If you are hosting an event, no matter whether it’s a wedding, a birthday party, a corporate event, or anything else, the venue is absolutely crucial. If you can get this element right, everything else should fall into place, or at least be easier to plan. Remember that the venue you choose will give your guests an impression of you (and your business if it’s a business event), and making sure that’s a good impression is important.
It might seem as though finding the ideal venue for your event is quite a simple thing to do. You just look around the area and find a location that will be big enough for the number of people you’re inviting. At least, that might be how to think about things to start with. Once you start looking more deeply into it, you might realize there is a lot more to it. With that in mind, here are some tips on how to pick a venue for your event that works for everyone.
Location
The location of the venue has to be the first consideration. If you find a beautiful place that isn’t out of your budget and that will give everyone plenty of room but it’s far away from any train stations or bus routes or it would take people a long time to get there, then you’ll find fewer people want to come.
Therefore, look closely at making sure you choose the right location. It should be close enough to the majority of people’s homes that they can easily take a taxi or drive a short distance. If it is further away, you should opt for somewhere that has great transport links or, at the very least, a place that offers overnight stays to make the trip worthwhile.
Food And Drink
Have you ever gone to a party or event and assumed there would be food only to find there is none? Or were you expecting a free bar and instead you had to pay for each drink? In these cases, you would have been disappointed and that would sully your memories of the party.
Therefore, make it clear to guests what to expect. If there is going to be food, let them know and ensure you hire a great full-service catering team (or pick a venue that comes with one). The same goes for the bar – is it free or do they need to bring money? As long as people know in advance, you can meet their expectations.
So when picking a venue, check that you can have everything you want in terms of food and drink. You don’t want to pick somewhere only to find that there is no food allowed or that the bar closes before your party finishes, for example.
Budget
Whether you’re paying for the event or your business is, there is still going to be a cost involved. Some venues are much more expensive than others, so it’s wise to have a budget in place before you start looking. It’s great to organize a fantastic party, but getting into debt for it isn’t such a good idea.
Knowing your budget will help you narrow down your options in the first place, and once you have a shortlist, you can compare each venue and see which one is the best value for money.
