As a bride, one of the decisions I had to make early on was whether or not to book an all-inclusive venue. I did a lot of research and I found there are pros and cons to both all-inclusive and non-inclusive. Spoiler Alert: I booked a venue that is semi all inclusive and I highly recommend you do the same.
Pros of All-Inclusive
From what I’ve heard, you are more likely to stick to your budget.
They usually (almost always) come with a wedding coordinator.
The pre-selected vendors are pre-selected for a reason…they are reliable.
It eliminates a lot of planning (like finding tables, chairs, cutlery, etc).
Cons of All-Inclusive
You are usually trapped into their pre-selected vendors.
They are often a large wedding machine company and the experience will likely feel less personal.
If you want a unique wedding (unique food or decor) this is not for you.
Pros of a Non All-Inclusive Venue
You have more creative range.
It is a more personal experience. The big wedding venue companies often pump out multiple weddings a day and you can get lost in the mix of that.
Most Venues will still have a “preferred vendor” list but you are usually not locked into selecting one of those vendors.
Cons of a Non All-Inclusive
You likely won’t get a wedding coordinator.
It can be more expensive.
They might not be as experienced as a all-inclusive venue.
Although I listed major pros and cons of both types of venues it is really venue specific. f you are looking for a venue, you should look at both types.
I ended up booking a semi-all-inclusive venue, which means I really get the best of both worlds. The venue I booked takes care of the food, cake, drinks, tables, chairs, table settings and comes with a coordinator. I was given freedom to select a florist, order my own invitations (yes, some all-inclusive venues will even do your invitations), and found my own DJ and photographer. Basically, I got planning freedom for everything I wanted to do and nothing I didn’t want to worry about. Again, this is really venue specific. Our venue happens to have AMAZING food so I didn’t care that they are my only option.
Jericha Good 