Your Ultimate Wedding Venue Checklist

Choosing the venue

Where you have your wedding is a big decision; the venue makes a statement about you as a couple and it will forever be the place you said: "I do". It's also a lynchpin when it comes to organising a wedding - once you have the venue booked, you can then start making solid arrangements with your caterers, musicians, florists and other suppliers, not to mention sending out your invitations!

The venue you choose will determine the extent of your guest list, a big part of your aesthetic as well as make a big impact on your budget and your vendors.

Key questions to consider when choosing a venue include:

∙ What's the capacity like? Do you want an intimate wedding or one in a larger space?

∙ What's the location like? Is it easy to get to? Can people stay overnight?

∙ Does it work with your overall theme?

Once you've drawn a shortlist of potential venues, think about which elements of your day are non-negotiable for you, and what part you're more flexible with. Thinking about your catering, entertainment and special touches, is the venue able to provide or accommodate these? Let's take a look at these in a bit more detail…

Venue catering

Food is an important part of any day and, especially on your wedding day, you don't want your guests to go hungry. It's important to speak to your wedding venue about the food so you're completely happy with what you'll be eating on your special day as well as what you'll be having served to your family and friends.

A few key questions to consider here are:

∙ What in-house catering does the venue offer?

∙ Will you opt for a formal sit-down meal or a more casual buffet-style wedding lunch?

∙ What food will you want available during the reception?

∙ Are there options for vegetarians, special dietaries and children?

∙ Does the venue come equipped with a number of preferred catering partners?

∙ Can you taste the menu in advance?

Twickenham Stadium offers in-house catering headed up by Executive Head Chef Thomas Rhodes. A tasting experience is available for all couples before their big day, including starter, main, dessert and selected wines.

Accommodation

Weddings can be rather tiring with all the emotion, the dancing, the food, the alcohol and, for the happy couple, the hosting. You and your guests being able to stay on-site at your wedding venue has a number of advantages, including:

∙ Just a short elevator ride to your bed

∙ An extra layer of luxury and excitement

∙ Less stress at the end of the day

∙ Room service

Ask your venue the following questions:

∙ Is there accommodation either on-site or nearby?

∙ What's the capacity for overnight guests?

∙ Is there a discounted rate for overnight guests?

Twickenham Stadium has an on-site Marriott Hotel with 156 bedrooms and six pitch-side suites, and a night's accommodation for the happy couple is included within the package.

Accessibility and parking

It's important that your guests can easily get to your wedding venue, and being able to have them arrive by car means they can arrive without the stresses of public transport - missed connections and strangers accidentally spilling coffee on their specially-chosen outfits.

Make sure your venue has enough parking for your guest list with these few simple questions:

∙ How many parking spaces are available at your site?

∙ Is there an additional cost for parking on-site?

∙ Can guests park overnight?

∙ Are there any additional car parks nearby?

∙ What are the public transport links like?

Twickenham Stadium has ample parking available which is complimentary to guests, with overnight parking available for guests staying in the on-site Marriott hotel too.

The Stadium is also a 10-minute walk from Twickenham train station and a 20-minute walk from both St. Margaret's and Whitton train stations.

As a prime venue in London, there are a number of airports nearby for those guests travelling from further afield. Twickenham Stadium is 6 miles from Heathrow Airport, 20 miles from London City Airport, 30 miles from London Gatwick Airport and 50 miles from Stansted Airport.

Twickenham Stadium is also regularly served by five different bus routes, all less than an 8-minute walk from the stadium.

Availability and Costs

It's important to check if the venue can accommodate you on your preferred dates and also how much you can expect to pay.

Key questions to ask your venue in this regard include:

∙ How far in advance can I book?

∙ What is your availability like in (for example:) the summer of 2025?

∙ What do the packages include?

∙ What do you provide? What don't you provide?

∙ Will I be charged extra for non-preferred suppliers?

∙ How much is the deposit and when does it need to be paid?

∙ Can I get the offer in writing?

You can find out all about the Classic Package and the Premium Package that we offer at Twickenham Stadium, detailing what's included in each package and the cost.

Folding all these questions into your wedding checklist will help make your wedding that much smoother, both in the planning and on the day itself.

Weddings at Twickenham Stadium

Getting married at Twickenham Stadium is an unforgettable experience, from the grounds themselves and the post-wedding pitch-side HAKA to the award-winning food and drink and personal coordinator to ensure your big day runs smoothly, with a complementary night in our on-site Marriott hotel.

Here at Twickenham, we have a Classic Package and Premium Package ready for your wedding day; get in touch today to see how we can make your big day even more special.