POST-IT NOTE FOUR: DIY vs. Full Service Venues. Discuss.

FYI- Brace yourself for essential venue searching information. Grab a pen, and a notebook (you should have one by now anyway…maybe call it the Nuptial…Notebook ;)) and let’s get started.

Pros for Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Venues
-total control over chairs, tables, décor, linens, silverware, flatware, catering
-booze without the markup
-blank canvas on which to create your wedding masterpiece
-in most situations you have exclusive access to the venue (no weddings to compete with)
-total control over the budget (make it as cost effective as necessary or as elaborate as your bank account will allow)
-a “day-of coordinator” can be hired usually for around $500 (check out C3 Events)
-any place that will rent you the space can be considered a wedding venue (for some amazing examples check out these venues; Gallery Gora, Parisian Laundry, Pointe-a-Calliere Museum, Musee des Beaux Arts, Fonderie Darling, La Brasserie St-Ambroise, Musee d’Art Contemporain, Stewart Hall, Marche Bonsecour, Pierrefonds Cultural Centre and tons more to be found!)
-if you want flexibility, and the ability to be as creative and resourceful as you wish, this is your best bet!

Cons for the Do-It-Yourself Venues
- total control over chairs, tables, décor, linens, silverware, flatware, catering…if you are not a visionary or a good decision-maker (ah hem, S1), this can be very overwhelming
-if you are not planning on hiring a wedding planner, this is a lot of stress for the couple on their wedding day. Remember this is your day. Get your nails done, don’t worry about the cake flipping over in the delivery truck. Oh, and don’t think of putting this on your wedding party, they want to have fun too.
-An extra cost might be hiring a “day-of coordinator”
-possible time constraints (set up and take down times)
-in light of it being a blank canvas, more decoration is usually required (which means more money and more time and more stress… ever heard of Wedding Acne?)
-in addition to all the extras you’ll be organizing and paying for, don’t forget there is a rental fee involved (ranging usually from $1,000 to $5,000+)

Pros for Full Service Venues
-no need to spend 2 hours of your life picking out Chiavari chairs or linens as this has been chosen for you (and the hundreds of brides/grooms that have married there before you…see con list)
-anything your vendors would need should be there already
-the staff is accustomed to large events and shouldn’t impact the flow of the wedding
-some venues have tons of character and wouldn’t require as much décor
-they usually have menu options for every pallet and wallet.
-no need to stress about set up or take down
-they know how to estimate bar consumption and have the resources to organize how many bottles of alcohol you’ll need etc.
-most, if not all full service venues have a “day-of coordinator” on site and included in your wedding package.
-if you’re a no fuss, no muss kinda person, this is the option for you!

Cons for Full Service Venues
-no control over chairs, tables, décor, linens, silverware, flatware, catering
-the cost of the bar is at the venue’s discretion and can be pretty pricey
-usually you’ll have to work within their pre-established menu and there isn’t much room for alternatives
-full service venues don’t have the same unique and fresh appeal that a DIY could offer and you risk those much dreaded comparisons
-you might not be able to string up that row of paper lanterns you’ve been dreaming of. Full service venues, like restaurants, might take issue with tacking stuff up on the walls etc
-you might not be the only wedding at that venue so be prepared to share parking, hotel rooms, bathrooms and staff
-you’re stuck planning with whoever they assign as your coordinator and she/he might not share your “vision”

Next Post-It Note: Wedding Dress Shopping. Discuss.