Questions to Ask on a Wedding Venue Tour

A venue tour should help you picture your wedding and understand what it will take to make it happen. Beautiful rooms matter, but so do the answers that let you plan with confidence afterward. At ERIA, the most useful visits begin with a date or date range, an approximate guest count and a few priorities. With those details, we can walk through your celebration instead of giving you only a general introduction to the space.

Which spaces and hours would our booking include?

Ask to see every area you expect to use, including the entrance, dining room, approved outdoor spaces and vendor working areas. At Sausalito, upstairs and ground-floor bookings are distinct, with separate entrances. The guide to the two floors helps you prepare. At Marina, confirm privacy for your exact hours, particularly during daytime cafe operations.

Separate guest-facing event time from setup and breakdown. Ask when vendors can arrive, when guests may enter and when all equipment must be removed. If you want getting-ready space, confirm it specifically. Sausalito has no dedicated bridal suite; use of the private dining room depends on availability and the agreed booking.

Can we walk through the layout for our actual guest count?

Describe the whole program, including ceremony, dinner, speeches, entertainment and dancing. Ask where each part takes place and whether furniture must move between them. Find out who handles any reset, how long it needs and where guests will gather while it happens. A capacity number is useful only when it matches the arrangement you are considering.

The upstairs Sausalito indoor seated reference is 100, subject to layout and current approvals. ERIA Marina seats 200 indoors or approximately 250 including outdoors, also subject to approvals and layout. The ground-floor Sausalito maximum needs confirmation. Ask for the layout relevant to your wedding rather than relying on an older listing or a photograph of a different event.

What happens if the outdoor plan needs to change?

Ask which outdoor areas are currently approved and available for your date, then walk through the indoor alternative. Discuss the decision time, who contacts vendors and whether the alternative changes staffing, decor or rental needs. Our Sausalito rain-plan guide sets out those details.

Also ask how the plan works for your guests. Discuss access needs, seating, restrooms and the route between areas. Confirm individual accessibility requirements with the team rather than assuming every space has the same arrangement. A tour is the right time to understand those details while there is room to make thoughtful choices.

What is included, and what would we arrange separately?

Go through furniture, tableware, lighting, sound, kitchen access, staffing and bar service. Ask which items are included in the proposed rental and which depend on your menu, entertainment or design. If you have a caterer in mind, discuss approval, insurance, kitchen requirements and the responsibilities for service and cleanup. The outside catering guide is useful preparation.

Discuss music and production before committing to suppliers. Ask about entertainment hours, equipment, installation restrictions and who operates the sound for speeches. No outdoor amplified entertainment should be assumed. These details are easier to resolve with the venue and vendors together than after a performance has been booked.

What would the complete cost and payment schedule look like?

Request a written proposal showing rental, catering, beverages, staffing, rentals, service charges, taxes and any extra access time. Ask what could change as the guest count or scope changes. Our quote comparison guide helps you compare those details consistently, while ERIA pricing provides a starting point.

If payment timing matters, raise it early. ERIA can discuss alternative progress-payment arrangements case by case, with any agreed schedule recorded in writing. The standard policy remains a 50% non-refundable deposit at signing and the balance 60 days before the event unless your agreement specifies otherwise. Read the payment-plan guide before the conversation.

Who will help us turn the proposal into the day?

Ask who your venue contact will be, what planning support is included and which responsibilities belong to your planner or vendors. Confirm when final details are due and how changes are approved. Before leaving, agree on the next step: a revised proposal, a layout review or a follow-up with your caterer. Book an ERIA visit with your priorities so the conversation can focus on what will help you choose.

Frequently asked questions

What should we bring to a wedding venue tour?

Bring your date range, approximate guest count, budget priorities and ceremony or reception outline. Include any access, dietary, cultural or production requirements that could affect the layout and schedule.

Can we ask about payment flexibility before booking?

Yes. Discuss your preferred timing before signing, so the team can consider what is possible for your event. Any alternative schedule must be agreed in writing; a conversation alone does not change the booking terms.

What if we do not have a final guest count yet?

Share a realistic range and explain what might change it. Contact ERIA so the team can discuss suitable layouts and the information needed for a proposal.

Continue planning with ERIA

Explore more event planning guides, browse our wedding budgets and venue guides, or start a conversation with our team.

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