FAQ

VENUE 311 Q&A

How many hours does the rental last?

Your rental will last 14 hours. 10am-12am. All cleanup must be completed and guests departed by the end of the rental.

Are there other times I can visit the venue other than the wedding day?

Yes. In addition to your wedding day, you can visit the venue 3 additional times. You can have a 90 minute photo shoot, a 90 minute rehearsal, and a 90 minute walk through. Please note that the 90 minute photo shoot, rehearsal, and walk through cannot be exchanged or combined with each other. For example, you cannot forego your photo shoot and then have a 3 hour walk through. Venue 311 has an extremely busy schedule and you must limit your times to 90 minutes. Even if you arrive late, the time slot alloted to you cannot be extended.

Can I arrive early on my wedding day?

The rental is from 10am-12am. The venue gates will open promptly at 10am, so please inform your vendors/bridal party that there will be no early access.

Can I pay for extra hours?

The answer to this question varies depending on if the venue is being rented the day prior and/or day following your event. Extra paid hours must be discussed with the management.

Can I come the day before my rental to set up?

Due to tours, other reservations, and venue maintenance, all decorating must be done during the hours of your rental.

Can I bring stuff in the day before?

Everything must be brought in during your rental period, and not prior.

Can my linens/dishes/leftover alcohol, etc. be picked up the next morning?

All supplies must be brought in and taken out the same day of your rental. 

Can vehicles be left at the venue overnight and be picked up the following day?

If drinking is expected please make appropriate arrangements (shuttles, taxis, carpooling, etc.) prior to your event day.

Can I take pictures at the venue prior to my event date?

Yes. Included in your rental package is a 90 minute photo shoot in which you can take bridal pictures or engagement pictures. If you would like to do this, please contact management via email to schedule a time. The building will be unlocked for you so that you may take both inside/outside pictures. No more than 90 minutes will be allotted and no furniture may be moved. (Depending on when you schedule your shoot for there may be tables set up for a wedding the following day). Please note that the 90 minute photo shoot cannot be exchanged or combined with the 90 minute rehearsal or the 90 minute walk through. 

Can I have a rehearsal at the venue prior to my rental day?

Yes, you will be allotted 90 minutes to have a rehearsal. The rehearsal day/time will need to be scheduled with Venue 311 via email and will be scheduled on a day that the venue has no other reservations. Venue 311 won’t confirm the day/time until 1 month prior to your event day. Please note that if you would like to have a rehearsal, you will be responsible for contacting Venue 311 via email. Please note that the 90 minute rehearsal cannot be exchanged or combined with the 90 minute photo shoot or the 90 minute walk through. 

Can we bring in food to our rehearsal?

No food is allowed during rehearsal, as it must be kept to a simple 90-minute walk through.

Do people have rehearsals on the same day as their wedding?

Yes. The majority of Venue 311 brides chose to have a same day walk through/rehearsal as their wedding. This is convenient because the whole bridal party is already present as well as the coordinator.

Can I come before my wedding to get ideas for how I want to set up/decorate?

Yes, in addition to your day-of rental, bridal photos & rehearsal, we allow one 90-minute walkthrough. This is a fantastic time for your friends, family and vendors to see the venue before the big day. Please contact Venue 311 via email to schedule this. Please note that the 90 minute walk through cannot be exchanged or combined with the 90 minute photo shoot or the 90 minute rehersal.

Can I hang decor on the walls and/or beams?

Yes. However, command strips must be used for hanging. Nails/tacks/tape are strictly prohibited.

Can I use sparklers for my exit?

Yes, sparklers are allowed. However, they must be hidden from guests until departure time. Additionally, they must be placed in a bucket of sand after use to avoid fires- and the client is responsible for disposal.

Can I use glitter/confetti at my wedding?

No, as they are not biodegradable and will be too small to be cleaned up properly.

Can I use rose petals at my outdoor ceremony?

Yes. However they must be real rose petals. No fake rose petals are permitted because they are not biodegradable.

Can I have candles at my reception?

Yes. However, they must be in glass containers and the glass must be higher than the top of the flame.

Can I have food trucks at my wedding?

Yes. Food trucks are welcome but must park in the front circle drive.

What can I use as decorations for an outside ceremony?

Decorations are welcome as long as nothing is pushed into/through the artificial grass in ceremony area.

How many tables does Venue 311 have?

Venue 311 has 32 round tables and 4 rectangle tables. Additionally, Venue 311 has a dessert cart, cake table, sweetheart table, buffet room table and entry way table.

What are the dimensions of the tables at Venue 311?

(32) Round tables are 60” across.

(4) Rectangle tables are 8 feet long and 30 inches wide.

(2) Farmhouse tables are 6 feet long and 29.5 inches wide.

Blue cake table is 47” L X 25”/ 30” W (Table is curved, 35” is the widest part.

Sweetheart table is 76” L X 31.5” W.

Buffet table located in the buffet room is 8 feet long X 4 feet wide X 32″ high.

Side table in buffet room is 55.5″ L x 16″ w.

Entry table in foyer is 59″ L x 20″ W.

Venue 311 has two permanent arches outdoors. The dimensions for the arches are:

Entrance Arbor 98.5” Tall, 95” Wide

Right Fence 246”, Left Fence 256”

Ceremony Arbor 97” Tall, 96” Wide.

Can the ceremony arches be moved?

No, both arches are permanently fixed to the ground.

Does Venue 311 have any arches that can be used indoors?

Yes, we have an indoor circle wedding arch that is mobile.

How many people can sit per a table?

We recommend 8-10 per a round table and 6-8 per a rectangle table.

Does Venue 311 have linens for the tables?

No, all linens must be rented/bought and brought in by the client.

What size linens should I rent/buy?

Our tables are 60” across, therefore a 120” table linen will be floor length-which is the look most people prefer.

Do my vendors have to be insured?

Yes, we love to let our couples choose their own vendors, however please be sure that you are hiring insured vendors.

Can my caterers cook in the Venue 311 kitchen?

The Venue 311 kitchen is to be used as a preparation space for catering. Cooking on site is prohibited.

Does Venue 311 provide ice?

While Venue 311 has a small ice machine located in the bar area – it usually does not provide the amount of ice needed for a wedding/large event. You should bring in ice which can be stored in our freezers.

Is a coordinator provided?

No, Venue 311 does not provide a coordinator.

What do the Venue 311 staff members take care of?

Venue 311 will have 1-2 staff members present during your rental to oversee the safety of the building, check that the bathrooms remain stocked, adjust temperatures and answer questions pertaining to the venue.

If I am having both my ceremony and reception inside who will be in charge of flipping the room?

Venue 311 staff will be happy to assist, however the client is responsible for assigning people to flip the room.

How many guests does Venue 311 hold?

Venue 311 is designed to accommodate up to 250 guests. However, please note that with 250 guests, a few tables may need to be moved following dinner, in order to create a dance floor.

Can I rent other tables to make it fit more how I would like?

Yes, you are free to bring in as many extra tables as you wish.

Can I have a second bar set up outside?

Yes. However, please ensure that a licensed/insured bartender is behind the additional bar serving all alcohol.

Do I have to have a bartender with just beer and wine being served?

Yes. A bartender must serve any and all alcohol.

What about security?

Security is required at Venue 311 if any alcohol is being served.1 security officer per 100 people at your event is required. For information on hiring Grimes County officers, please contact the venue via e-mail.

How long does security have to stay?

Security must be present from the time alcohol begins to be served until the end of the event.

Does Venue 311 have any outdoor games?

Yes, Venue 311 has horse-shoes (outside of groom’s room), corn-hole, dominoes, giant Jenga and yard dice!

How will Venue 311 know what games I want to use, how I want the room set up, etc.?

The week prior to your wedding/event date, you will receive a questionnaire from Venue 311 which will cover all of your preferences for your big day!

What are the dimensions of the chapel?

The chapel is 32×68. Total square feet is 2,176. It will seat 250 guests.

What are the window dimensions in the chapel?

The large window at the back of the chapel is 72″x120″. The two windows on each side of the large window are 40″x72″. The windows on the sides of the chapel are 24″x72″.

What are the dimensions of the main banquet room?

The large banquet room dimensions are 45 feet X 67 feet. Total square footage is 3,015.

Can we take the cross and the circle out of the chapel during the ceremony?

The cross and circle are designed to stay in the chapel. They can be moved to the front corner of the building to be out of sight if you don’t want to use them.

Can we remove all of the chairs on the synthetic grass area and use that space for eating?

We cannot allow food and drinks to be served on the synthetic grass area. It is only to be used for outdoor ceremonies. You may use any other grassy area on the grounds, the front and back patios, or the large banquet room to serve food.

Can we have our ceremony on the gazebo and set up the chairs in front of the gazebo?

The gazebo is intended for pictures and as a sitting area. Our staff will not move all the guest chairs to that area for a ceremony. If you prefer to have your ceremony in front of the gazebo, we ask that you be responsible for moving all the chairs to that area, then clean the bottoms of the chairs, then move them back to the synthetic grass area.

How can we get a custom monogram made with our names and design to use in the floor spotlight machine (Gobo)?