Getting dressed at the hotel or the venue?

If I was you, I would get hair and make-up done at the hotel as you planned and put the dress on at the venue. I would bring a full length mirror with me as well. My number one thing is I would not want anyone to see me before the ceremony. So the fact that the venue allows an hour of bridal suit time is great! Since it really doesn't take that long to put a dress you'd have time to get your thoughts together and take pictures in the suit. I really don't know how big the suit is but from what you describe the space should be okay.

View Quoted Comment I agree. I think an hour is plenty of time to get your dress on if you have help. For all the reasons listed, I would be nervous about driving with the dress on. You can drop it off earlier that day and know that it is hanging safely there. This is what I'm doing also.

Our bridal suite at our venue is more of a board room, with a big table and chairs. It's painted a dark red color and just really isn't flattering for pictures plus it's an hour from where we're getting ready and I don't want to wear my dress in a vehicle that long. So we're "staging" the getting dressed pics at my house where the girls are getting ready, I'll have pics of me getting my dress on, my sister zipping and fastening the back, and putting my veil on, but then I'll take it off to travel to the venue. My dress doesn't have a lot of buttons though. It's a zipper and then a unique upper back beading that has two or three clasps.

So that's always an option too if you're worried about time at the venue for pics in your dress.

I'd say get everyone's hair/ makeup done at the hotel then put your dress on at the venue. Just be careful about what you wear on the way over (ex. if your dress is strapless or has an open back, don't wear a bra that will give you a strap mark). You could also bring a cheap full length mirror with you to the venue, then have someone grab it after the ceremony.