A simple timeline for booking your function hall

Exact timing depends on your town and the season, but this order works for most functions.

Once the date is fixed: agree on backup dates, a rough guest count and a budget, then shortlist three or four halls.

Soon after: visit at the same time of day as your function, compare what each rent includes, read the cancellation terms and pay the advance.

A few months before: book the caterer, decorator and photographer, and reserve rooms for guests from other towns.

A few weeks before: share your final guest count and walk through the hall with your decorator.

The day before: call the manager to confirm your arrival time, and give one family member all the vendor phone numbers.