this with love.
As always, I give prospective brides and grooms information to help them put their wedding together at the beginning of the year.
It’s a 12 month list I work with couples. It can be adjusted according the amount of months the couple has before the wedding. If it’s less than 12 month, simply divide the months into 12 and do what is on the list by that month.
This week we are discussing “how to choose a wedding venue”.
If you have a good budget, you will have no problem finding a decent venue, but if your budget is limited, you may end up settling for what you do not really want, due it its affordability.
Luck, Manicaland has the most amazing venues that suit both indoor and outdoor tastes.
Here are some things you need to keep in mind when deciding on a weeding venue.
- Type of wedding (indoor wedding or garden wedding) — this seems obvious, but not always. The month you choose determines the season, which usually hints on weather pattern. So if you want a garden wedding, take into account the rain pattern, and see if the venue you chose has an alternative in the event that it rains.
If you choose to marry indoors, the month also affects you, especially in the middle of summer when heat is unbearable, especially if you have hundreds of guests packed in the hall. Air conditioning is vital for fresh air.
- Size of guest list also determines the size of venue. Make sure you invite guests you really need and can feed.
- Transport logistics is another important issue. You cannot ignore the fact that transport will need to be supplied for the immediate and extended families. So the distance to your venue needs to accommodate this factor. If buses are involved, are the roads trafficable?
- Catering area is an important area to look out for. I cannot tell you how many weddings I have heard where people suffered stomach upsets. Quite a few non-hotel venues do not offer adequate cooking facilities, so it is important for the couple to take the head of their catering team to the venue of choice to make sure the venue provides enough cooking facilities, adequate water and a tent or room to protect against dust. If not then the couple needs to organise a different venue for catering which may cause health risks, especially when transporting the food in hot weather.
- The bar or a place to serve refreshments should be looked for. Are there fridges or containers to store ice and drinks?
- Extra hire is another area that couples tend to miss. This is where “wedding packages” work well, because the venue provides everything. But if you are doing everything as a couple, you will need to find out what the venue provides. The rest you will have to hire or source yourselves. This is an added expense.
- Toilets are the next thing. If a venue does not have toilets, make sure you or they organise adequate “portable toilets”. These are not cheap, and will need to be added to your budget if the venue do not supply.
- Parking and security are other things to take cognisant of.
A wedding is not just about making you husband and wife or dressing up your best. It is a detailed and full event that can be unnecessarily stressful if not planned well.
Columnist contribution from Utate Wedding and Conference Venue 0714487470.
