How to Use This Checklist
These 10 questions are ordered by importance. Questions 1–5 are financial; questions 6–10 reveal operational reality. Print this and bring it to every tour. The venue coordinator's willingness to answer directly tells you as much as the answers themselves.
The 10 Questions
1. "What is the all-in cost for [X] guests on a Saturday in [month]?"
Not "what's your per-person rate" — the all-in cost. This forces them to include service charges, mandatory add-ons, and required fees in their answer. If they give you a range, ask them to model the most realistic middle scenario.
What a good answer looks like: "For 120 guests on a Saturday in October, you're looking at approximately $X including venue rental, food, and bar with a 20% service charge. You would add gratuity, which is typically 18–20%, and the ceremony setup fee of $Y."
Red flag: They give you a per-person number without mentioning service charge or mandatory fees.
2. "What is your service charge, and what does it cover?"
Service charges range from 18% to 24% at Brooklyn venues. It is not a tip — it pays for staff, overhead, and margin. Gratuity is separate. Understanding this prevents the most common pricing shock.
Follow-up: "Is gratuity included in the service charge or in addition to it?"
3. "Which caterers and vendors are required or preferred?"
Many venues have exclusive catering arrangements or approved vendor lists. Using an outside caterer can require buying out their catering minimum or paying a "outside caterer fee" of $5–$15/person.
Follow-up: "If I want to use a caterer not on your list, what's the process and cost?"
4. "What is your noise curfew, and what happens if we go over?"
Brooklyn noise curfews vary by block and building permit. Some venues have a hard 11pm cutoff; others allow music until 1am in separate indoor spaces. Overtime charges range from $500 to $3,000 per hour.
Follow-up: "Is the curfew for amplified music only, or all sound? Is there a designated area where music can continue after the main curfew?"
5. "What is included in the rental fee, and what costs extra?"
At raw spaces especially, the rental fee often excludes tables, chairs, linens, a commercial kitchen rental, coat check, and cleaning. These can add $2,000–$8,000 to your total.
What to specifically ask about: Tables and chairs. Linens. Kitchen access. Bar equipment. Getting-ready rooms. Parking. Coat check. Post-event cleanup. Trash removal.
6. "How many events do you book on the same day?"
Some venues book multiple events simultaneously in different spaces, or back-to-back with only an hour between events. This affects setup time, noise bleed between events, and staff attention.
Follow-up: "What is the earliest we can access the space, and when do we need to be fully out?"
7. "Who will be my point of contact on the day of the wedding?"
Many venues sell you through a senior coordinator but assign a junior staff member to your actual event. Confirm who will be there and how much experience they have.
Follow-up: "What is the backup plan if my coordinator can't be there?"
8. "What is your cancellation and postponement policy?"
Standard venue cancellation policies retain 25–50% of the deposit. Post-COVID, most venues added postponement provisions. Understand exactly what you can and can't recover if your plans change.
Follow-up: "If we need to postpone due to a family emergency, how does that work? Is there an administrative fee?"
9. "What are the parking options for guests?"
Brooklyn parking reality varies dramatically by neighborhood. Some venues have adjacent parking; many in DUMBO and Williamsburg have none within reasonable walking distance. This affects your guests' experience and may require you to budget for a shuttle.
Follow-up: "Do you have a valet partner? What does that cost per car?"
10. "Can I speak with a couple who got married here in the last 12 months?"
Good venues will say yes immediately. Hesitation suggests they're curating who you can speak to. If they can't connect you with a recent couple, ask if you can see recent reviews on platforms they don't control.
Tour Scoring Card
After each tour, score the venue on 5 factors from 1–5:
| Factor | What to Score | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing transparency | Did they answer Q1–Q3 directly? | 25% |
| Coordinator quality | How engaged and knowledgeable? | 20% |
| Venue condition | Clean, well-maintained, as photographed? | 20% |
| Policy flexibility | How much can you customize? | 20% |
| Gut feeling / vibe | Can you picture your wedding here? | 15% |