I love dry hire venues as they give you so much flexibility and you can craft a truly personal wedding without the restrictions other venues may bring. However, that flexibility can sometimes feel overwhelming and often there are extra costs you may not have considered. 

So here are some top tips to help you plan your wedding at a dry hire venue seamlessly.

Thank you to Tanya Flannagan Photography for this image.

Don’t underestimate how much you will need to source

If your dry hire venue is purely just the space, then you will need to source down to the tiny details such as cutlery and glassware. At the start of your planning, check with your venue what’s included and then write a list of the suppliers you will need. Next, check your budget and allocate it according to your list. Taking the time to think of all the suppliers you will need at the start will help you avoid any surprise costs towards the end of your planning! 

After the wedding you may be responsible for clearing up 

A dry hire space could be anything from a village hall to a marquee site. When you are booking your venue make sure you understand what is expected of you and how the space must be returned. The last thing you want to be doing is mopping a floor the day after your wedding! If your venue requires you to return it fully cleaned then make sure you plan for this early on – either some willing volunteers or source a cleaning company. If you return your dry hire space dirty or damaged then you may risk loosing your security deposit.

Consider hiring a coordinator 

A wedding coordinator is a smart investment to make for your dry hire wedding. The day needs to run smoothly and even if you are completely on top of planning your wedding, you can’t guarantee everything will fall into place on the day. There are likely to be a few more logistics at a dry hire venue and the last thing you, or your close wedding party, want is to be bothered by questions throughout the day. A coordinator will act as a buffer and will allow you to relax, enjoy your day and the fruits of your hard work planning!

Thank you to Tanya Flannagan Photography for this image.

Like I’ve said before, choosing a dry hire venue will give you many more options for your wedding day. There are lots of different types of dry hire venues and those offer the bare minimum aren’t for the faint hearted! But if you are up for a bit of a challenge then the effort is 100% worth it. Just make sure you know exactly what’s required from the start and that your budget will cover everything. Planning a wedding at a dry hire venue is so much fun – enjoy it!