We're planning our wedding at a heritage venue; what advice can you share with me?

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A venue with an illustrious historical pedigree and a reputation for service will invariably have an interesting story, which is a great conversation starter, especially if guests are unfamiliar with each other. Find out if an authorised expert can educate guests about the venue's history. Loved ones will be impressed with a prestigious address and location incorporating historic themes or landmarks. Events often require additional décor expenditures, but costs can be saved if this is inherent in the venue itself. A strong maritime theme is pervasive throughout Trinity House, with oversized ship models and the Brass Bell of the Royal Yacht Britannia. Some heritage venues charge guests for access to museum-quality treasures and artefacts such as crested crockery, cutlery, glassware, silver presentation tables, menus, napkins, chairs and more. Ask for free use of Trinity House's impressive ceremonial sword to cut a cake or open a bottle of Champagne for some added wow factor. Our venue hire charges include tables and chairs, which is often not the case elsewhere. Many historic buildings provide a list of preferred caterers and event support services; always select one. These companies know the venue well and pay a little extra, if needed, for familiarity with the venue, which frequently ends up being cheaper than costly last-minute disasters. Although there are sometimes restrictions on heritage buildings that make adopting certain sustainable practices difficult (mandatory incorporation of existing single pane windows), ask what the venue is doing to comply with and adopt sustainably-oriented policies. We encourage the selection of caterers who manage their waste responsibly, such as delivering food waste to registered charities or industrial agencies who employ an 'anaerobic digestion process' to convert waste into biofuel or fertilisers.

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