Questions to ask your Wedding Venue before booking

This post is suited to questions relating to the evening reception Entertainment

• Are there any noise restrictions? If not, do you ever get noise complaints?

  Fortunately, the majority of venues will allow your entertainment to set the level of their show. However, it’s becoming increasingly common for venues to become equipped with sound limiters. In my experience, many of the latter are not upfront about this. This is also true for venues with no Limiter but are frequently receiving complaints from guests or neighbours.
  
  In short, a Sound Limiter will measure the overall Sound Pressure Level (SPL) in the event space. This measurement will include everything from the band/DJ to the noise the crowd is making. It is measured using a microphone, and this microphone could be placed anywhere. If the SPL exceeds the threshold set by the venue, all power to the room will be cut for a given period (usually 30 seconds) whilst the limiter resets.
  
  A Sound Limiter does not actually limit the SPL, but forces the Band/DJ to make adjustments at their end so as to not exceed the SPL. I know of a venue which has the measurement microphone at the entrance of their marquee, and an arguing couple next to the entrance (microphone sees this as loud) caused the Limiter to trigger half way through an evening reception, not ideal!
  
  You can imagine how anxiety inducing this must be for the Band/DJ as they will be paying more attention to the Limiter’s meter than the dancefloor!

• Are the meal and reception in the same area? If so, how long is the turnaround period?

  Many DJs and Bands prefer to get in early to set up, however most of the time we understand that this is not possible. It's always good to let your entertainment know how long they will have to set up (and they can let you know if they'll need more time). Usually 45 minutes to 1 hour is realistic.

• Do you allow the use of a haze machine?

  Unfortunately, the majority of venues nowadays have the wrong type of fire detector fitted for an events space. This means that haze is generally not permitted as it will trigger the fire alarm. You may be wondering, ‘What is a haze machine?’
  
  In short, a haze machine spreads a very thin mist around the room allowing beams of light to become visible through the air. This will bring a high quality light-show to life. The difference a haze machine makes cannot be understated. They are used at every major concert and in every major nightclub throughout the world.
  
  A haze machine is not the same as a fog/smoke machine, it will not blast a big white cloud of smoke into the air. Haze machines are far more discreet and subtle, most of the time you wouldn’t even notice it was on.
  
  Your venue may allow you to isolate the alarms in the event space during your reception.

• Do you allow confetti?

  Like haze machines, this is venue dependent. They are unlikely to say yes if there’s a carpet or something similar the confetti can get stuck in. Some venues will only allow it if it’s biodegradable.
  

• Do you allow pyrotechnics?

  Again, like a haze machine, some venues do not like the idea of sparks going off inside their event space. Many DJs will offer a ‘cold’ sparkler effect known as the Sparkular
  

• Do you require anything from the entertainment such as a PAT Certificate, Public Liability Insurance, Risk Assessment, Method Statement etc?

  Many venues require either some or all of the above but they are generally not proactive in seeking this. I personally have all of the above but a lot of entertainers do not and have been known to cancel with 1-2 weeks notice in the past leaving you without entertainment right before your Wedding! At least if you know this is a venue requirement, you can ask your Entertainment for it right away.
  

• What size is the stage area and how many sockets are there?

  There’s no point in your Band/DJ going all out with an all-singing all-dancing setup if they’re going to be positioned in a corner with a single 13A socket. I personally like to meet my couples at the venue to discuss logistics with the events manager so there’s no confusion on the day, however this is not always possible and not something every entertainer will offer.
  

• Is there disabled access into your venue?

  Many DJs and Bands will bring heavy equipment often stored in wheeled flight cases. These flight cases and large pieces of equipment cannot be safely carried upstairs by a single person so they will need to either switch out to lighter (but poorer performing) equipment or add on an additional crew member to help with loading in and loading out. The additional crew member is often required to be there for the entirety of the event as going home and coming back is not practical (unless in a city centre venue at the weekend when there’s plenty of public transport on).
  

• What time do you expect the entertainment to finish?/Do you have a late license?

  Some venues will have the bar open until midnight but will expect the entertainment to finish for 11:30 or 11:45. It’s always useful to be proactive in asking as you don’t want the DJ/band to think they’ve got half an hour left, save the best for last then find out they’ve got 1 song left meaning your guests miss out on what should be a huge finish. If the DJ/band know they’ve to finish half an hour early, they can make preparations and alterations to their set.
  

• Is there a dressing room available?

  This is more applicable to bands and singers, who will require a space to get changed and to freshen up in-between sets.