Best Wedding Reception Venue In Tulsa, OK
When it comes to planning a great wedding, something you definitely shouldn’t forget is the wedding reception. While the wedding ceremony is an emotional and enjoyable time that you’ll always remember, your wedding reception is your opportunity to relax and unwind with your new spouse and your close friends and family.
At Stokely Event Center, we understand the importance of throwing a great wedding reception. As an event venue that’s been around for years, we’ve optimized our venue to be the PERFECT place to have a fun and memorable wedding reception in the Tulsa area. You can schedule a tour to see our venue for yourself here.
Whether you decide to have your event with us or elsewhere, we put together this list to help you get all of your ducks in a row for your wedding reception!
15 Questions To Ask When Choosing A Wedding Reception Venue
Is Your Date Available?
One of the most important questions you can ask when searching for the right wedding reception venue is, “is my date available?” If the answer to this question is no, then there’s no point in asking the rest of these questions. So we always recommend starting with that one!
Before you begin reaching out to venues, it’s a good idea to have a list of 2 or 3 potential dates. Be slightly flexible with your dates greatly increases your chances of being able to book the venue you’re interested in, especially if you’re getting married in the spring or summer.
Are There Noise Restrictions In The Area?
Nothing puts a damper on a wedding reception quite like the police showing to tell you that your DJ will need to pack up early for the night.
This can be avoided by doing some due diligence beforehand to learn whether or not there are any noise restrictions in place in or around the area that you’re booking. If there are, wedding reception venues might not always want to be forthcoming with this info, so it’s a good idea to ask!
Are You Allowed To Customize The Space
One question that many people forget to ask when booking a wedding reception venue is whether or not they’re allowed to customize the space to suit their specific needs.
You should avoid making assumptions in this area. Venues don’t always take kindly to a substantial amount of redecoration because it means more work for them later one when they’ll have to put everything back to the way it was before.
However, most venues will work with you to pull off your wedding reception without any hitches, even if that means moving things around a bit. But we recommend that you still ask just to be safe.
Is The Wedding Reception Venue Handicap Accessible?
When planning a wedding reception, along with the rest of the wedding, it’s good to place yourself in the shoes of all of the guests that will be attending so that you make certain that you don’t forget to accommodate any unique needs.
If you have handicap or elderly guests that will be attending, you should make certain the venue that you select allows for them to easily get around as needed. If there are lots of steps at the venue you’re considering, you might ask whether or not ramps are available for those in wheelchairs.
Are There Accommodation Options Close By?
While everyone enjoys having a good time at a wedding reception, no one is very happy about having to get back to a hotel that’s an hour away.
If you’re having a lot of out of town guests attend your wedding, then you should research to learn a little about the accommodation options that will be available for them. This way, even if they’ll have to drive a little further at the end of the night you can at least give them fair notice.
How Many Guests Are Allowed At The Wedding Reception?
Before you sign any papers or put any money down on a wedding reception venue. it’s imperative that you know whether or not the venue is even allowed to host the number of guests that you plan on having attend.
When it comes to the exact number of people allowed, the reception venue will likely have to adhere to their local fire code occupant limits if they want to avoid being fined.
How Early Can People Arrive For Setup?
If you have a lot of customization planned for your wedding reception venue, it certainly makes sense to want to show up relatively early so that your friends and family will have plenty of time to get everything set up.
It’s possible that some venues might double book their venues, with one event taking place earlier in the day, and another taking place in the afternoon and evening.
If this is the case with your venue and you’re having your event later in the day, you might need to wait until the venue is thoroughly cleaned and all of the guests from the first event have left before you’re allowed to begin any preparations of your own.
Is There Plenty Of Room To Park, And If Not, Are There Alternatives?
Whether you’re having a wedding reception, birthday party, or family reunion, one thing that you’ll always be in need of is a place for everyone to park.
Assuming that there is enough parking at a wedding reception venue is a dangerous assumption to make because it might result in your guests having to walk quite a ways just to reach the venue. If your wedding reception venue isn’t in a safe part of town, this can be particularly problematic at the end of the night when guests need to get back to their vehicles.
Always take note of the parking situation at the venue you’re considering so that you can plan accordingly!
Does The Wedding Reception Venue Come With A Sound System?
If you’re interested in having dancing or speeches at your wedding reception, then you’re definitely going to want some type of sound system.
While some venues include sound systems in each booking, others might require a separate fee, or might not have one available at all.
Either way, finding out what the venue does or doesn’t have available will help ensure that you’re prepared when it’s time for everyone to dance!
Is There A Complimentary Cleanup Plan?
When you think of your wedding day, one of the last things you probably have on your mind is the clean up that must take place afterward.
Many venues these days (ours included,) have complimentary cleanup plans included with every booking. This means that you and your guests can all focus on having a great time, and leave the cleanup work to the team at the venue.
If complimentary cleanup isn’t provided, you should assemble a crew that will be responsible for this before the end of the night.
What All Is Included In Your Wedding Reception Venue Booking?
This might seem like a generic question, but the answer to this question can be really helpful. It’s easy to overlook some of the things that a venue might charge an extra fee for, so having a clear idea upfront will help you avoid any hidden costs further down the road.
Some of the things that a venue might charge for are chairs, tables, table cloths, plates, cups, silverware, etc… Ask ahead of time so that you can stay within the budget you’ve set!
Are There Any Rules Concerning Wedding Reception Vendors?
Some wedding reception venues might be particular when it comes to what vendors you can and can’t use at their venue. It’s possible that they might have a list of pre-approved vendors that you must select from.
If you already have specific vendors that you’re interested in using, double-check with the venue so that you won’t have to alter your plans.
Are There Any Wedding Reception Decor Restrictions?
While romantic candlelight, confetti, and hanging Christmas lights might all make a beautiful addition to your wedding reception decor, not every venue will allow them.
Wedding reception venues might have very particular restrictions when it comes to the quantity and type of decoration that you’re allowed to do at their venue. It’s good to ask for their restriction list before you go out and purchase all of your decorating materials!
Are You Allowed To Bring Your Own Food And Drinks?
If you think you can always bring your own food and drinks to your wedding reception venue, think again! As mentioned previously, some venues might want you to only use their list of pre-approved vendors.
Is There A Cancellation Policy?
Last but not least, you should ask the wedding reception venue whether or not they have any type of cancellation policy in place. Life is unpredictable, so you may or may not want to commit to a restrictive cancellation policy that has you paying full price no matter what happens.
Thank you for reading, and best of luck with all of your wedding planning! To learn more about Stokely Event Center in Tulsa, OK, you can go here.