Irrespective of your profession and the nature of your social life, you will always find the need to throw a party, organize an event, or arrange a get-together. Be it your kid’s 10th birthday or the product launch for your company, and an event is an indispensable part of our life. We are social animals. Getting together often is a basic requirement. Just as we all enjoy attending a good party, we must know how to host one. Hosting an event is not easy. There are so many things that need to be taken care of. The food, the venue, the invitations, the entertainment, etc. That being said, we will try to help you with at least one aspect – The Venue.
Whenever you find yourself responsible for organizing an event, the venue is the first thing on the list. It is the first step. The most basic requirement. In fact, several other elements depend on the venue. Here are ten things that’ll be your guiding light while selecting a venue.
- Location
This is probably one of the most important factors that you need to consider. You need to select a location that is easily accessible by your guests. For example, a local event for friends and family should be organized at a central location. However, if it an official conference where guests are expected from outstations, a place near the airport would be more suitable. You should also consider the travel routes and availability of transport. One helpful aid for your guests would be an event app that guides them to the location using GPS navigation.
- Capacity
By now, you must possess a rough idea of the expected number of guests. This shall be your next deciding factor. The venue must comfortably accommodate everyone. That doesn’t mean you go ahead and book a huge banquet hall for 100 people. It will make your party/event look deserted. So, make sure you select a venue according to the number of people you are looking forward to hosting.
- Layout
Well, you might not think that this is important, but it actually is. Imagine you want to have a gala dance, but the venue has no open space. Always keep the flow of events in your mind. You must ensure that the floor plan or layout helps you with smooth execution. If you are expecting heavy crowd flow during registration, make sure the venue can handle the pressure. The layout of tables, stage, bar, counters, gates, etc. all plays an important role.
- Cost
Yes! Probably the most important item on the list. You might already be feeling the pinch in your pocket. Booking a venue indeed takes up a huge amount of your budget. Therefore, you mustn’t overspend. You must take care that there are enough funds left to arrange for food, decorations, and other essentials. Having flexible dates and off-season schedule is one way to save a few bucks. You can also compare prices on various websites to make sure you get the best deal.
- Services and Amenities
When you are paying a decent sum for the venue, you should expect to get quality services and ample amenities. Make sure the venue caters to all your requirements. You should check in advance if the venue has the facilities and infrastructure that you need. For example, the availability of a functional kitchen, AV system, clean-up crew, security, power backup, etc. It is always wise to ask them about their additional services. If you have any special requests, you must communicate so that they can make the arrangements.
- Ambiance
Setting the right mode and ambiance is the key to making your event a success. The selection of venue should be in accordance to the theme. If it is a party for teenagers, make sure the venue is alive and happening. For a corporate setting, you might consider a formal hotel or a conference hall. The lighting, space, the music, the décor all play an important role in setting the tone. Instead of redecorating, make sure the venue already suits your purpose.
- Accessibility
Here is another A word that you need to be careful about – Accessibility. This means that everyone on your guest list can access the venue and its amenities. Especially people with special needs. Facilities like wheelchair access, elevator, fire exits, parking space, etc. are a must.
- Insurance
You must be wondering how insurance made a list. Well, according to BizBash, some venues won’t do business with you if you don’t have insurance. You should make sure to contact the venue manager regarding this. However, there is no reason to worry. Your general insurance agent can easily acquire this kind of insurance. In the case of a corporate event, the company’s agent usually takes care of this. With a little bit of prior planning, you can completely avoid this hassle.
- Acoustics and Sound
Acoustics refers to the way sound travels in a room and interacts with it. You definitely would not want your guests to be irritated or bored because the music was too loud or too dull. This is where acoustics come into play. Selecting a venue with proper room acoustics ensures that the sound does not irritate. The height of the ceiling, the presence of open spaces, the position of the speakers, etc. affect the acoustics of the venue. Try to avoid a place with bad acoustics despite the lucrative price.
- Technology and Access to Wi-Fi
Last but not the least presence of a stable internet connection is very important. Your guests would want to stay connected to the world of the internet. Make sure the venue has a decent network reception and Wi-Fi connectivity. For presentations and key-note speeches, the speaker would like to have a projector and a computer with internet access. Thus, make sure that the venue caters to the needs of your guests. Enable them to post those happy selfies, tweets and status updates.
