Venue picking guide
Chris Hogan, 12th November 2014, Events
Whether your event is a wedding, family celebration, sport or activity day, work-based or a charity or community bash, the right location is crucial. At Insure My Event we see all sorts of questions come up and based on those, here's our guide to the little questions that mean so much.
The basics
Price, location, availability and size are the most obvious questions to consider at the outset.
Price - have a good idea of your budget but make sure that you know what might be included (or not) at each venue. It can be hard work but you need to compare like with like - a venue that seems out of reach financially may not be, once you've compared what's included with the extra charges at another, initially cheaper, venue.
Location - we all want somewhere spectacular for a special day. Think about giving people enough time to reach the venue and easy access by public transport as well as cars.
Availability - popular venues can be booked up years in advance so set your own date as quickly as you can. If you don't need the venue for a whole day, you may be able to use it just for the afternoon, or evening, to dovetail with other bookings.
Size - make sure the venue is big enough for your needs without being too large. As well as paying more than you need to, a large venue will seem very empty if you don't have enough people to make it look full.
The not-so-basics
Once you've got an idea about those, there's a host of other things you need to think about. Here's our quick reference guide:
Catering - some venues (hotels and commercial conference facilities are often the case) will provide catering services and won't allow you to DIY or bring another caterer in. It's not so hard and fast with other venues. Public buildings, for example, may not have on-site catering so you can do what you like.
These days you have to remember that people might have restrictive diets or might not drink alcohol, so make sure there are different options, get everyone's preferences and pass them onto whoever's catering. Don't forget corkage - if you or a caterer brings in wine then some venues may charge corkage.
Photographs / video - if you want a video of the event check that the venue allows it. Scout around for photography locations as well, inside and outside in case the weather lets you down.
Decorations - a lot of venues that specialise in weddings and celebrations will have a store cupboard full of different table decorations, candelabras, that sort of thing. Ask to have a look - it could save money on hiring in decorations.
Layout - make sure venues understand the seating arrangements you're going to need, particularly if it has to change through the day. For example you might want theatre-style seating with no tables for a wedding ceremony then move everyone into another area, maybe outside (if it doesn't rain!) while it's switched to a dining layout.
Timing - think about the event you want and how the time of day might affect it. So if you want candles for a wedding, you might have to go for winter as 4pm is the latest most Registrars can start a wedding, so it won't be dark enough for the full effect. But if its' not a wedding, you have more freedom with the time.
The same goes for fireworks, which are getting more popular at all sorts of events. It's illegal to set them off after 11pm in the UK, and at the height of summer it will be too light until around 10pm. But in the depths of winter it might be too cold or wet to stand outside, so see if there's a place where people can stand and watch the display.
Children - if you're having a family occasion that's not a children's party, consider doing something to keep the kids amused. Perhaps the venue has a crèche or you can book a bouncy castle or an entertainer to give the adults a break - if it's an all day affair kids will get very tired.
Toastmaster / Master of Ceremonies - many venues will have an MC on hand to guide your guests through the day. It might seem formal but people actually want to be told where and when to go, they don't like uncertainty.
Event manager / co-ordinator - again many venues will have someone to do this for you, but sometimes it will be an extra cost - find out first. If they don't have someone, consider asking a friend or family member to project manage with you.
Music / entertainment - most venues will allow you to bring in your own entertainment but check on any restrictions about noise and times when music has to stop.
Take it step by step
This does sound like a lot to look out for and we could write pages on each item we've listed above. So plan the event step by step, use online reviews to pick out the venues that you think will fit, then make a short list and get out and about.
It's only by seeing venues at first hand that you can get a feel for whether they are right for you, so, armed with your checklist, pick them off one by one until you find the perfect one.
