A venue tour is emotional by design. You are looking at the aisle and imagining the people you love in the chairs. Still, the contract will shape the day long after the first impression fades.
Bring the same questions to every Miami venue. Write down the answers, ask for the price and policies in writing, and compare like with like. The checklist below includes Longan’s current public information where a confirmed answer is available; details tied to a specific event should still appear in the proposal or agreement.
If an answer affects the price, schedule, or rain plan, ask to see it in writing before paying the deposit.
01
Price, capacity, and time
These four questions establish what you are buying before the conversation turns to décor.
1What exactly is included in this price?
Ask for a line-by-line list of spaces, food, staffing, rentals, coordination, entertainment, and décor. At Longan’s, inclusions vary by package, so the $55 Venue + Basics tier should not be compared as though it contains the same services as the $85 Signature All-Inclusive tier.
2What fees and taxes are added?
Longan’s adds an 18% service charge and 7% Florida sales tax to published package prices. Other venues may structure fees differently. Compare the final estimate, not the headline number.
3How many guests fit comfortably in the planned layout?
Ask about the exact ceremony, dining, and dance-floor layout. Longan’s hosts intimate options and full weddings for up to 180 guests; day-specific guest minimums apply to full wedding pricing.
4How many event hours are included?
Longan’s full weddings and Micro Weddings are five hours. Petite Weddings are four hours. Extra time is currently $750 per hour. Confirm setup, vendor arrival, and exit times separately because event hours do not always mean total property access.
02
The spaces and the weather plan
A venue should be able to explain the guest journey in good weather and in rain.
5Are the ceremony and reception on the same property?
At Longan’s, the pond-side ceremony setting and covered tiki-hut reception area are on the same private property. Walk the route during the tour and ask whether any room flip or guest hold is required.
6What happens if it rains?
Ask to see the actual backup area, its capacity, and when the venue makes the weather call. Longan’s has covered and indoor backup options, but the team confirms the right plan based on the event layout.
7What does the venue look like during a real wedding?
Review complete, real-event photographs instead of relying only on tightly framed portraits. Look for guest tables, ceremony seating, the dance floor, and transitions between spaces.
03
Food, vendors, and what you provide
These answers prevent last-minute assumptions about services that sit outside the venue package.
8Is catering in-house, and what does my package include?
Ask about menu choices, tastings, dietary needs, staffing, place settings, and service style. At Longan’s, food and service inclusions depend on the selected package.
9Which services must we arrange separately?
Longan’s does not include alcohol, photo or video, an officiant, personal flowers, or ceremony-area decorations in any package. Ask every venue for its exclusion list and any vendor approval rules.
10Who is our point of contact before and during the wedding?
Clarify the planning contact, the day-of lead, and how responsibilities change if you bring an outside planner. A title alone is not enough; ask what that person actually handles.
04
Money, dates, and the contract
Finish the tour with the questions that determine whether the date is truly bookable.
11What are the deposit, payment, cancellation, and date-change terms?
For full weddings at Longan’s, the deposit saves the date, 50% is due 90 days before the wedding, and the remaining balance is due 15 days before the event with the final headcount. Petite and Micro Weddings currently use a $750 deposit. Read the written policy before paying, including what is refundable, what can transfer to a new date, and what happens if plans change.
12Can we tour the exact spaces and check our date before deciding?
Use the public calendar as a first look, then confirm the date directly. During a Longan’s tour, walk the ceremony route, reception room, rain backup, parking flow, and portrait areas before requesting the final proposal.