Photo Credit: Agape Wedding Videography
Venue viewings (especially wedding venue viewings) are more often than not booked on the morning of another wedding.
These short viewings can give you a realistic and tangible impression of what the venue would look like on your wedding day.
Prepare:
When requesting a viewing, consider that you may have questions. Read through any packages and pricing sent to you before viewing the venue in question.
This will allow for your viewing to be as informative as possible.
Bring a notepad, your questions and even the package with you.
Conversation:
In our packages, we try to cover all preempted queries and worries you, as the client, may have.
That said, we also encourage conversations about added services that we may be able to offer that you have thought of and may not have.
Walkthrough:
Our viewings start where your wedding would; we take you throughout different ceremony areas (chapel and outside ceremony areas), through to our "mirror room" canape and cocktail area, and then the reception venue ( which in our case spills outside onto the lawn )
Make sure to walk through the venue a second time after your meeting and take photos of areas where you envisage specific setup points, such as where you might want to place a photo moment backdrop, where you would like musos to set up, and possibly places to place detailed personal decor, e.g., a memorial photo stand, guest book or polaroid selfie station.
Set a date:
I always have our calendar available to confirm available dates for prospective clients.
Identify multiple dates for your wedding day, and give your thoughts on the time of year and the day of the week. Remember, rates are usually better on Fridays and weekdays than on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
Lock it in:
If you can confirm a date right then, do it to avoid someone else swooping in to book what you thought was available when you left the viewing.
I allow clients a week or two to consider details and then encourage them to request our booking invoice.
Contracts:
Wedding contracts with venues are in place to ensure all rules and conditions are clear. The contract is to protect the venue and you, the client. It should outline the hours you may use the venue, set up and strike regulations, payment structures, cancellation policies, extra costs and to-the-point meeting times.
A contract protects you as a client if the venue cannot fulfil its duties due to structural damage, and we need to claim form insurance to host the event elsewhere.
Comms and planning:
After viewings and when dates have been identified, I encourage clients to create a WhatsApp group where we can exchange ideas, information, plans, and prices. Three heads are better than two, so I encourage you to add your wedding entourage.
These groups make it easy to keep track of changes, share proofs of stationary, share timelines, change in guest numbers and on-the-day, last-minute changes. ( Tip: Do not share ideas or changes in voice notes; they are impossible to search when there are many messages in a thread)
Questions to ponder:
Essential questions to ask during your viewing that may not be included in other venue info packs are as follows:
Is there a backup Generator?
Slipperfields has a fully equipped generator that our entire venue can run off.
• What if it rains?
We offer All-Weather Facilities. Your guests won't be left out in the rain leading up to or after the Ceremony, as we have a fully enclosed canape and cocktail area.
• How many guests can the venue hold?
We make our spaces as big or as small as needed (for up to 300 guests).
• Is there air conditioning?
At Slipperfields, our ceremony and reception venue are both airconditioned.
• Where to take photos?
Photographers who have enjoyed shooting here can testify to our unique backdrop; within 5 minutes of the venue, you can be in a forest, open field, or mountainside.
• What bar facilities are there?
At Slipperfields, we have an Outside/Inside Bar | The outside bar is open to guests
while they wait for pre- and post-ceremony. For the reception, the inside bar keeps guests in the reception, with enough barmen to serve your guest amount.
An extensive wine list for all tastes.
(No beverages are to be brought onto the premises)
We are fully licensed. A comprehensive bar pricelist is available at very competitive prices.
(No external bar services are ever allowed at the venue.)
• Is there an onsite Bridal Suite and Grooms Room?
Having makeup and hair done on site reduces stress on the day. We have a bridal/groom suite and a cottage nearby for dressing and photoshoot opportunities.
• Will there be a Wedding Manager on duty?
At Slipperfields, we always have an events manager on duty. They will be available from the Ceremony set up until all reception formalities have been concluded.
• Are servers included?
All our bar, waitrons and kitchen staff are professionally trained and appropriately dressed. Service staff are included in 1 barman and runners; all other staff are charged extra.
• Are Mock Settings allowed?
A mock setting ensures your décor is as you dreamed it would be. We can add flowers at a cost price to the table, but we encourage our clients to trust our expertise.
We believe three to four meetings are sufficient before your wedding day.
The first is your viewing; the second is a "details" meeting on what you want to be quoted on (it could be telephonic or online); the third is your mock setting and final detail discussion (2 - 3 months prior); and the fourth is usually when you have a rehearsal and final timelines and extras are discussed ( two weeks pre-wedding).
Want to book a private viewing at Slipperfields?
Email info@slipperfields.co.za
or WhatsApp 0718565787,
alternatively, click on the link below:
Save the date :
Slipperfields Open Day 15 March 2025
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