Alaska summer wedding with midnight sun. Guests were uploading at 11pm and the photos still had daylight in them lol. Unique album for sure. Every photo looks golden
Jordan W. · Anchorage, AKVerified couple · July 2025
Free wedding venue comparison tool
Compare wedding venues side by side
Add up to four venues you toured. Type in the capacity, the all-in cost and the amenities, rate each one, and see them lined up in one table with cost per guest and a score out of 100. Free, no sign-up, no spreadsheet.
4Venues side by side
11Rows compared
100Point score
$0No sign-up
1/4 venue slots used
Add Venue 1
01The short answer
How do you compare wedding venues fairly?
Answer
Turn every quote into one all-in total for the same guest count, then compare that total next to capacity, catering rules, parking, rooms and how the place felt on the tour. A low rental fee can hide a large food and drink minimum, so the headline price is never enough on its own.
Most couples go through this with a short list. In WeddingPro's venue selection study, couples contacted five venues on average and toured four in person. The tool above holds four, so every venue you toured fits in one table.
Example comparisonOur venue shortlist2 venues, scored out of 100
Garden estate Winner
$100 a guest72 / 100
City hotel
$163 a guest61 / 100
Best cost and rating marked
Compare Add venue
With this tool, in four steps
- 1Get an itemized quote from every venue, not only the rental line.
- 2Add each one above: capacity, all-in cost, setting, catering, parking, rooms.
- 3Rate each venue right after the tour, while you still remember it.
- 4Read the table: best cost, biggest room and top rating get marked, and a winner appears.
SEE IT IN ACTION
Scan. Upload.
Every corner of the venue.
Watch a guest scan the QR code and add photos from the browser, no app and no account. Whichever venue wins, put the code on the tables and the bar and every guest photo lands in one album.
Emma & DanielScan to add your photos
9:41
WEDDING ALBUM
Emma & Daniel
Example album
AllCeremonyReception
Add your photosNo app needed
02The comparison chart
What goes in each column, and what to ask for it
A wedding venue comparison spreadsheet is only as good as the numbers you put in it. These are the columns in the tool, why each one matters, and the one question that gets you a usable answer.
| Column | Why it matters | Ask the venue |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | The only fair number is the all-in total: rental or site fee, food and drink minimum, service charge, tax and rentals. | “Can you send an itemized estimate for our guest count, with service charge and tax shown?” |
| Capacity | A room that seats 150 at round tables may only fit 120 once you add a dance floor, a band and a sweetheart table. | “What is the seated capacity with a dance floor and the layout we want?” |
| Cost / Guest | The tool divides cost by the capacity you type. Type your own guest count instead and the column shows what each guest costs you. | “Is pricing per person, a flat fee, or a minimum spend?” |
| Setting | Indoor, outdoor or both. Both scores higher because an outdoor plan with an indoor backup protects the day. | “Where does the ceremony move if it rains, and is that space held for us?” |
| Catering | In-house, bring your own, or either. In-house usually means a minimum spend. BYO usually means more rentals. | “Do we have to use your caterer, and is there a fee for outside vendors?” |
| Parking | Guests who cannot park leave early or arrive late. Shuttles cost money, so a yes here saves a line item. | “How many cars fit on site, and is there a charge for guests?” |
| Accommodation | Rooms on site or next door make late nights and out-of-town guests easier. | “Do you have rooms or a hotel block nearby, and is there a minimum?” |
| Your rating | Your gut after the tour. It carries the most weight in the score on purpose. | “Could we picture the whole day here, start to finish?” |
Cost
Why it mattersThe only fair number is the all-in total: rental or site fee, food and drink minimum, service charge, tax and rentals.
Ask the venue“Can you send an itemized estimate for our guest count, with service charge and tax shown?”
Capacity
Why it mattersA room that seats 150 at round tables may only fit 120 once you add a dance floor, a band and a sweetheart table.
Ask the venue“What is the seated capacity with a dance floor and the layout we want?”
Cost / Guest
Why it mattersThe tool divides cost by the capacity you type. Type your own guest count instead and the column shows what each guest costs you.
Ask the venue“Is pricing per person, a flat fee, or a minimum spend?”
Setting
Why it mattersIndoor, outdoor or both. Both scores higher because an outdoor plan with an indoor backup protects the day.
Ask the venue“Where does the ceremony move if it rains, and is that space held for us?”
Catering
Why it mattersIn-house, bring your own, or either. In-house usually means a minimum spend. BYO usually means more rentals.
Ask the venue“Do we have to use your caterer, and is there a fee for outside vendors?”
Parking
Why it mattersGuests who cannot park leave early or arrive late. Shuttles cost money, so a yes here saves a line item.
Ask the venue“How many cars fit on site, and is there a charge for guests?”
Accommodation
Why it mattersRooms on site or next door make late nights and out-of-town guests easier.
Ask the venue“Do you have rooms or a hotel block nearby, and is there a minimum?”
Your rating
Why it mattersYour gut after the tour. It carries the most weight in the score on purpose.
Ask the venue“Could we picture the whole day here, start to finish?”
Pros and cons are free text in the tool. Use them for the things no column covers: the view, the staff, the road in, the noise curfew.
032026 numbers
What a wedding venue costs, before the extras
Two big surveys put the average venue bill in different places because they measure different things. Use them as a sense check for your own quotes, not as a target.
$12,900Average reception venue cost
The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study, plus $2,000 average for event rentals
Source: The Knot via MoneyLion$8,573Average venue and site fees
Zola Wedding Cost Index, typical range $6,900 to $10,300
Source: Zola117Average guest count
The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study, with catering around $80 a head
Source: The Knot via MoneyLion4Venues toured on average
Couples contact five and tour four in person before they decide
Source: WeddingPro venue studyWhat that means per guest
$12,900 spread over 117 guests is about $110 a guest for the venue alone, which sits in the tool's $101 to $150 band. Full-service venues are a different story: Zola's cost data, as quoted by Nearlywed, puts them at $150 to $300 a guest once food and drink are added in. Know which kind of number each venue gave you before you compare.
Checked October 2026: The Knot 2026 Real Weddings Study figures as reported by MoneyLion, Zola Wedding Cost Index and the WeddingPro venue selection study. Day and season move prices too: Paperlust says Friday and Sunday dates often run 15 to 30 percent less than Saturdays, and June, September and October are peak months in most markets (Paperlust).
04Wedding venue checklist
Questions to ask on every venue tour
Ask every venue the same questions and the answers drop straight into the comparison. Save this list to your phone and work through it on each tour.
Money
- What is included in the price, and what is billed on top?
- Is there a food and beverage minimum, and is it before or after service charge and tax?
- What is the service charge, and does any of it go to staff as a tip?
- How much is the deposit, and when are the other payments due?
- What is the cancellation and date-change policy?
Dates and timing
- Which dates are open, and are Fridays, Sundays or off-season dates cheaper?
- How many hours do we get, and when can vendors load in?
- What does an extra hour cost if the party runs late?
- Is there another wedding the same day or weekend?
Guests and space
- What is the seated capacity with a dance floor?
- Where is the rain plan, and can we see it today?
- Is the venue accessible for guests who cannot do stairs?
- How many restrooms are there, and where?
- Where do guests park, and is it free?
Food and drink
- Can we bring our own caterer, and is there a fee for it?
- Is there a tasting, and is it included?
- Can we bring our own alcohol, and what is the corkage fee?
- Do you charge to cut and serve an outside cake?
Rules and vendors
- Do you have a list of required or preferred vendors?
- Do we need event liability insurance?
- Are candles, sparklers, confetti or loud music after a set time allowed?
- Who is our contact on the day, and are they on site the whole time?
Photos and the day itself
- Where do couples usually take portraits here, and at what time?
- Is there good light inside if it rains?
- Is there a spot near the bar or entrance for a sign with our photo QR code?
- How is phone signal and guest Wi-Fi inside the building?
For a longer list by category, see Joy's questions to ask a wedding venue. Then come back and put the answers into the tool.
05Inside the tool
How the score out of 100 is worked out
The score adds three parts. Your own rating carries the most weight, because a venue that is cheap and well equipped still has to feel right. The winner badge only shows once two or more venues are filled in.
Cost per guest
30Cost divided by capacity. No cost entered means 0 points here.
$50 or less30 pts
$51 to $10025 pts
$101 to $15020 pts
$151 to $20015 pts
$201 to $30010 pts
Over $3005 pts
Amenities
30Up to 8 amenity points, scaled to 30 and rounded.
SettingBoth indoor and outdoor 2, otherwise 1
CateringEither 2, in-house or BYO only 1
ParkingYes 2, no 0
AccommodationYes 2, no 0
Your rating
40Each star is worth 8 points. Five stars is the full 40.
Rate on the drive home, before the next tour changes your mind.
Illustrative example, run through the tool's rules
Cost per guest$15,000 for 150 guests is $100 a head
25 / 30
AmenitiesOutdoor 1, in-house 1, parking 2, no rooms 0 = 4 of 8
15 / 30
Your rating4 stars out of 5
32 / 40
Total score72 / 100
07Tour day
Do this on every tour, skip the rest
Do
- Ask every venue for the same thing: an itemized estimate for the same date type and the same guest count.
- Tour at the time of day your wedding will happen, so you see the real light and the real traffic.
- Take photos and a short video of every room, the restrooms and the parking, and label them by venue.
- Fill in the comparison the same evening. By the third tour the first one starts to blur.
- Read the contract for minimums, overtime, cancellation and vendor rules before you pay the deposit.
Don't
- Compare a rental fee at one venue with a package price at another. Turn both into an all-in total first.
- Sign on tour day because of a limited-time discount. Ask the venue to hold the date while you compare.
- Skip the rain plan. If they cannot show you the backup space, ask why.
- Assume the service charge is the tip. Ask, and get the answer in writing.
- Forget the guests. Parking, stairs, restrooms and the drive back to the hotel matter to them all night.
Before you sign
Couples usually book the venue before any other vendor, typically 11 to 14 months out (WeddingPro), and a deposit of 25 to 50 percent at signing is common (The Yes Girls). That is a lot of money to put down on a hunch. Run the comparison first.
First dance
You guys!!
Picked the venue? Give every guest one place for their photos.
Your photographer covers the big moments. Guests catch the rest, from the lawn to the last song. One QR code on the tables and every photo lands in one shared album, no app needed.
From Mom
Point your camera
Scan to join the album
No app, no account
9:41
UPLOADING
Saving your moment
9:41
THE ALBUM
Emma & Daniel
June 21, 2026
647 photos · 95 guests
AllMomentsMine
★
Add photosShare your moments
SCAN TO TRY
pix.wedding/
your-wedding
08Two kinds of venue
All-inclusive or bring your own: pros and cons
This is the catering row in the tool, and it changes everything else on the quote. Neither is cheaper by default. It depends on your guest count, your caterer and how much you want to run yourself.
All-inclusive venue
In-house catering, packages, hotel and country club ballroomsPros
One quote, one contact, fewer vendors to hire.
Tables, chairs, linens and staff are usually part of the price.
Easier to plan from far away or on a short timeline.
Cons
Food and drink minimums can push the bill past what you planned.
Little or no choice of caterer, bar or sometimes photographer.
Service charge and tax land on a large food and drink total.
Bring-your-own venue
Barns, lofts, gardens and raw spaces with outside caterersPros
Pick any caterer, bar service and style you want.
Lower rental fee, and you only pay for what you bring in.
Easier to stretch the budget with food trucks or a family-style menu.
Cons
You rent and coordinate everything: tables, chairs, linens, staff, cleanup.
More vendors to book, insure and schedule on one day.
Kitchen, power and restroom limits can add costs you only spot late.
Venues with food and drink minimums include most hotels, country clubs and full-service estates (Nearlywed). If a venue lets you choose, pick Either in the tool. It earns the extra catering point.
Whichever venue wins
Every corner of the venue, in one album
The garden, the staircase, the dance floor, the late-night fries. Guests scan one QR code and add photos and videos from the phone browser, no app and no account.
Point your camera
Scan to join the album
No app, no account
9:41
UPLOADING
Saving your moment
9:41
THE ALBUM
Emma & Daniel
June 21, 2026
647 photos · 95 guests
AllMomentsMine
★
Add photosShare your moments
09Watch before you compare
Why venue quotes never line up
The Wedding Course on YouTube
How to accurately compare your wedding venues
Some venues quote a package price, others a food and beverage minimum. Some include tables and chairs, others charge for each one. This short video walks through how to compare them on equal terms. Watch it, then build your all-in totals for the tool.
Watch on YouTube (4:49)Couple reviews
Rated 4.9 by couples who used Pix Wedding
4.9
out of 5 · Based on 395 reviews
Set it up in the arvo before the ceremony, took maybe ten minutes. Didn't think about it again until the next morning and the album was already full. Too easy
Will E. · Mornington Peninsula, AUVerified couple · August 2025
Fall foliage wedding (yes we planned our entire wedding around leaf season and it was worth it). The photos from our guests are so colorful, every single one could be a postcard. Downloaded the ZIP and now have the best desktop background rotation of my life
Jade K. · Burlington, VTVerified couple · May 2026
Venue Questions
Wedding Venue Comparison FAQ
What couples ask while they choose between venues: how to compare quotes, how many to tour, minimums, service charges and when to book.
Get an itemized quote from each venue for the same guest count, then turn every quote into one all-in total: rental or site fee, food and drink minimum, service charge, tax and rentals. Put those totals next to capacity, catering rules, parking, rooms and your own rating. The free tool on this page lays out up to four venues side by side and scores each one out of 100.
Right here. Enter each venue in the comparison tool at the top of this page and pick its setting (indoor, outdoor or both), catering (in-house, BYO or either), parking and accommodation. The table lines the venues up row by row and the amenities count for 30 of the 100 points. It runs in your browser, needs no sign-up and does not save between visits, so take a screenshot when you are done.
Most couples tour a handful. In WeddingPro's venue selection study, couples contacted five venues on average and toured four in person before deciding. Four also fits the tool, which compares up to four venues at once.
The site fee is what you pay to use the space for a set number of hours. The food and beverage minimum is the least you must spend on catering and drinks, and it is almost always stated before tax and service charge. Some venues charge both, others waive the site fee on a package. If the site fee looks low, check the minimum.
Not always. A service charge is set by contract and usually runs 18 to 25 percent of the food and drink total. Some venues pass part of it to staff, others keep it to cover costs, and gratuity may be added on top. Ask the venue to explain it and put the answer in writing.
Couples usually book the venue first, typically 11 to 14 months before the wedding, according to WeddingPro. Expect a deposit at signing, often 25 to 50 percent of the total, so compare the contracts before you pay.