Planning a wedding can be a frustrating experience. Arranging everything to make it perfect for the special occasion can be difficult, even for an experienced planner. Oftentimes, the choice of venue is one of a couple and a planner’s main headaches. Unless someone is planning something low-key, even a small wedding can take up a lot of space and not everyone is blessed with a mansion.

Thankfully, couples can choose from a lot of excellent banquet halls in Michigan, like the one at the Crystal Gardens Banquet Center. To help make the choice, Kim Fusaro from Glamour recommends a few questions that should be asked about a venue:

“What’s the maximum number of guests you can accommodate?
Someone should be able to tell you how many people the venue seats comfortably, and what the maximum number of people is based on fire code. Some venues will say 200 people, max, and then be willing to slip in 10 or 20 more, as long as it’s legal. You should know what the absolute cutoff is.

What’s the site fee? And what does that include?
Some venues will charge you $2,000 just for the space, others will include tables, chairs, and table linens. Don’t assume anything’s included—at some venues, you even have to rent portable bathroom stalls! (Chelsea Clinton and I both did!)”

Wedding receptions are large affairs and it is understandable that couples worry about the costs and the size of the venue. However, there are other things that they should be concerned about. For example, will there be an on-site coordinator to help them set up the festivities? This will greatly help them in avoiding the virtual chaos that seems to mark every wedding event, as well as in being able to enjoy their big day more.

Next, planners should ask about any limitations that the venue has set. These can come in the form of areas that are off-limits or noise ordinances that have to be observed. Knowing what may and may not be done during a wedding can help narrow a couple down their choice among the great reception halls in Michigan.

(Source: 16 Questions to Ask When You Visit Wedding Venues, February 23, 2011)