For the Bride & Groom
Essential tips to planning the perfect wedding

When selecting your venue consider:

(a) The number of guests the venue can hold for a sit-down meal; is this enough for the number of guests as your wedding breakfast?

(b)  The number of guests the venue can hold for a buffet? The venue's fire certificate will stipulate the maximum number allowed at the venue.

(c)  Licensing Hours; what are the bar opening times for your guests?

(d) Catering facilities and kitchens; these always merit inspection for basic cleanliness yet few brides and grooms ever ask to see beyond the public reception rooms!

(e)  Wedding license; ensure this is up to date.

(f)  You own and your guests' accommodation requirements, how can these be satisfied either at the venue or locally?  These days no one wants to get caught for drinking and driving, so it is beneficial so select a venue at which guests can stay overnight if they want to.  Your day can then last as long as your guests can! Do inspect the accommodation and convey to your guests the standards and styles of room available.

(g) One venue, two venues or three?  You can have three separate venues; a venue for the wedding ceremony, a venue for the reception and a venue for the evening 'do'.  For example some couples will get married in a church, have a reception and Wedding Breakfast at one venue, then go on to another venue for the evening 'do'.

(h)  Or should you aim to have everything under one roof?  

 (i)  What are the available dates? Consider what is more important to you - the dates or the choice of venue.  To increase your choice, choose early.

(j)  If you have no idea where to choose, consult friends and relatives who have been married within the last year or two.  Where did they hold their reception? What did they think of their venue? What did they find were the advantages and disadvantages of the venue they chose?

Here are some frequently asked questions to ask about the venue:

1.  Does the venue have a preferred wedding suppliers list or are you free to select your own suppliers (e.g. florist, limo hire etc)?
Craig-y-Nos  does not recommend specific suppliers but has an extensive list you can choose from.  Or you can choose to use your own suppliers.

2.  Are there any restrictions on the photography (e.g. listed buildings).
  Photographs should be kept to a minimum on the Grade One listed Opera House.

3.  How long are you booking the venue for? How much time should be allowed for setting up and breaking down? 
Check if there is a wedding or other relevant event before or after yours. This may limit your set-up times.

4.  Will the same person be on duty at the wedding throughout the day? is this the same person you are dealing with before the wedding ?

5.  Is there free parking? 
Yes. The courtyard holds 20 cars.  The main car park holds 90 cars.  Coaches can park outside on a lay-by. Guests to avoid parking in front of Castle as this area is roped off for Photographs.

6.  What tables, chairs, linen, china does the site have? Is this included? Are there any extra charges for any of this?
At Craig-y-Nos, round tables attract a supplementary charge as does hire of linen napkins.

7.  Is there a complimentary Bridal Suite?
  The Bridal Suite is available at a reduced rate for Brides and Grooms having their Wedding or Reception at the castle.

8.  What happens if it is pouring with rain?
If the weather is bad on the day, the Bride and Groom may both enter and exit the Theatre from the Function Room.  The Guests may either enter straight into the Theatre as they arrive, or come in to the main castle and then enter the theatre from the Function room.  Photographs may either be taken inside, or wait until the weather improves so they can be taken outside.

9.  Are handicapped facilities available?

• The Nurses Block is on the ground floor and has a disabled loo and bathroom and bedroom with wide door for wheelchair access.
• The Theatre may be accessed from the courtyard by means of a ramp.
• Disabled access to the castle will eventually be via a new lift situated off a side entrance. 

10.  Is there a floor plan drawn to scale? 
Yes - on the inside of the Guest Pack brochure.

11.  Is there a map with directions to the venue?  
Yes - the map and directions can be downloaded from our website.  You can access the map page from the home page "How to Find Us"

Some Questions to ask yourself when selecting a venue:

1.   What is your budget?
Be open to suggestions from the caterer on how to get the most out of your budget.

2.   Will you want a 'receiving line' - if so, where? Inside, outside? 
For larger wedding a receiving line can delay everything.  Do you really want to oblige guests to wait in a queue to be 'received' when they could be enjoying a drink and relaxing? A receiving line these days is considered too formal.  It is certainly inappropriate to for any wedding above 50 guests as it takes too long.  Instead, just go around each table introducing yourselves and welcoming your guests.

3.   Is there enough seating for everyone? -  If your having a larger group in the evening, can everyone sit?
 Even though the evening 'do' may be a simple buffet, your guests will still want to sit to eat.

4.   Where will your photographer sit?  
You should provide seating for your photographer/videographer in the function room.  Keep the photographer in where dinner is being served so they don't miss something important by being stuck outside the room.

5.   Are you going to allow the live band, or musicians, and any other suppliers to have some food?
Check whether the venue will help you out on this (if required we should be able to plate something up for them).

6.   Who amongst your party is vegetarian? 
What options do you wish to offer them? Vegetarian meals can often be unimaginative, especially as the caterers will be concentrating on the main 'Wedding Breakfast' for your guests.  There's always a risk you, and therefore the caterers also, will see the odd vegetarian meal as an afterthought.  So why not impress your vegetarian guests by being specific with your caterers/the venue about what you would like to offer them?

7.   Some venues do not levy a separate service charge
(Craig-y-Nos Castle does not include a service charge on any of its invoices for Wedding clients). So you may wish to consider whether to give a 'tip' for the staff.  There is no obligation to tip and certainly you would not make a tip up to 10% of the bill as you might with a meal in a restaurant.  If you feel this is something you would like to do for the staff, provided of course you are happy with the service you have received, do speak to the Manager of the venue and ask what arrangements they have in place for receiving tips and check that it will be shared fairly and equally amongst the staff.

8.  Who at the reception venue will be co-ordinating the various suppliers - the photographer, the band, the music, the DJ? What will they be doing for you and what will be up to you to do? Of the later, what can you ask the Best Man to do for you?

9.  What floral arrangements, decorations and colours do you plan for the day? - How will the reception venue compliment your colours?

10.  What about the colour of the table linen - table cloths and napkins, and do you want paper napkins or starched linen napkins? How will your tableware complement your flora displays and chosen colours?

11.  Will you have a balloon display ? 
Some weddings have very dramatic balloon displays and others have no balloons at all.  Every wedding has floral displays. 

12.  Where in the venue will you place your decorations and your floral displays? What natural features (fireplaces, staircases, balconies, bar areas, doors, arches and columns etc) are there in the venue that would benefit from your floral display or other decorations? 
At the same time, take care not to 'clutter' the venue; make use of natural settings.

13.  Note the different elements of your wedding and therefore the places in the venue requiring flowers:
Ceremony, Reception area for welcome drinks, Function room for the Wedding Breakfast, table centre piece display, table 'skirts', entrance hall etc.

14.  What flowers will be 'seasonal' at the time of your wedding? How does this affect choice and cost?

15.  Will you be leaving the floral displays behind, and if not, what arrangements do you need for taking the displays home?
Displays should have a 'wow' factor - you want your guests to be delighted to have been invited to share in this fantasy of yours.

16.  If you are receiving wedding gifts at the wedding, who should look after them and where can they be stored safely?

17.  Has the photographer you plan to use shot before at the venue? 
Choosing a photographer who is familiar with the venue will help ensure he gets the most out of the location and that he selects the best backdrops for you.

18.  How long will he require for taking the photographs and where on the premises or in the grounds will they be taken?  How much time within your schedule should be allowed for this?  Where are the best shots for the formal shots?

19.  Are there any photos of other brides and grooms photographed at the venue by the same photographer?

20. If using a videographer, how many hours will he be shooting photos?

21.  How long has the photographer been taking photographs (or videography in the case of videographers) professionally?

22.  If having live music musicians, have they performed at the venue before? How familiar are they with the acoustics?
You don't want your guests drowned out when they are wishing to have a conversation.

23.  What about the acoustics for your speeches and toasts? Will you need a microphone for the toast?

24.  What will the band be wearing?  Will this be appropriate attire? 
If you are having a themed wedding you will want your musicians to dress appropriately.

25.  Can you hear any performances by the band at the venue before your wedding (say, at a public event)?
Craig-y-Nos regularly has live music on a Thursday featuring the bands that perform at the castle.  We also have 'Bride's Nights' where you can come along and listen to what's on offer.

26.  How long are the breaks/intervals? What background music will be played in the breaks?

27.  Will you want a DJ instead, or as well as a band?

28.  Where will the band be sited?

29.  What ambience do you want to create, at what stages in the day (quiet background music during the Wedding Breakfast and Buffet, louder dance music during the evening do)?
Consider the timing of each (ie. no dance music while the guests are still eating).

30.  What favourite songs do you wish to have played and when? What sort of music will your guests enjoy?