You have your short list of locations picked out, but you’re not quite sure how to make the final decision. Here, Ajay Chaudhry of the brand-new nine-acre Martinsville Gardens in Bridgewater, gives us some tips on how to pick your wedding venue.

“Give me an idea of your taste, crowd mix, budget and preferences, and I can create a theme and customized menu for your special event that your guests are going to remember forever,” says Chaudhry. “I am showcasing the best of the Asian and fusion cuisine here. It’s different here in America; we cater to events where we have a diverse mix of ethnicities.” And that’s a challenge that Chaudhry loves to take—to satisfy every palate with new fusion dishes created only for special occasions and customized themes that are loved by everyone, while keeping in mind the diversity of America.

Based on his experience of handling at least 5,000 parties, Chaudhry has some tips for brides:

1. What’s new? Ask the caterer.

People will remember your party for something that they have not seen or tasted before. And the caterer must have something new, otherwise he’s not passionate and innovative—and not meant for you if you are a special bride.

2. Always discuss the crowd mix with your caterer.

Make a menu that is acceptable to the entire crowd at your gathering. And never make that mistake. You are the host and you should try to appease everyone at your event.

3. Choose a venue that is compact and just sufficient for the size of party that you want to host.

Don’t get excited if you are getting a bigger hall for the same price. It’s more expensive to fill and decorate—and your guests will be scattered.

4. Give a basic minimum budget to your decorator at first and see what they offer.

Then slowly start adding what you want. If you tell them all of your choices in the beginning, you are going to pay a lot more.

 5. Choose a location with a view and beautiful outdoors.

That’s what makes the pictures look great. If it’s a destination wedding, you should ask the event coordinator to plan activities when your guests have free time between functions to keep them busy.

6. Choose your dress first, or at least the colors of your bridesmaids.

Then plan the stage backdrop, the linen, the napkins. “A pink theme looked pretty in a wedding that I did recently,” Chaudhry says, “but the pictures didn’t come out well because the bride’s dress and the stage backdrop were both pink.”

Chaudhry is the winner of a prestigious President award for managing and heading the biggest banquet and convention center in Asia, and he brings 25 years of experience in the field of organizing events such as weddings, conferences, customized social events and state banquets in honor of various heads of state, including President Bill Clinton on his visit to India. In one of the private banquets that was hosted by the Indian Prime Minister for Hillary Clinton when she was First Lady, Chaudhry prepared a menu that was so much appreciated that a few guests ignored protocol and asked for additional helpings, which is very rare in formal banquets. But they couldn’t help it—the menu was balanced and the food simply delicious.