Venue first, everything else second. The room decides your layout, your lighting, your sound and half your photographs — so choose it like the professional you just hired (us).

Start with the guest count, honestly. A room that seats 120 feels empty with 70 and cruel with 150. Give your planner the real number, plus or minus ten, before you tour anything.

Visit at event time. That sunlit conservatory at noon is a cave at 8 p.m. Tour every shortlisted venue at the hour your event will actually run.

Ask about the three hidden costs. Load-in access, power distribution, and cleanup windows. These three lines in a contract decide more of your budget than the rental fee.

Taste, hear, and walk it. Eat the catering, stand at the back during a sound check, walk from the parking lot in event shoes. Your guests will do all three — you should do them first.