Wedding Venue Tours
Wedding Venue Tours - Our Insider Guide
Choosing your wedding venue is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make when planning your wedding day. It’s exciting, but it can also feel a little overwhelming. With so many amazing places to explore, it can be hard to know where to start, and even harder to know what to look for during your wedding venue tours.
Well, the good news is that you don’t need to become a wedding venue expert overnight!
A showround is all about viewing the different spaces, meeting the team, asking questions, and getting a feeling for whether it’s the right place for your wedding day.
We’ve welcomed hundreds of couples to our Lake District wedding venue (both in person and online). Here are our tips for getting the most from your venue tours and approaching your showround with confidence.
Do Your Venue Research
Life is busy, and time is precious. A little preparation before your visit can make all the difference.
Most wedding venues provide a brochure and/or have lots of information on their website. Take the time to read it, and check for key details such as:
- Does the venue suit your guest numbers?
- Does the pricing work with your budget?
- Do any of the wedding styles they offer match what you’re hoping for?
There’s no point falling in love with a venue that sadly won’t work for you. A little fact-finding first can save time and help you focus on booking tours at venues that could be the one.
Top tip: Do remember to be realistic about costs. It’s always better to look at what you can comfortably spend rather than putting yourselves under pressure by thinking “maybe we can somehow make it work”!
Have a conversation before you visit
We didn’t get a chance to view in person before the day, but there was absolutely no need...
Never underestimate the value of an initial chat. We always arrange a telephone conversation with our couples before they visit Cote How, because every couple and every wedding is different.
A pre-visit chat helps us understand what you’re planning, answer your initial questions, check availability and make sure your showround is tailored to you. Venue tours are more relaxed and less daunting when you have a better idea of what to look for.
Book your wedding venue tour in advance
We completely understand the temptation to pop into a wedding venue on the spur of the moment, especially if you’ve driven past somewhere beautiful!
However, wedding venues that want to create a more personal showround experience usually arrange appointments in advance, rather than offering casual viewings.
It might feel frustrating, but venues aren’t being deliberately unhelpful. They’re making sure you have the time, privacy and attention you deserve. A good wedding venue tour shouldn’t feel rushed or squeezed in between other events on the same day. The team should be able to focus solely on you and your wedding plans.
What To Expect from Your Showround
Not every venue visit will feel the same, and that’s how it should be. You’re not just looking for a place to get married. You’re also choosing a team to help bring your wedding plans to life and support you through the whole process. It’s as much about the people who will be looking after you as the place itself. Take note if the same team will be with you during the planning process and on the day itself.
Key Points to Consider Post Venue Tour
If you are searching for the perfect wedding venue, stop looking
- First impressions: Did you feel comfortable and valued from the moment you arrived? Were the team warm and welcoming?
- A personal experience: Did the showround feel like it was designed around your wedding plans? Were you asked about your priorities and what matters to you?
- Enough time to explore: Did you have time to look around properly and imagine how your wedding day might flow? You shouldn’t feel like you’re being hurried because another couple is waiting in the wings.
- Helpful advice: Were you encouraged to ask questions? A great wedding co-ordinator/planner won’t just tell you how wonderful their venue is. They’ll listen to your concerns, help you think through potential worries and make useful suggestions.
- The practical side: Does the venue work for your guest numbers, budget and wedding style? Are there any compromises you’d need to make, and are they compromises you are happy to make?
- The feeling: This is often the part couples talk about most. Could you picture yourselves getting married there? Did it feel like a place where you would be looked after and supported?
Top tip: Sometimes the biggest clue is how you feel afterwards. It’s a good sign if you both leave your showround feeling excited and thinking about the venue all the way home!
Wedding venue tour myths: Fact or fiction?
Here are a few common myths we’d like to (gently) challenge…
Myth 1: You’ll know instantly the moment you walk in if it’s ‘the one’
For some couples, choosing their wedding venue is a case of love at first sight. For others, it takes a little more thought and conversation. You might arrive thinking you want one thing, but discover you’d rather have something completely different. It’s all part of the process.
Myth 2: You shouldn’t change your wedding plans to fit a venue
Your wedding should always feel like your wedding, but finding the right venue can inspire new ideas. A couple might start out imagining one style of celebration and realise that another option suits them better when they find a space they love. Don’t be afraid to reconsider.
One of our couples originally planned to elope, but after visiting our wedding barn, decided they wanted to invite more of their favourite people because they couldn’t imagine not sharing their wedding day.
Myth 3: You have to visit a venue in person before you can decide
For many couples, an in-person showround is an important part of the decision-making process. However, lots of our couples book Cote How without visiting beforehand, especially those planning a wedding from further away. Online or virtual tours, reviews, blogs and social media can all help you understand whether a venue feels right for you.
Myth 4: You shouldn’t book the first venue you see
This is in a similar vein to the idea that you shouldn’t buy the first wedding dress you try on – it’s a myth! If you’ve done your research, asked all your questions, and the venue feels right, there’s nothing to say you should keep looking. If you know in your heart it’s where you want to get married, call off the search.
We felt completely taken care of the entire time
Final Thoughts...
Finding your wedding venue isn’t about finding the one that ticks every box on your checklist. It’s about finding a setting that feels right for your wedding day. A great venue tour is all about finding the place where you trust the team, love the surroundings and feel at home.
Next steps...
If you’d like to book a chat with us about your wedding plans and make an appointment for a wedding venue tour at Cote How, we’d love to hear from you! Click the Enquiry button below to find a date and time to suit you. You can find out more details about getting married in the Lakes from the Westmorland Registrars Team.
As always, thank you to our couples and all our recommended wedding photographers for sharing their images with us, including Jo Greenfield, Chris Freer, Jenna Carpenter, Peter Ostrowski and Tiree Dawson.
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