Venue booking checklist UK: questions to ask before you sign

Most venue disappointments come from things nobody asked at the viewing: a curfew that ends the party at 11pm, a minimum spend that doubles the bar bill, or a deposit that cannot be refunded if your date moves. Use this checklist on every viewing and before you sign anything.

1. On the viewing: the space itself

• Is the date actually free? Ask whether anyone else holds a provisional booking on it, and how long the venue will hold it for you without a deposit.
• Who else is on site? Is it exclusive use, or could another event share the bar, car park or toilets?
• Access times. When can suppliers arrive to set up, and when must everything be cleared? A morning-after clear-down can mean paying for an extra day.
• Accessibility. Step-free access, accessible toilets, lifts and parking for guests who need them.
• Weather plan. If any part is outdoors, where does it move to in the rain, and is that space included?
• Practicalities. Parking spaces, distance to public transport and taxis late at night, nearby accommodation, power for bands and caterers.

2. Capacity: the number that matters

A venue's headline capacity is usually its maximum for a standing reception. A seated meal with round tables, a dance floor, a top table and a band takes far more room. Ask for the capacity for your layout: seated dinner, ceremony rows and evening standing are three different numbers, and the fire risk assessment sets the legal maximum.

Check your guest list against it with the free table seating and venue capacity calculator, which works out tables needed and floor space for your layout.

3. Licensing, curfews and noise

• Premises licence. Selling alcohol needs a premises licence covering your hours. If the venue has none, ask whether a Temporary Event Notice is needed and who applies for it.
• Ceremony licence. In England and Wales a civil ceremony must take place in approved premises, so check the room you want is on the approval.
• Curfew. Ask what time music must stop, the bar must close and guests must leave. These are often different times.
• Noise limits. Some venues have sound limiters that cut the power if a band goes over a set level. Tell your band or DJ in advance.
• Restrictions. Candles, confetti, fireworks, sky lanterns and outside suppliers are commonly restricted.

4. Hidden costs to ask about

The hire fee is rarely the full price. Ask for each of these in writing:

• Minimum spend on food and drink, and whether any shortfall is charged as a top-up.
• Corkage if you bring your own wine or fizz, typically charged per bottle.
• Service charge, often 10–12.5% on catering and drinks.
• Compulsory suppliers: in-house catering, an approved list of caterers or a fee for using your own.
• Extras: chairs, linen, staffing, security, cleaning, cloakroom, late-finish charges and overnight room minimums.

Put every venue through the same list in the free venue hire cost comparison calculator to compare the real total side by side.

5. VAT: inclusive or not?

Ask whether every price is inclusive of VAT at 20%. Hire of a room can be VAT-exempt, but many venues opt to tax their property and add VAT; catering, drinks and equipment hire are normally standard-rated. A £4,000 quote "plus VAT" is £4,800, so get the VAT-inclusive total on the quote.

6. The contract and deposit

• Deposit. How much, is it refundable and under what conditions? Venues often take 20–50%.
• Payment schedule. When are interim and final payments due? Final balances are often due 4–8 weeks before the date.
• Cancellation. What do you owe if you cancel 12, 6 or 2 months out? What if the venue cancels?
• Postponement. Can you move the date, and is there a fee or a price increase?
• Price changes. Are per-head prices fixed, or can they rise for bookings next year?
• Final numbers. When must you confirm guest numbers, and can they go down after that?
• Insurance. Does the venue need you or your suppliers to hold public liability insurance?

Paying a deposit over £100 by credit card can give extra protection under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. Read the full terms before you pay: signing usually makes the deposit non-refundable.

7. Score the venues, then decide

After two or three viewings the details blur. Score each venue against the same criteria straight after the visit, add the full cost, and decide on the numbers, not on whichever one you saw last.

Free tools: venue hire cost comparison · table seating and capacity calculator · how to budget a UK wedding

Written with AI assistance and checked against GOV.UK guidance. General information, not financial, tax or legal advice.