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How Long Do Wedding Venue Tours Take [And What to Expect]

How Long Do Wedding Venue Tours Take [And What to Expect]

Everlasting Occasion Team
Written By: Allison
Published Date:

You’re engaged – congratulations! Soak in the joys of that newly engaged feeling. It truly is a special time, and what comes next is arguably even better: planning your big day! The first exciting stage of the wedding planning process is often choosing your venue. To ensure you select the best venue for your wedding, it is always a good idea to book a tour to get a feel for potential venues, so naturally, you may be wondering how long a venue tour will take.

So, how long do wedding venue tours take? Wedding venue tours can last anywhere between 20 minutes to a couple of hours. The total length will typically depend on a number of different factors. These include the size of the venue, the location (including different places on site), the questions asked by the couple, and the policy of the venue.

It is not uncommon for wedding coordinators at venues to arrange a meeting with the bride(s) and groom(s) either before or after the tour to give further details and provide key information about the venue to consider before booking.

So, if you include that, the total time runs a little longer!

When we got engaged and started discussing potential venues for our wedding day, I couldn’t resist booking a couple of viewings to kick start our plans!

It is so exciting going to view potential venues for your wedding day, and it is true what they say – getting a feel for what is right for you and your partner is key.

In total, we booked tours of four different venues and spent – on average – around an hour at each venue.

Each of the venues we looked at were stunning, but the one that we visited again and eventually booked for our wedding next year gave us both such a wonderful feeling, and we knew that it was the place for us!

From personal experience, I would definitely recommend booking viewings at a range of different venues, even if it is just to rule them out.

The way a venue looks is highly important for the aesthetic elements of your wedding day, but it also needs to feel right for you and your partner.

The feeling when something is just right is indescribable. So, remember to take a moment and soak in that feeling during your tour.

It is also important to consider your working relationship with the wedding coordinator at the venue because it is likely you will have a close working relationship with them in the lead-up to your big day.

One of the main reasons we booked ours – aside from the amazing feeling we had when we stepped through the doors – was the wedding coordinator: we instantly clicked.

She made us feel calm, reassured, and I trusted her within the first few moments of meeting her.

She filled us with confidence about our venue, and I can honestly say that wedding planning (so far at least!) has been made stress-free and easy by our lovely coordinator at our dream venue.

To ensure that you have made the right choice, spend time at your venue and ask questions about everything and anything that comes to mind!

From the suggested caterers to what is provided by the venue as part of your package, it is important for couples to have a clear understanding of what each venue can offer them before committing to a venue and making a final decision.

Often, venues will be able to recommend suppliers and use the wedding venue tour to learn more about the options you have for your wedding and get a feel for what it will be like on your wedding day.

Sometimes, they may even be willing to negotiate on price.

Seeing photographs of a venue is one thing, but experiencing the venue in person is another. If you are keen on a venue – don’t rush your tour.

Spend time exploring the nooks and crannies, soak in the feeling of your venue and try and imagine yourselves getting married there.

Whether you are accompanied by the wedding coordinator or not, you and your partner can use the tour to get a feel for potentially how your venue will be set up on your big day – take your time and enjoy!

What Can Influence Wedding Venue Tour Times

There are many different factors that can influence wedding venue tour times, from the size and location of the venue to the formality of the visit; no two venue tours are the same. On average, a wedding venue tour is likely to last around an hour.

If you are seeking a more detailed time schedule, we would always recommend contacting your prospective venue in advance as they will be able to give you venue-specific details.

When we were looking at potential venues for our wedding, we set aside half a day – depending on whether the tour was in the morning or afternoon – to get a feel for the venue and be able to make a bit of an event of it!

Selecting a wedding venue is an integral part of the wedding planning process – take time to enjoy it!

However, depending on work schedules, time of year, and availability of the venues, the length of time that you spend touring your venue may need to be considerably shorter.

If that is the case, be sure to come prepared with questions to ask to ensure you are choosing the right venue for you.

Communication is key; there is nothing worse than expecting an in-depth tour and then being let in for a casual self-guided tour and vice versa.

We would always recommend contacting the venue you are viewing in advance to get an idea of what you can expect.

As it turns out, we toured our venue three times in total – twice before we booked and once after.

Each tour allowed us to gather ideas and get a feel for what our wedding day might be like.

It was also a great opportunity to take our parents to see the venue and get their opinions.

Multiple tours are a great option to please everyone as I really enjoyed viewing the venue on our own too – as an engaged couple – soaking in the to-be-wed feelings and imagining ourselves there on our big day!

What To Expect At A Wedding Venue Tour

When touring a wedding venue, couples can expect a tour of the whole venue including, if part of your venue) the ceremony room, reception setting, bar area, outdoor features, on-site accommodation, and any getting ready rooms. Couples should also expect a meeting with the venue wedding coordinators on the tour to answer any questions or provide any venue-specific information.

It is also quite common for couples to be put in touch with potential suppliers following the tour so that the planning process can begin.

One thing that I have recommended to all of my newly engaged girlfriends when they are going on venue tours is focusing on what to wear.

For instance, wearing shoes that you are comfortable walking in!

Venue tours are known for getting your steps up, as the venue staff will be keen to show you all of the best features of their site.

The highlights and special places that may be quite a distance apart – they will want you to see everything that may persuade to that their venue is the one for you!

It is a good idea for couples to make a list of everything they want from their venues prior to arranging viewings.

There is no point in spending your time looking around a venue that doesn’t have the capacity to hold all of your guests or touring a venue where a ceremony cannot be held if that is what you are looking for.

Looking at a venue online is a great way of filtering exactly what you want before committing to an in-person viewing.

For us, it was really important that our ceremony could be held at the venue and that there was a small amount of on-site accommodation.

The venues that we viewed could all cater to our desires, and that made a choice a little easier – knowing that we wouldn’t have to compromise on something that we wanted for our big day.

There would be nothing worse than falling head-over-heels in love with a venue and then discovering that your wedding there just would not be feasible.

How Many Venues Should I Tour

There is no set number of venues you should tour before booking a venue for your wedding. You could tour one and have your heart set on that, or tour ten and still not have found the perfect one. That being said, it is always a good idea to tour at least two venues before committing to booking a venue.

This will provide useful information for comparison on elements such as price, vendor options, and timings for your wedding day.

When it comes to choosing your wedding dress – hear me out – there is such a thing as over shopping.

Where a bride may become overwhelmed with the vast array of different options available and therefore unable to decide on which dress to choose. The same can happen with wedding venues.

We would always recommend creating a Pinterest board to gather ideas about your dream venue and then look for ones that meet those criteria around the area you want to get married to.

There will likely be a few options of venues for you to tour, and this can help make the decision-making process easier.

However, if you and your partner are unsure about the type of venue that you want to have for your wedding: Hotel, Barn, Country Club, Stately Home, Marquee – the list goes on and on!

Viewing a selection of these different types of venues can make your selection easier.

Finally

Ultimately, your venue is an important part of your wedding day; it has got to feel right.

Venue tours provide an excellent opportunity for couples to explore and imagine themselves enjoying their wedding festivities at the venue.

Exciting times lay ahead!

I loved touring wedding venues and feel certain that in doing so, we have made the perfect choice for us.

Read my other wedding venue guides: