How to Choose Your Wedding Venue (unbiased version By The Secret Haven)
- The Secret Haven team
- Jul 28
- 5 min read
While we are also a venue, we like to play fair too ok (ok maybe a bit bias). But here's what we noticed over the last 6 Years in the wedding industry as a wedding coordinator at The Secret Haven. We will not be talking about the vibes or wedding style because that's D'UH - commonsense. Instead, we will talk about the more practical things that you need to consider when choosing your wedding venue.
So here's the top 5 things we are revealing on How to Choose Your Wedding Venue - By Yours Truly, The Secret Haven (honestly why are we doing this? Literally trying to sabo ourselves)
#1 Determine your guestlist number (agar agar)
Are you looking to have 50-100 pax? 200pax? 300pax? 400pax? 1000pax? By having an idea of what your guestlist will be like, you can immediately narrow down the venues that are available. For example, if you have 1000 pax, most restaurants and hotels will not be able to accommodate that. You will likely need to look at MBS or EXPO halls. Many hotels also have a cap up to 500pax and a minimum of 150-200pax. So don't waste your time (and the hotel's time), if your guestlist doesn't hit their minimum or exceeds their seating capacity.
Pro-tip: Download their wedding kit or packages to see their floorplan before reaching out to them
If a venue values price transparency (like us), all the packages will be on their website for easy reference! See below for our example of where you can download wedding kits and/or packages.
#2 Set A Realistic Budget
Times are damn hard we know. Weddings are a once in a lifetime celebration but it should also not drown you in credit card debt. Set a budget that won't wipe out your entire bank account. Here are some things to consider:
- Lunch ($) VS Dinner ($$) - Weekday ($) VS Weekend ($$) - 10- Course Buffet ($) VS 4-5 Course Plated Menu ($$$) VS 8-course Banquet Style food ($$$$)
-Dry Hire Venue ($*) VS Restaurant ($$) VS Hotel ($$$)
*Be careful with dry hire venues because while it might seem cheap to rent a bare bone venue, your cost will add up after you include things like catered food, AV, furniture, Decoration, tentage, and even portable aircoolers and air-conditioning. A venue with a higher upfront price may actually cost less overall if more essentials are included.
Choose a venue that works within your budget and remember that ++ too! It will sneak up on you. Just because you see $100++/pax doesn't mean it's $100 per pax. The ++ refers to Service Charge and GST. Something that every venue will charge for. For easy calculation. Just do a X 1.199 to the amount to get the nett figure.
EXAMPLE: $100++/pax will be $100 X 1.199 = $119.90/pax NETT
LASTLY!
Consider your friends and family. As a normal person earning a normal wage with the cost of living getting higher and higher, a big fat angpao can be painful. So unless your guests are business partners with deep pockets or your super rich friends, don't expect to "earn" back your ang pao money and spoil friendship just because they cannot afford to pay for their seat. They are there to celebrate your marriage, not to fund your wedding.
Lucky for you, we have very affordable packages here at The Secret Haven starting from $129++/pax! Our couples love it and their guests love it MORE.
#3 Consider Accessibility
As a human, I hate when I get invited to a location where I have to open google maps to figure out how to get there. Or realise that my grab fare is going to be $30-$40 each way because there are no public transportation to reach the location without having to hike up a mini mountain.
Consider the following when doing a site visit:
Is the venue centrally located?
Yes we are, The Secret Haven is 5min from Plaza Singapura
Is there sufficient parking?
The Secret Haven have FREE private parking for 20 cars
Is it near public transport?
The Secret Haven is located near dhoby ghaut MRT
Is it elderly-friendly?
The Secret Haven is on the ground floor and wheelchair friendly
Are there lifts if stairs are involved?
Even our carpark has lift access
Sorry not sorry about the flex
#4 Trust The Team, Not Just The Venue
Notice whether the team:
Responds fast
Under 6 hours is fantastic, 24 hours is the norm, 48 hours is the max, anything else is just red flag.
Answers questions and policies honestly
Managing your expectations, being clear of what is included and what is not.
Makes you feel comfortable
Are they fun, chill, cool and professional. Or uptight and can't wait to end the conversation?
Shows genuine interest in your wedding
Giving suggestions on what you can do to elevate the wedding, listening to your concerns, finding solutions etc. These are green flags when speaking to a sales staff! Not just one who wants their commission..
#5 FOOD!!!
Touch your heart and ask yourself - do you remember a time where you went to a wedding and was blown away by the food? I do. I remember going to a hotel with not much expectations and the food exceeded expectations. I also remember going to one in Sentosa (shall not be named) and had absolutely bad food. So that was memorable too. Unless your program is so memorable that it can erase or over ride their memory of the food, I guarantee you that food is one of the most important factors when choosing the venue.
If the venue is a restaurant, dine there a few times to check the standard of the food. The kitchen team is usually the same so it is a good indicator of the type of quality you will get.
You may also check if the reviews talk about their food. Usually if the food is a standout, it will be mentioned in the review. But if the food is meh at best, you see more reviews on "service" or "venue very pretty".
The Secret Haven Google Review The Secret Haven Google Review The Secret Haven Google Review
After all the spreadsheets, checklists and calculations, don't ignore your instincts.
If a venue matches your vision, fits your budget, accommodates your guests and gives you confidence in the team, you will be able to feel it in your heart - The same way you found your partner.
So with all these said and done, do you now know how to choose your perfect wedding venue?
PSSST Maybe consider us? Only because we have a fantastic place, great food, and a really cool team.
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