There’s nothing more exciting than finding the perfect wedding venue for your dream day in France. Given the incredible number of options, you have something to satisfy every taste. For one, you can choose a chic and urban spot in major cities like Paris or Nice or go for something extravagantly wealthy, such as an ancient chateau in the heart of the Loire Valley. It’s safe to say that the possibilities are truly endless! However, booking a wedding venue may not be such a simple process. In fact, it can get super tricky, considering you’re planning a fabulous destination wedding in Paris.
Since you’re unfamiliar with the local customs and timelines, the booking process can put quite a nick in your plans. For that reason, we’ve prepared the ultimate guide to booking a wedding venue in France. We’ve covered everything from the ideal time frames to guidelines you should remember before securing your location. By taking the right and essential steps you’ll see in this blog, finding your dream spot will be a breeze.
When Should You Book a Wedding Venue in France?
When planning a destination wedding in France, you need to start the planning process months in advance, sometimes even years! Considering this is one of the most desired locations for tying the knot, some of your (potentially) favorite wedding venues may not be available, ultimately leaving you disappointed. Luckily, this is quite simple to avoid.
Before you even consider booking a wedding venue in France, you need to clearly determine two things—your budget and guest list. These will ultimately narrow down your search options, making the process streamlined and efficient. As previously mentioned, France is abundant with various venue options, so there’s bound to be something that will sweep you off your feet.
How Early to Book a Wedding Venue?
After you’ve set your budget and guest list, you can start looking into venues. The ideal timeframe for booking a wedding venue in France is 12-18 months in advance. This will give you more than enough time to find reputable vendors and plan your big day easily. Additionally, we advise you to do this first since availability is not a one-size-fits-all approach. In other words, certain wedding venues are highly exclusive, meaning they’re only available for a few dates per year. That’s why you should make your enquiries as fast as possible to avoid disappointment in the long run.
Can You Book a Wedding Venue 2 Years in Advance?
Speaking of these kinds of venues, some couples might wonder whether you can book a wedding venue 2 years in advance. Fortunately, this is more than possible, and it’s actually recommended you do this if you’re looking into spots with limited availability. Since this is a rather wide timeframe, you’ll have all the time in the world to plan your wedding exactly as you envisioned.
Should You Book a Wedding Venue in Peak Season?
Finally, when talking about the timing of booking a wedding venue in France, you also need to consider the peak and off-seasons. For most venues, peak season is usually around the summer months, and the prices are at their highest. With this in mind, if you’re on a tight budget, you should definitely look into planning your wedding during the off-season when prices are more affordable and the venues aren’t as busy.
How Does the Wedding Venue Booking Process Work in France?
Knowing the ideal timeframe for booking a wedding venue in France, it’s time you familiarize yourself with the process. The first step is finding the ideal location for you.
Where Can I Book a Wedding Venue?
Discovering and researching wedding venues has never been easier, thanks to the modern world and all the digital advances that come with it. With that said, you can find many venues on directories such as FrenchWeddingStyle or ask your planner for suggestions. While you can go either way, we advise you to do the initial search yourself so you can see what complies with your vision.
How to Enquire About Wedding Venues?
After you’ve browsed through your options (and you should take your sweet time with it), the next step is enquiring. Typically, most venues will already have the essential information laid out, but since every celebration is unique, you’re bound to have many questions. For that reason, when you make the first enquiry, ask your preferred venue whether they’re available for your dates and if they can accommodate the celebrations you’re going for.
What to Do After Shortlisting Wedding Venues?
Since this step is mostly “reserved” for gathering information, there’s no need to go into specifics. You won’t be signing any contracts yet, so you should inform yourself of your desired options as much as possible. However, don’t let this step take too much of your time. As you know, venues get booked by the minute, and you may end up losing your spot to another happy couple. So, gather everything you need and narrow down your list. Once this is done and you have your favorites, you can proceed to actually booking a wedding venue.
What Are the Steps to Book a Wedding Venue in France?
It’s time for you to discover all the details about booking a wedding venue in France. Again, this process may get tedious sometimes, but it’s an important part of your dream day.
Once you have your budget and guest list set up, look for wedding venue directories such as the ones we have on French Wedding Style. We feature venues of all styles and budgets across France, making it easier to find the perfect one. When you’ve narrowed down your list, enquire about all the relevant information, including availability, package options, payment details, etc.
What Should You Consider When Booking a Wedding Venue?
During the enquiry stage, you won’t need to make anything official, so ensure you get as informed as possible. After you find the one that fits your vision, you can proceed to book a wedding venue. In most cases, you’ll be asked to place a security deposit to reserve your space. The amount is always different since wedding venues can vary in style, luxury, and the amenities and services they offer. However, before that, be sure to establish what goes into the price so you don’t face any unexpected hidden costs. In other words, you should decide whether you go for your chosen vendors or the ones recommended by the venue, see which event places you’re paying for, and what services are included in the price.
Should You Hire a Wedding Planner?
Since destination weddings in France can be tricky to plan sometimes, we recommend you hire a wedding planner for your French Wedding. They will ensure you get the best value for money and help you throughout the planning process. Your planner will also review your contract to ensure you get everything you’ve agreed upon. If everything is well and sorted, all that’s left to do is sign the contract and start planning your dream day!
What Should You Do After Booking a Wedding Venue in France?
You’ll hear most couples say that the work is done after booking a wedding venue. On the contrary, your work has just begun! Finding a venue indeed is one of the biggest burdens in the planning process, but you still have to cover many steps after the initial booking. The first one is ensuring the contract is properly reviewed.
In most cases, your wedding planner will handle this part since it’s mostly logistics and business jargon, which can sometimes be challenging to understand. Still, you should definitely have a look at it yourself and see whether the contract features everything you’ve agreed upon. This includes the payment plan, deposits, fees, insurance, weather plans, and other additional information.
How to Review the Wedding Venue Contract?
While on topic about the payment plan, a few aspects should be covered in the contract. For one, the amount you’re expected to pay should be clearly stated, along with when you’re expected to pay it. The same notion applies to your security deposit as well. In other words, the contract should have whether you’re expected to place a security deposit and if it’s refundable or not. Finally, and most importantly, the contract should clearly indicate the situations in which your security deposit may be pulled.
How to Choose Vendors After Booking a Wedding Venue?
If your contract is sorted, the next step is to find your premium wedding vendors. For one, when you’re booking a wedding venue, you might also get recommendations for vendors from the venue itself. Of course, you’re free to discover other options either by yourself or with the help of your planner. In any case, it’s smart to research all possibilities to score a deal that works best for you.
What Are the Deposit Requirements When Booking a Wedding Venue in France?
As previously mentioned, the deposit is usually essential when booking a wedding venue in France. This is what ultimately secures your date with the venue, so any other couples don’t swoop in and take it. However, it’s important to ask a few questions before you place it.
How Much Deposit to Book a Wedding Venue?
First, and most importantly, you should be aware that most venues require a deposit of 30% of the total venue hire cost upfront, and you should ask whether this booking deposit is refundable. We already mentioned how you’ll come across many venues that will surely pique your interest, so you’ll want to have them available for your preferred date. If your budget allows it and the deposits are indeed refundable, you might want to make at least two booking deposits. We said two because backup plans in wedding planning are super important. Additionally, if the venue you’re eyeing has non-refundable deposits, ensure you absolutely want to host your celebration there before placing it.
Next, you should ask whether it’s part of the full price or if it goes separately. Some of the more luxurious wedding venues in France require a separate deposit, one that isn’t part of the payment plan. Same as before, be sure this is clearly stated in the contract before you place it. Lastly, ask about the payment method i.e., whether it needs to be paid in cash or you can use a card.
How Do Wedding Venue Prices Vary?
As far as prices go, we can’t set an average price since all venues are different and offer varying services. Naturally, premium venues such as ornate chateaux and castles usually require a higher deposit, while for the more laid-back ones in the countryside, the cost is considerably lower.
Where Can I Book a Wedding Venue in France?
By now, you know that the best option when booking a wedding venue is to do it through a directory such as French Wedding Style. Primarily, you’ll have access to all sorts of venues across the entirety of France, making the research process very simple.
What to Expect From Wedding Venue Directories?
You’ll surely stumble upon many options that will catch your eye, so our directory will provide everything you need to know about them. We also feature the venues’ trusted suppliers and real weddings on our pages to help with the inspiration through to planning process.
How to Enquire About Wedding Venues?
Most importantly, you can make enquiries about your preferred venue(s) directly on French Wedding Style. You won’t have to sift through multiple web pages since the forms are filled all in one place! We’ve taken the time to simplify the booking process as much as possible since we’re well aware of how stressful it can get. This is to show you that our directory is the place to book a wedding venue in France.
How Can I Negotiate Wedding Costs When Booking a Venue in France?
When it comes to the cost, you shouldn’t jump ship when booking a wedding venue. Instead, negotiate a deal that works best for you.
When enquiring, you’ll see that most venues will provide packages based on your style and guest list. However, you should know that these packages can be further personalized. In other words, you can opt for services and amenities you need so you don’t pay extra. Rental fees are also negotiable, so ensure you cover those as well.
Can I Book a Wedding Venue in France Before Getting Engaged?
We know some couples are so eager to get married they want to start the planning process even before getting engaged. While the excitement is more than justified, you should follow some guidelines for such early bookings.
Firstly, if you’re planning a wedding together already, you do not need to have an engagement ring on your finger. However, you should be 100% certain that both parties want to get married to each other and that your wedding vision will remain unchanged as time passes by.
What to Consider When Booking Early?
What we’re saying is that the wedding world is ever-changing, and trends come and go in the blink of an eye. France is naturally one of the best places to get married, but you might change your mind about the specific location where you’ll be tying the knot. For instance, you may be set on exchanging your vows in a gorgeous chateau in Champagne at one point, only to change your mind and want to do it somewhere along the glimmering French Riviera. With this in mind, be sure that your plans stay exactly the same as when you first make your bookings; otherwise, you’ll lose money on your deposits.
Final Tips on Booking a Wedding Venue in France
Booking a wedding venue is an integral part of the planning process, and it should be handled with the utmost precision. Don’t rush into it, but take the time to explore all your options and find the best deal for you. Start early and consider using the French Wedding Style venue directory for a streamlined experience. With us by your side, you’ll have no trouble finding the location that perfectly fits your vision for an astounding celebration.
