The first time you visit a wedding hall with the excitement of marriage preparation. It’s easy to be captivated by the fancy lighting and flower decorations. The moment you think, “It would be so beautiful to have it here!” you might feel like signing the contract right away.
But wait a minute! ✋ The moment you stamp the contract, that romance immediately becomes a ‘reality’ you have to keep. The wedding hall contract is a really important step that determines not only the overall atmosphere of the wedding but also the precious budget of the couple.
Today, I will tell you one by one how to choose and contract a wedding hall smartly that I organized while preparing for my marriage, without being swept away by emotions.
1. Before the Tour, Set Your Own ‘One Pick’ Criteria #
Before going on a tour blindly, put your heads together and talk about what is ‘absolutely non-negotiable’. If you don’t have standards, it’s easy to be swayed by the counseling manager’s fancy speech.
- What kind of atmosphere do you want?
If you want to receive a spotlight in a grand and dark hall, ‘Convention’, and if you want a bright and bright party atmosphere, ‘House Wedding’ would be good, right? (However, House Wedding can have quite a bit of extra cost for flower decorations!) - Food, Parking, or Atmosphere!
“We must serve delicious food to our guests” vs “If parking is uncomfortable, we’ll get cursed at”, etc. If you decide on your own priorities, it will be much easier to decide.
Wedding Hall Style Pros and Cons Comparison (Convention vs House vs Chapel)
Wedding Interval, The Huge Difference Between ‘60 Mins’ and ‘90 Mins’
Did you think “Is 1 hour enough?” Absolutely not! 🙅♀️ The wedding interval determines the peace of mind of the bride on the wedding day.
- Bride’s Waiting Room Kick-out: If the interval with the previous ceremony is narrow, when I arrive, the bride from the previous time might still be using the waiting room. Conversely, as soon as the ceremony is over, I have to hurry and take out my luggage for the next bride. To greet guests elegantly, be sure to check if the Bride’s Waiting Room Usage Time is sufficient.
- Group Photo War: Taking pictures with relatives, friends, and colleagues after the ceremony takes longer than you think. If time is tight, the photographer shouts “Please come out quickly!”, “Next person stand up!” and it’s like a market. To leave memories while laughing leisurely, you must check if the interval between the front and back ceremonies is sufficient.
Guarantee Count, “Can We Cover Each Other?”
Let’s say the minimum guarantee count is 200 people. Usually, we expect 100 for the groom and 100 for the bride. But what if only 50 guests came for the groom and 150 guests came for the bride on the day?
- Check Integrated Settlement Availability: Places with flexibility say it’s okay because the total is over 200. This is called ‘Guarantee Count Combination’.
- The Trap of Separate Settlement: However, strict places may say “Even if 50 people came for the groom, pay for 100 people according to the contract” (The bride’s side pays for 150 separately!). To avoid wasting money unfairly, be sure to ask “Can we combine the number of guests for the groom and bride to fill the guarantee count?”
2. Walking Like a Guest: Meticulous Field Trip #
During the wedding hall tour, walk with the mind of an ‘invited guest’, not the bride and groom. You will see things more important than pretty interiors.
- Check Movement Flow: Is the path from the parking lot to the lobby, and from the hall to the banquet hall complicated? It would be troublesome if the elderly have to go up and down the stairs, right? Elevators count check is essential!
- Bride’s Waiting Room Detail: The place where the bride stays the longest, whether there is a private restroom inside is more important than you think! (Going to the lobby restroom wearing a dress… just imagining it is hard, right? 😅)
Ideal Movement Flow of Wedding Hall from Guest’s Perspective
3. Parking Lot, Don’t Be Fooled by Numbers 🚗 #
The promotional phrase “Parking for 3,000 cars possible!”, looks really reassuring, right? But there might be a trap here.
- Is it our own space? If it’s a shopping mall or office building, you have to share the parking lot with weekend shoppers. Ask “Is there enough space for our actual guests?”.
- What if it’s full? It’s a disaster if they say “Park anywhere and come” when the parking lot is full! Sense to check if they have arranged a nearby external parking lot and if there is a shuttle bus!
External Parking Lot Guide and Shuttle Bus Operation when Full
4. Quote, Let’s Look Again with a Magnifying Glass 🔍 #
If you plan your budget believing only “Meal cost 50,000 won”, you might get hurt later.
- Magic of VAT and Service Charge: If 5% service charge and 10% VAT are added to 50,000 won, it becomes about 58,000 won. If there are 300 guests, the difference is over 2 million won. When consulting, always ask “What is the final price including tax and service charge?”.
- Finding Hidden Costs: In addition to meal costs, carefully check costs that may be added, such as flower decoration upgrades, Pyebaek helper fees, flower showers, and beverages (check if calculated per bottle!).
5. “Snap Photographer, Can’t I Choose?” #
Sometimes the wedding hall says “You must use our designated essential vendor for main ceremony photos”.
- It might be a photographer who knows the hall lighting well, but it might not be my style, right? Don’t just say “Yes” unconditionally, and ask politely “Is there a penalty if I bring an external vendor?”. You have the right to refuse unfair tying practices.
6. The Fine Print of the Contract Protects Me 🛡️ #
Finally, the most important contract! You shouldn’t just pass it over thinking ‘good is good’.
- Cancellation/Refund Policy: You never know what happens in life. Check if the penalty for cancellation is too disadvantageous compared to the government’s ‘Consumer Dispute Resolution Standards’.
- Force Majeure Clause: It is not a choice but a necessity to check if they change the date without penalty when the ceremony cannot be held due to infectious diseases or natural disasters.
📝 Final Advice #
We’ve run breathlessly so far! Please remember just one last thing.
“A promise not recorded is not a promise.”
Words like “I’ll do it as a service~”, “I’ll take care of it later” are useless if you don’t write them in the special terms of the contract, even if you hear something else later. 😅 Be sure to write down all verbally promised benefits and get a signature.
Ample time, meticulous headcount check! As much as you prepared wisely, your wedding will be more perfect and beautiful. I support your pleasant first start! 👏
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Wedding Hall Pre-Contract ChecklistRecent
