When the Planner Plans: Choosing a Nashville Wedding Reception Venue!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Kristin of Simply Stunning Events is back to give us an update on her wedding! Be sure to check out her last post on planning a Nashville wedding to get a great insider's perspective.
Guest Post: Kristin of Simply Stunning Events is a Nashville, TN-based wedding and event planner who is currently engaged to Brian Kaplan, a Nashville wedding photographer. When my fiance and I set out to find a reception venue, I'll admit, we were a little lost. Of course I knew of many hotels, historic houses, plantations, and rooftop venues around the city but I had no idea what would fit our personalities the best. We were also dealing with the fact that 90% of our guests would be traveling from out of state so we needed a spot that was convenient and close to hotels. Then it hit me, The Country Music Hall of Fame!! It was perfect! Both Brian and I are very into music (it has become the un-official theme for the wedding), he plays guitar, I play piano, and he works in country music. The venue is also blocks from downtown and many major hotels. Score!
Country Music Hall of Fame at night
Staircase leading down to the conservatory
We immediately started working through the costs and details of renting the space. We decided that we could manage to make it work with our budget but there were of course some concerns we had to consider. Here are some questions to ask before signing on the dotted line! - Budget: Rental fees can range from $500 - $10,000 depending on the site but that fee isn't the only thing to worry about. Ask what that fee includes (will you need to rent tables and chairs or are they included?). Are there any other hidden fees to consider? Cake cutting fees, corkage fees, etc? One thing we learned about the Hall of Fame was that they require a sound production fee in addition to the cost of your music. That fee ranged from $400 to $1700 depending on which space you rent and whether you'd have a band or DJ. That is a BIG addition to the cost of renting the space and we had to be sure that we could fit that in the budget as well. - Vendor relations: Does the venue have a list of vendors that you must choose from? Are you allowed to bring in your own caterer or must you use the in-house catering? Are you required to contract certain vendors through the venue? At the Hall of Fame for example, you must use So Bro Catering (which I'm definitely not complaining about because they are fantastic!) and you also must book the band or DJ through the venue (meaning the sound production department does the actual hiring and you just pay the Hall of Fame directly). This can help save you time as your venue will probably recommend vendors that know the space well but be sure they are not overcharging you for the service (meaning they aren't paying the band $3000 and then charging you $4000 for it). - Logistics: How many people does the space hold? Does that number take into consideration the space for a dance floor? What time can your vendors access the venue to come in and decorate? How many hours does the rental include? How many restrooms are there? Will there be any other functions happening at the same time? Are there any insurance requirements? With the Hall of Fame they do require personal liability insurance (which only costs about $100 or so but still good to know about). Also we had to consider the fact that it is a museum and therefore would be open to the public until 5:00 PM. Fortunately our vendors can still come in to set-up anytime after 2 PM but it might be a bit more difficult for them to set up while people are walking around.
Rotunda, seats 150 with a dance floor for sit-down reception
So there you have it! There are of course more questions to ask a reception site, but these should help you get started. A good wedding planner can also greatly assist you in finding a venue that reflects who you are and can help guide you through all the questions and considerations!
Conservatory, seats up to 400 with a dancefloor for sit-down reception
Conservatory set up for an event
View of downtown from the conservatory
About the Author:
Ashley of Ashley's Bride Guide
Hey - I'm Ashley! I started AshleysBrideGuide.com to give Nashville brides, or folks planning a Nashville wedding, a local resource for inspiration and resources. Hope to see you at a bridal show soon! Happy Planning.
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Posted on March 4, 2009 |
Filed under: Wedding Planners & Coordinators, Wedding Resources, Wedding Venues and Locations
