Choosing the venue for your celebrations is probably the most important decision you will make when it comes to planning your reception. It's the place where you will spend most of your day and where the wedding reception and maybe even the ceremony will take place, so it's crucial to get it right. Before visiting any potential venues, sit down and decide exactly how you envisage the style of your wedding.

Finding a good venue takes research. Recommendation is always a valuable starting point as well as considering places where you have been as a wedding guest. Before visiting, call and ask for a brochure. At the same time, check whether your intended date is free. Now you can make appointments to visit the places left on your list.

The style of the venue speaks volumes about the type of celebration guests can expect. As you look around the various rooms that are available to hire, think about the number of guests you are inviting. If you are hosting a small reception, you need a room that creates an intimate atmosphere. An overly large room, however impressive, will feel as though half your guests haven't turned up.

Many couples already have a firm picture of how their ideal wedding venue will look, so you need to make sure the setting - and the staff - are capable of working with you to create the dream. As you view each potential venue, try to imagine your colour scheme. A room with little decoration will provide an exciting challenge for imaginative, but often expensive, decoration whereas a beautifully decorated venue may stretch your budget but will need little extra adornment.

Once you've made your choice, ask for written confirmation of everything and check all the small print before signing anything.

Expect to pay a deposit at the time of booking with the balance due a few weeks before the wedding day once final numbers have been confirmed. Now you can sit back, relax and start thinking about the menu and seating plan.

Enjoy Your Planning Experience!