Along with searching for a venue, there comes a lot of advice. Lavender on the Lake is SO excited to help offer essential advice. Not only to give you all the answers you need regarding our venue, but you can also learn what to ask along your venue search. We truly do want all couples to be happy; if Lavender on the Lake is not the venue for you, you won’t be happy and neither will we. Wherever you land, these questions are essential to ask your venue.
Key questions during your Florida wedding venue search.
Will we be able to have a rehearsal? Yes! We understand that a lot of planning has gone into your special day; it is important to feel comfortable with the day of process. We will work with you to find time so that you may have a hour to rehearse during the week prior to your event. It is important to run through things so that you can be ready to enjoy your celebration!
Do you have a preferred vendor list? Yes! We do have a preferred vendor list. At this point, we do not require our couples to select off of our list. However, there is a $250 vetting fee if you select a DAY OF COORDINATOR and/OR CATERER who is NOT on our list. Lavender needs to vet these two types of vendors prior to any monies paid towards such vendor. This is just to ensure that their procedures align with our expectations at our wedding venue.
We have a policy that all vendors must provide proof of licensure and insurance 60 days prior to your event. Good vendors are key to having the event of your dreams!
Is a Wedding Planner or Day of Coordinator required? We here at LOTL have high standards and expectations regarding the continuity and flow of your wedding. Lavender staff will be on site. (And. Um. That means, Jason and/I will be on site.) However, we also require a professional, 30-60 day out (at a minimum) coordinator/ wedding planner to be sure that your day runs as smoothly as possible. If you select a coordinator who is not on our approved vendor list, there will a $250 vetting fee. You have spent a lot of time and money planning your day; we want things to go off without a hitch!
If we want to move forward, how do we lock in our date? This is a very easy process! We will provide you with some information to the pertinent people in your planning process, such as your partner and perhaps a parent or wedding planner. Next, we will provide you with a contract through our portal for you to take a look at prior to electronically signing and putting down 1/3 of the total payment. (You may use a credit card, check, or cash.) You will receive a reminder for the 2nd payment halfway and the final third is due 30 days prior to your event.
Are we able to bring in our own alcohol? Yes! We have a bar inside and outside of our venue for you to use and you may bring in your own alcohol as long as you have a licensed and insured bartender to serve the beverages. Your bartender should also provide you with glassware and the appropriate fixings for your drinks. We do not require you to have extra liability and insurance for your bartenders, however, we do highly recommend this added security.
What is being done to help control the mosquitos and other pests? We know that mosquitos can be a problem here in Florida. Lavender has placed two bat houses throughout our property to help keep the number of mosquitos down, plus we plant Black-Eyed Susans throughout the grounds to attract dragonflies so that they can help by eating the mosquitos. We will continue to spray throughout the grounds as well as to place mosquito propane catchers throughout the property. We also care for the grounds in order to eliminate red ants as well as being aware of any standing water near our property that might cause breeding for mosquitos.
Will there be any unexpected charges or fees? You should expect there to be no fees other than the following: Venue Price + 7.5% sales tax + $500 damage deposit. Closer to your event we require an Event Liability Policy; we will send you the link and it is $200.
Do you provide a bar? We have a bar that is on wheels so that you can decide where you would like the placement to be during your reception; there is also a bar for the outdoor cocktail area. (But if you feel like bringing in cute, little bars like this one, I won’t tell you no!)
Do you allow outside food to be made? You may not drop off food-with exception of the cake. We take food safety and food born illnesses very seriously. We leave that to our full service professional caterers who have the proper equipment and knowledge for keeping the food safe and delicious.
Do you allow dogs? We love our furry babies and so yes, we do allow for dogs to accompany you on your big day. All furry friends must have a human companion with them at all times; please clean up messes in a timely manner. We have specific areas for disposing of feces as well.
Do you allow open flames? We LOVE candles and think that they set quite a mood. Having said that, we also love our space and want to keep it safe. Therefore, we do require candles as long as they are in covered vases/hurricanes, etc for extra precaution.
Will tables be provided? We provide tables and chairs for up to 200 guests. You will use the chairs for both ceremony and for reception. Jason designed and built the first farmhouse table and then our friend James, led the wood working shop to complete the remaining 19. They are 9 foot tables and are 38 inches wide, seating 8 or 10 people. (The chairs in the bottom left photo were rented by one of our couples.)
Do you require event insurance? We do require our couples to purchase event insurance for your event which is $200. We are partnering with Indemn so that it is easy for you to obtain your event insurance. Once you have booked we will provide a link for you to easily purchase your insurance. Your vendors must also be licensed and insured. They must provide a certificate of insurance with an endorsement sixty (60) days prior to your event for each vendor.
Do you allow sparklers? The photo below lets you know the answer to this question! Please be sure that your coordinator facilitates proper cleanup of the used sparklers. (It’s no fun running over one of those on the tractor!;)
Are round tables provided? At this point, we are not providing round tables. You will need to rent round tables if you would like to use them. Don’t forget to rent linens! As a reminder, we will have 200 chairs.
Are there hotels nearby? We are currently working with specific hotels to be able to provide you with contacts for blocking off rooms. At this point, The Wave Hotel, and The Courtyard Orlando Lake Nona are both a shuttle away and provide for a fun night spot for your guests. One of my brides suggested ALoft in Lake Nona as well. I need to head over there to introduce myself.
Do you provide cocktail tables? Yes, we provide 10 32″ round cocktail tables for the outdoor space. They may also be used indoors; we include black linens.
Will Lavender provide a table for the cake as well as tables for buffet style dining? We will provide a single 48″ round table for the cake, along with 3 (30 x 96″) buffet style tables. We include black linens for these tables.
Do you provide linens? Our farmhouse tables are hand crafted and are beautiful on their own. Therefore, we do not provide linens to cover them up. However, we do provide white, cream, or black table runners as an option along with simple table decor.
Is there a refundable deposit? Yes, we do require a fully refundable deposit of $500 upon booking. We strongly desire to keep the grounds, getting ready rooms, bathrooms, etc looking their very best. So much heart and soul has gone into doing so. It is important to us that all of our families have a wonderful experience here. Once the property has been assessed for damages, the deposit is fully refunded within 10 days after the event.
If we want to reserve our date, what does the process look like? In order to reserve your date, we will send you an online form to complete that requests information to help us create a contract. We require 1/3 of the final payment to start and reserve your date. This does not include taxes or a $500 fully refundable damage deposit ; you may pay by cash, check, or card. The process is easy! We will send you your contract so that all signatures are captured electronically and on your own time.Payments may be made through the portal as well.
What can be done about the airboat noise or noise surrounding the property? We are a working farm and are surrounded by nature and natural, rural life. Fortunately, we have a great relationship with our wonderful neighbors who are supportive of our endeavor. Therefore, they are made aware of ceremony times so that they can be respectful and limit disruptions during these times.
We also are in touch with the airboat companies and will be providing them details about our events throughout the weekends; they have told us that they will be mindful of when we are holding outdoor events/ceremonies. If someone is fishing within the cove prior to ceremony, Jason, myself or a member of our LOTL staff will politely ask them to be courteous and to find their fish somewhere else. Again, we will do everything possible to ensure that your celebrations are peaceful and without disruptions.
(And btw, reach out the schedule a ride with Marsh Landing Airboat Tours. It is such fun!)
Do you allow for food trucks on your property? We love food trucks and love that we have space on our farm for them to create one of a kind events! All food trucks must submit a vendor agreement as well as a Cerificate of Insurance.
What is the cancellation policy? If cancellation is made more than 365 days prior to the event, 75% of the rental payments made to date are refunded, and 25% shall be retained by Lavender as liquidated damages. When a cancellation is made 240-365 days prior to the event, 50% of all rental payments made to date are refunded, and 50% shall be retained by Lavender as liquidated damages. If cancellation is made less than 240 days prior to event, the rental payments made to date shall not be refunded, and shall be retained by Lavender as liquidated damages.
If you have not been out to Lavender on the Lake, I hope that this blog has piqued your interest. You can take a look here to see our space a little bit better or contact me here if you have any questions or would like to come out for a visit. Don’t hesitate to ask any and all questions! Choosing the right venue for YOU is essential
As always, I am so thankful for each and every person who takes time to read my blogs. You know by now that I support small, locally owned businesses and believe completely that you will receive the best possible care when you invest with a small business by partnering with them to have your wedding. To us, this is not just a business; it is our family. I mention other locally owned venues from across the country in support. You can take a look here at the Wedding Venue Map as well.
Thanks so much! Have a lovely rest of your week!
XO
Shelley
Featured Vendors from this post:
Venue | Lavender on The Lake
Photos | Deans Photo | Jeny Roc Photography | Andrea Cakmar Photo + Film | Snapshots by Gabriela
Florist | In Bloom Florist | Farm Nine
Other | Pearl Mobile Bar