lovli
You’ve found a venue that makes your heart skip a beat. The photos are gorgeous, the vibe is exactly right, and you’re already picturing your first dance in that golden light. But before you sign anything, there are a few questions most couples never think to ask. Questions that can make or break the actual day.
We asked Josh, Lovli co-founder and someone who’s spent years working in weddings as a venue manager, on-the-day coordinator, and operations manager, to share the things he wishes every couple would ask before they book. He’s helped run hundreds of weddings and seen all sorts of things go wrong. The list might surprise you.
1. How good is your air conditioning, and what’s the maximum capacity on a hot day?
If you’re getting married in Australia (yes, even Melbourne), this one is vital.
We know, we know. You’re dreaming of a sunny wedding day, not thinking about sweating through your suit or dress. But a beautiful summer day plus a packed venue plus average aircon is a recipe for genuine discomfort. Not just “a bit warm” discomfort. We’re talking about brides visibly sweating, guests sitting miserable, and the whole atmosphere of the room shifting because everyone’s too hot to enjoy themselves.
Josh recently coordinated a wedding on a 30-degree day with high humidity and the venue at max capacity. The aircon simply couldn’t keep up. It was uncomfortable for everyone, and most of all for the couple.
The key question isn’t just “do you have air conditioning?” It’s “how does your aircon cope at full capacity on a hot day?” A system that’s fine for a casual dinner can completely fall short when you’ve got 150 people dancing. Ask specifically about their most recent summer events, and whether the system has ever struggled. A venue that’s honest about its limitations is one you can trust.
2. What does your coordinator actually do on the day?
This is one of the biggest sources of miscommunication in weddings, and it comes up more than you’d think.
Every venue will have someone described as a “coordinator” or “event manager”, but what that means varies wildly. Some venues provide a true on-the-day coordinator who’ll wrangle your vendors, cue your music, manage your timeline, and make sure things run to plan. Others provide someone whose job is purely to oversee the catering and nothing else. The rest? Your problem.
Couples often assume that because a venue has a coordinator, they’re covered. Then the day arrives and they discover their venue contact has no idea when the speeches are supposed to happen, won’t be liaising with the DJ, and isn’t going to chase down the photographer when they’ve wandered off.
Ask for a clear breakdown of exactly what their team is responsible for on the day and what falls outside their scope. If there are gaps, you’ll know you need to hire an independent wedding coordinator to fill them. Better to know now than to find out at 6pm on your wedding day.
We’ve covered this in more detail in our guide to venue logistics: what couples often forget on the site visit, which is worth a read before you start touring.
3. What’s your wet weather plan, and your hot weather plan?
Everyone thinks to ask about wet weather. Fewer people actually lock in the details. And almost nobody asks about extreme heat.
On the wet weather front, it’s not enough to hear “we have a backup option.” Push further. Where exactly would guests be moved to? What does the space look like? Is it beautiful, or is it a function room that was never meant to be anyone’s Plan A? How seamless is the transition? Is there an additional cost? How much notice do they need to make the call?
The heat question is just as important, especially in Australia. What happens if it’s 38 degrees and the outdoor ceremony area is completely exposed? Is there shade? Misting fans? A way to shift the timeline so guests aren’t standing in direct sun at 3pm? Venues in warm climates should have a thoughtful answer to this, and if they don’t, that’s worth noting.
Planning for bad weather in all its forms isn’t pessimistic. It’s how you protect the experience you’ve worked so hard to create.
4. What happens if the power goes out?
It sounds dramatic, but it happens more than you’d think.
Storms roll in. Fuses blow. Mains power gets cut. And if a venue doesn’t have a backup generator, or doesn’t have one that can power the essentials, your reception can grind to a complete halt. No music. No lighting. No catering equipment.
Josh has seen this happen firsthand. A storm cut power to a venue the morning of the wedding. Fortunately, that particular operator ran multiple venues and was able to relocate the wedding party, but it caused enormous stress for everyone involved. Not every venue has that option.
Ask whether they have a backup generator, what it covers (does it power the whole venue or just emergency lighting?), and whether it kicks in automatically or requires manual operation. It’s also worth asking if they’ve ever had a power failure during an event and how it was handled. The answer will tell you a lot.
5. Do you have restrictions on external vendors?
Imagine you’ve already booked your dream DJ. You’ve had the consultation, you’ve shared your playlist, you’re genuinely excited. Then you find out your venue only allows vendors from their approved list, and your DJ isn’t on it.
This is more common than most couples realise. Some venues have exclusive or preferred supplier arrangements, either because of trust, logistics, or a commercial relationship. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with that, but you need to know about it before you start booking your vendors, not after.
Ask specifically about DJs, photographers, caterers, florists, and cake makers. Find out whether their approved list is mandatory or just a recommendation, and what the process is if you want to bring in someone who isn’t on it. Sometimes there’s a simple approval process. Sometimes there isn’t. Either way, you need to know where you stand.
This is also a great question to raise on your initial venue tour. Our guide to essential questions to ask at your venue tour has a full rundown if you want to go in prepared.
6. What are the noise restrictions, and are drums allowed?
Yes, the first part this one gets asked more than the others. But it still doesn’t get asked enough, and the details matter more than people realise.
If your venue is in or near a residential area, there are almost certainly noise restrictions, not just on volume, but potentially on the type of music, the hours it can be played, and the instruments allowed. And here’s one that catches couples completely off guard: many venues with noise restrictions specifically prohibit acoustic drums. Electric drum kits only.
For couples booking a live band, this is a conversation you need to have early. A band that uses a full acoustic kit might not be able to play at your venue at all, or might have to significantly adjust their setup in a way that changes the sound entirely.
Ask about the noise curfew, the decibel limits if there are any, and whether there are restrictions on specific instruments. Then pass that information on to your musicians well before the wedding day.
7. Do you have accommodation partners nearby?
This one is overlooked by so many couples, and it leads to perfectly good venues being ruled out for the wrong reason.
A lot of couples, especially when planning for guests travelling from interstate or overseas, will cross a venue off their list if it doesn’t have accommodation on site. But many inner-city and suburban venues have formal partnerships with nearby hotels, sometimes literally next door or a short walk away, that come with negotiated rates, room blocks, and easy logistics for wedding groups.
Before you dismiss a venue for not having rooms attached, ask whether they have accommodation partners and what those arrangements look like. You might find that the hotel right above them, or across the road, offers everything you need without requiring guests to organise their own accommodation from scratch.
The bigger picture
Asking good questions isn’t being a difficult client. You’re just finding the venue that’s genuinely right for you, and knowing exactly what you’re signing up for. The best venues will have clear, confident answers to all of these. The ones that don’t? That’s useful information too.
If you’re still figuring out what kind of venue fits your style and guest list, our venue styles guide is a great place to start. Once you’ve got a sense of your vibe, you can take our quiz to get matched with venues that actually suit you.
Ready to start exploring? Browse venues on Lovli and find the one that feels right, not just in photos, but in real life too.
