The time has finally come to sign the contract to secure our wedding venue!
I can understand how stressful this can be to brides. It is not only a big financial commitment but usually one of your first wedding related commitments. For people that are pretty indecisive (like me) this can be quite a big deal.
As I mentioned before, I’m a Wedding Specialist at a Boston Hotel and used to being on the other side of things. I am constantly putting contracts together for Brides and Grooms and because of this, I feel extra prepared and a little less hesitant about signing my own.
There are a few things that you should really look out for in your contract. Every venue is different so this may vary but here are some tips.

via Real Simple {source}
1.) Make sure you know what you are signing for. Speak with the Wedding Specialist to see what you are responsible for, IE: food & beverage minimum, package minimum, deposit, etc.
2.) If you are going with a venue that has packages, ask to see if you are able to put the package you want in the contract so the price does not increase. Usually if you are having your wedding a year out, you can confirm the current years pricing.
3.) Confirm that you have the correct date, time, venue location on the contract. You don’t want to find out down the line that you have secured the wrong date.
3.) Talk about all of the “what ifs.” For example, say you need to cancel the wedding, change the date, etc. There will be a cancellation policy in the contract that will usually have a time line of costs associated with each.
4) Make sure you understand the deposit schedule. Sometimes there will be specific times when you need to pay and other times you are able to wait until right before the wedding.
5.) Read EVERYTHING. Wedding Venues are not out to get you or take advantage of you. Most of the clauses in the contract are there to protect you and your venue in case something were to happen. Also look for the outside food policy. Most hotels will not allow outside food so please consult the contract or ask your Wedding Specialist before buying lots of food or beverage that you will not be able to use at your event.
There is so much more I could write about but I hope this gave you a little insight!
Always remember that your wedding contact is there to help you and is happy to answer all of your questions. It is a big commitment so it’s best to ask as many questions it takes for you to feel comfortable.