Who doesn’t enjoy a party? Planning an event could be a great deal of fun if you are hosting a shindig for yourself in your own home, a huge bash for someone else at a hotel room or maybe a celebration for winning a sports competition at the Melbourne stadium.
Planning a great event frequently begins with finding the perfect venue. There are some things to remember before choosing the venue for your next event. If you get it right, your event is very likely to be a large success.
Event management is not an easy task, and it all hinges on individual events. Planning events may and should be a lot of fun, whether it is planning a small gathering in private property or organising large scale stadium events. But the larger the event is the higher the stakes. That is the reason why finding the right venue for an event is so essential.
As it has been said by event professionals all over the world, selecting a venue is a process that carries the ability to make or break the event. It is thus important for anyone to know how to decide on the perfect place when planning an event.
There are many factors involved in working out how to select a venue. So here is a checklist that will assist you to find the best venue for your next event.
1. Agree on a budget up front
Regardless of what else you’ll have to consider when planning an event, your budget will determine your choices. As it has been agreed upon by event professionals, the place that the event takes place will take the most out of the event budget and plays a big part on the performance and dynamics of the event. This is true especially for events that take place in the more expensive places such as this luxury accommodation in Tasmania. Depending on your goals and the type of event, however, you can be sure that the experience will be worth the while.
That is the reason you need to make an attempt to agree to a set funding early on and stick to it. This can help to make sure expectations are established at the start of the procedure and improve the chances of a successful event.
Working within a budget might limit some of your options, but it doesn’t necessarily have to restrict your choices. As an example, you might be flexible on-site booking dates to secure a lesser cost, giving you some excess wiggle room to boost your food budget.
2. Identify the best location for your event
Which location is going to work best for your visitors? Does this make sense to find a place near public transport, or is it better to find a place out of town with a great deal of parking available? It is all dependent on the type of event you’re organising, and who’s likely to come along. An intimate venue in this boutique storytelling hotel may better suit a small wedding, for example, and create a memorable experience for guests and hosts alike.
However, a large corporate event would probably do the job better at a dedicated events hallway in a major metropolitan centre, to meet access and capacity requirements.
3. Select a suitable area for your event’s requirements
You would not hold a dancing party in an auditorium host a lecture in a dancehall. Selecting the perfect venue is frequently as much about its own audience since it’s about its own size or place. So take some opportunity to visit a place before booking the distance. Check out its décor and fittings. Note its inner measurements and colour scheme.
In accordance with Solaris, odd areas like theatres, museums and art galleries that offer something unique are the second most often chosen kind of places event planners look for, after more conventional settings, like hotels.
So if you prefer the feel of this space, while it’s unusual or not, it is likely your guests will too. But always make sure it matches the demands of your occasion, however pretty it might appear.
4. Review the site’s reputation
Before you select a place, try to learn a bit about it. What the site operator claims may be different from what you hear from a person who’s hired the venue previously. If it’s possible, speak with other people who have held events at the venue you are thinking about. In a published journal, a scholar who studies event management process has noted that although the rise of Google and other search engines have resulted in more event planners looking for venues online, word of mouth remains one of the most powerful drivers of place selection.
According to the report, 49.3% of respondents surveyed cited using word of mouth to study venues. Word of mouth from colleagues and reviews from friends are one of the tools used by most event professionals when looking into the venue for their next event.
It can also be handy to discover which events the site has just hosted. This could enable you to get a feel for what kind of work works nicely in the area.
5. Identify necessary amenities
Not all venues are purpose-built for all events. Many are set up perfectly for some things, but maybe others. So it’s a fantastic idea to experience all the amenities or inclusions you’re going to be needing for your event and cross-check those with the place’s capabilities.
Fast, reliable WiFi and massive screens for projection were one of the most requested features of event venues, as stated by the Venue of the upcoming industry report. So, if you’re hosting a business occasion, you’ll definitely need WiFi and a big screen. You may also need to think about varying lighting and charging channels. On the other hand, if you are an expecting parent who is planning to have a gender reveal party where guests are expected to make a selection of their favoured gender of the baby by various games, you would want to have the party held on a place with a large open space to accommodate all the activities.
However, there are plenty of other, more general amenities you should bear in mind. Should you have to feed people at your event, you’re going to need a commercial kitchen, chairs and tables.
If you’re booking a DJ, an integrated PA system could be helpful. Will there be demonstrations? You’ll probably need a stage. Surveying the amenities will help you pin down the best venue.
6. Double check place restrictions
You don’t wish to hire an area for a rocking party only to find last minute that the venue’s sound restrictions prevent you from pumping the music up. Each site differs and may include a different set of restrictions and adjustments.
It’s essential to double check the venue’s list of rules before booking it for an occasion. This will give you the opportunity to be certain that you’ve got the perfect place for your event as you’re still at the planning stages.
7. Make sure guests may access the venue
Will guests be able to get to the venue easily? Access is an important factor when deciding on the ideal place for your event. If guests can not get the place with ease, you may not get much of a turnout. When you’re in the planning stages, be certain that the venue’s accessibility is a good fit for your guests. If you expect people to drive to the venue, find a place in a car park.
If you are expecting people to take public transportation, select a venue within easy reach of a well-positioned transit point.
8. Assess safety risks
While most commercial venues have to meet certain security standards, there’ll inevitably be other factors which could pose potential security risks to your visitors.
It’s always a fantastic idea to keep a lookout for location hazards. By way of example, a slippery walkway or a poorly lit entrance could bring about an unfortunate bump or tumble. This is extremely important more so on some events such as a party for choosing the gender of the baby, as one of the main stars of the party is a pregnant lady and guests may bring their children with them.
9. Build your relationships
Establishing and fostering great business relationships with site operators, existing customers and prospective clients is a huge part of ensuring continuing event management success. Once you’ve developed a trusted relationship with a site operator, you’re going to be in a much better position to negotiate special prices or gain access to special facilities.
At precisely the same time, if you have built up a terrific relationship with a client, you’ll not only boost your chances of repeat business, you could also generate additional business through word of mouth recommendations.
10. Enhance the experience
Whether you’re planning an event for yourself or for a client, it’s valuable to always look for ways to enhance the event experience for visitors and hosts alike. This could be something as simple as supplying great, personalised service or resolving a complaint without fuss. Likewise, if you’re able to go over and beyond in responding to tricky circumstances or complications which may arise, you’ll be more inclined to leave a lasting, positive impression on those involved. The more competent and experienced the site operator you select, the higher your chances will be to meet the needs of your guests or hosts.