Getting the venue right for your event can mean the difference between success and failure. When choosing a venue, whether it’s a large conference or intimate wedding reception, there are lots of things to consider to make sure everything goes smoothly. Here are some of what we consider the most important tips to think about when booking the right venue for your event.
Location
The venue location needs to be at the heart of your event plan. It should have good transport links, parking space nearby and accommodation if it’s a multi-day event. It’s also important to take into consideration who your guests are and where they will be coming from, and ensure that the location is somewhere that makes sense for the bulk of your guests, as well as being in a desirable spot.
Size
The venue size and capacity must be just right, being too small will create overcrowding; whilst being too big will give a sense of emptiness and an under-attended, unsuccessful event. Most venues should have capacity numbers for all their rooms, aim to be just slightly under the capacity limit, but never over and never far under, and you should be alright.
Layout Options
Whether you are hosting a drinks reception, stand-up buffet, cabaret style dinner or conference presentation, ensure the venue has experience and plans in place to cater for your desired style and seating arrangements. You can also ask the venue if they have a seating plan or a gallery of images from past events that have used your desired style, to ensure the format will match your expectations.
Menu
Great food and drink will stick in your guests’ minds. Whether it’s canapés, a sit down meal or a drinks reception, ensure you have something available for everyone’s tastes. If all food it going to be catered by the venue that you have to ensure that all dietary requirements can be met. Remember to offer vegetarian alternatives to meat dishes too. You will have to talk to them also about delivery time for the amount of guests you will be serving to ensure that everything can run fluently throughout your event.
Date and Time
Sounds simple, but make sure you check your calendar for significant events around the time you are planning your event, if there are seasonal events in your location and you want to book our venue you will have to do it with much time to spare. Local celebrations and seasonal events will all have in impact on whether you can book you venue closer to the time as venues tend to have limited space available.
These are just a few of the important points to consider when choosing a venue. You can also cut your search time significantly by using an online venue finder or video tour website.
