The venue hire fee is not the real venue cost.
Spot hidden costs, missing details and questions to ask before paying your venue deposit.
Not another wedding spreadsheet — a guided venue decision tool for comparing venues with fewer blind spots.
Use your quote, brochure, venue emails, spreadsheet, screenshots or viewing notes. We'll help you see what may not be obvious yet.
Your venue details may be missing 3 key areas.
Based on what you've shared. None of these mean the venue is wrong for you — they're things to clarify.
Venue quotes can look clear — until you try to compare them properly.
One venue may include staffing, linen and room turnaround. Another may charge separately. That makes it hard to know which option is truly better value.
When venue details are spread across brochures, PDFs, emails and viewing notes, important costs can sit in the background. Before You Book helps bring those details into one clearer view, so you know what to ask before you commit.
Price extras
Small costs can change the final figure.
- Tax/VAT
- Service charge
- Corkage
- Minimum spend
On the day support
The day may need more support than the quote shows.
- Staff costs
- Room flip
- Clean-up
- Curfew
Package basics
Some “included” basics are worth checking.
- Chairs and linens
- Tableware
- Lighting/AV
- Stage or dancefloor
Supplier / vendor logistics
Outside suppliers can affect both cost and logistics.
- Supplier fees
- Setup access
- Storage
- Next-day collection
Guest experience
Guest comfort can change how the venue feels on the day.
- Wet-weather option
- Accommodation / lodging
- Bar packages
- Dietary meals
Booking terms
Deposit terms matter before you commit.
- Cancellation
- Date changes
- Payment schedule
- Coordinator changes
It is much easier to compare venues when the small-but-important details are brought into the open.
Spreadsheets help you track what you know. Before You Book helps you spot what to ask next.
Use your existing venue notes, quotes and spreadsheets — then let the checker guide you through the gaps that are easy to miss.
Turn venue uncertainty into clear questions.
Before You Book guides you through the venue details that are easy to miss, then gives you a simple risk summary and questions to ask next.
Add what you know
Use your quote, brochure, emails, spreadsheet, screenshots or viewing notes.
See what may be unclear
We flag missing information, possible hidden costs and areas that could affect your final venue spend.
Get questions to ask
Leave with a clear list of questions to send to the venue before paying your deposit.
In 3 minutes, you'll know what to ask next.
Your result gives you a practical pre-deposit action plan, not another blank spreadsheet.
Venue risk summary
See whether your venue details look green, amber or red based on what is clear, missing or potentially costly.
Hidden cost flags
Spot areas that may affect the final price, including tax/VAT, service charges, corkage, staffing, bar rules, supplier fees, room flip, wet-weather backup and minimum spends.
Missing detail prompts
See which important details still need confirming before you compare venues like-for-like.
Question list
Get clear questions you can copy into an email before paying the deposit.
A quick preview of the kind of questions Before You Book can help you ask before paying your venue deposit.
- 01Is VAT included in the total quote?
- 02Are staff, clean-up and security included on the day?
- 03Can we use our own suppliers, or are there fees?
- 04What is the corkage charge and bar minimum?
- 05What happens if we need to change the date?
- 06When are the deposit, interim and final payments due?
Not another wedding spreadsheet.
Spreadsheets help you organise what you know. Before You Book helps you spot what you still need to ask.
A spreadsheet helps you track
- Venue names
- Prices
- Guest numbers
- Links and notes
- Viewing dates
Before You Book helps you check
- What the package may not include
- Which costs could change the final price
- Whether venues are truly comparable
- What to confirm in writing
- Which questions to ask before booking
Made for real venue quotes
Built around real venue quote details like tax/VAT, corkage, dry hire, service charges, supplier restrictions, bar rules, setup access and venue packages.
Private to you
We do not contact your venue. Your result is for you to use when you are ready.
Practical, not legal advice
Before You Book is not legal advice. It helps you identify practical questions and unclear venue details before booking.
Still have questions?
We've answered the common ones, including how the checker works, what information you need, how email is used and why this is not legal advice.
Choose your venue with fewer unknowns.
Get a guided venue risk summary, hidden-cost prompts and the questions to ask before paying your deposit.
- A green, amber or red venue risk summary
- Hidden cost areas to check
- Missing details to confirm
- Questions to ask before booking