Choosing a wedding venue usually starts with decisions like budget, guest numbers, and deciding on what season you want to get married in. Once you’ve decided on these, shortlist some venues, visit your favourites, and ask the right questions.
Planning your wedding should be exciting, but it can be difficult to know where to start.
Having helped hundreds of couples tie the knot, our expert venue team has put together these 10 steps for finding the right venue, plus the questions to ask every venue on your shortlist.
This is how to choose a wedding venue
Define your wedding style
What is your dream wedding theme? Are you drawn to quirky and unique city venues, or do you prefer a classic setting? Victoria Warehouse weddings offer an industrial-chic backdrop within an intimate setting. Find out why couples love industrial wedding venues.
Our recommended suppliers can dress our spaces however you wish; we’ve delivered some amazing concepts over the years, from blossom trees and flowing drapes to teardrop lights hanging from pillars and ceilings.
Decide on the size of your guest list
Your venue choice will largely depend on how many guests you plan to invite. Are you planning a small wedding or a large-scale celebration? Count your day and evening guests separately, as many venues will cap and price them differently.
Here at Victoria Warehouse, you can have as much or as little room as you need within our adaptable spaces, for up to 1,000 guests. Four of our rooms are licensed for civil ceremonies.
Consider the location
Are you looking for a wedding venue near or in Manchester? Consider accessibility for guests, transport links, and accommodation options nearby. A Manchester wedding venue like Victoria Warehouse offers a central location, with excellent connectivity to Manchester Airport and the city centre. We’re also conveniently located just a 2-minute walk away from Wharfside tram stop. See how your guests can get here.
Set your budget
Before you start searching, it’s a good idea to set the budget first. Consider venue hire, catering, décor, and any additional costs. Whilst most venues can work to a variety of different budgets, having a realistic idea of cost in mind can help when you start looking at and speaking to venues.
Think about the season
If you’re dreaming of an outdoor wedding, consider the weather in Manchester! Victoria Warehouse offers stunning indoor settings that are perfect for a year-round celebration, with unique outdoor backdrops for photos.
Saturdays in the summer tend to book up first, so a winter date or a weekday can offer more availability.
Check what’s included
Some venue options offer full wedding packages, while others provide wedding venue hire only. Consider what’s included in the cost – catering, décor, furniture, and AV equipment – so you don’t end up with unexpected expenses.
Visit in person
Once you’ve shortlisted potential venues, arrange visits to get a real feel for the space. Seeing the layout, lighting, and décor options in person will help you decide if it’s the right fit for your wedding. Many of our couples say they felt immediately that Victoria Warehouse was the right wedding venue for them. Trusting your gut feeling is often good advice.
Consider flexibility and customisation
Do you want to personalise your wedding décor, or are you happy with a pre-set look? Victoria Warehouse provides a blank canvas that allows you to tailor the space to your vision, making it truly unique to you and your story.
Read reviews and ask for recommendations
Look at testimonials from other couples who have married at your shortlisted venues. Social media, review sites, and word-of-mouth recommendations can help you make an informed choice for many venues.
Find out how Grace and Anis celebrated their big day in style at Victoria Warehouse, or how Becky and Chris had their dream after-party.
Trust your instincts
At the end of the day, go with what feels right. If a venue gives you that magical feeling and meets all your practical needs, it’s the one!
Five questions to ask your wedding venue
What is included in the venue hire?
One of the most important questions to ask when choosing a wedding venue – this one will help determine what exactly is involved in an event at your chosen venue, and what you might need to organise externally.
At Victoria Warehouse, our industrial backdrop can bring a cool vibe to your big day, whilst still giving you the space to put your own twist on our interiors.
Included in our wedding packages are: tables and chairs with black or white linen, cutlery, crockery, and glassware, multicoloured pillar downlighting, a PA system and two wireless microphones, a cake stand, table and knife, a private bar, specialist wedding team, and venue security. That way, we save you the trouble of having to find your own essentials, and we make sure that they’re prepared and ready to use on the day.
Who’ll be working on my wedding?
More often than not, an on-site team will be on hand before, during and after to ensure everything runs smoothly. It’s important to build a relationship with the team looking after your wedding to make sure you know where to go with any problems both throughout the process and on the day.
Our Weddings and Special Events Coordinator, Eve, has worked at Victoria Warehouse since 2021, meaning she knows the venue inside out. She can talk you through all the ways our venue can be transformed to make your vision a reality, and will brief our operations team on executing everything perfectly.
We also work with several regular suppliers, many of whom will be there on your wedding day to support you with preparation, set-up, and execution. For instance, Verdure Floral Design, decor and styling pros The Event Edit, and entertainment experts Exceed Events.
Is the venue licensed for civil ceremonies?
If you’re keen to hold both your ceremony and your reception in the same venue, you’ll need to make sure that your venue has a wedding licence. If they don’t, you might consider having a legal marriage beforehand elsewhere, and then holding a celebrant-led ceremony on the day.
We are licensed to hold civil ceremonies in The Bays, The Archives, The Cellars, and The Cotton Sheds; all of which allow you to create a romantic but intimate environment while saying your vows amongst friends and family.
Do you have an in-house catering team?
Some venues will work with trusted suppliers, others will have an in-house catering team, and some will do a little bit of both, so it’s worth establishing this when settling on your dream wedding venue.
Our in-house catering team is able to create a range of menus, with a variety of dishes and serving styles to choose from. Whether you’re after a canapé reception, three-course dinner or a less formal street food set-up (or all of the above), you have some of Manchester’s finest food and drink at your beck and call. If you’re unsure which direction you’d like to go, we offer complimentary menu tasting for all our couples, giving you the chance to explore before you decide.
What kind of price range do you offer?
It goes without saying that there are a whole host of venues out there, coming in at all sorts of prices.
Your best bet is flexibility, with a venue that offers adaptable packages depending on what you may or may not need. Ask for a full quote in writing, including VAT, service charges, and any minimum spend, so you can compare venues like for like.
At Victoria Warehouse, for example, pricing varies depending on the day of the week you’re getting married. Our Evening Package, meanwhile, offers a different price point for a different kind of wedding experience – perfect for those looking for more of a party, or those who tied the knot abroad and want to celebrate at home – with the option to include add-ons such as extra guests or drinks upgrades.
More questions to ask before you book
- Is my date available and can you hold it while I decide?
- What deposit is needed, and when are the other payments due?
- What happens if we need to postpone or cancel?
- What time does the event have to finish?
- Can we bring our own suppliers?
- When can our suppliers set up?
- Is the venue fully accessible?
- Do you have exclusive use of the space?
- Which hotels would you recommend for our guests?
Why Victoria Warehouse is your dream wedding venue
If you’re looking for a unique wedding venue in Manchester, Victoria Warehouse offers an iconic, industrial setting with character, flexibility, and a prime location. Whether you’re planning an intimate celebration or a grand event in Manchester, our wedding venues set the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable day.
You should also consider your evening reception. Our spaces are perfect for celebrating becoming a married couple. Whether you’d like to add a photo booth, live entertainment, or a DJ, we’re here to help make our blank canvas your own.
Need more wedding venue ideas? Book a private viewing, meet our friendly team of expert event planners, and see how our spaces can be transformed for your special day!
If you’d like to ask any of these questions – or more – to our specialist wedding team, get in touch now to enquire about hiring our venue or learn more about weddings at Victoria Warehouse.
