As an Event Planner, finding the perfect venue for your event is crucial. It should align with the theme and meet your client’s requirements. With numerous options, making the best decision can be daunting.
Consider various factors that can impact the event’s success and anticipate potential challenges. Avoid unexpected surprises and hasty decisions by planning ahead.
How can we ensure the right venue choice for your event?
Let’s discuss the following factors:
Identify the Number of Your Guests
When planning an event, consider the number of attendees you expect. Have the guest lists ready. This determines the suitable event venue. For instance, if you anticipate 250 guests but the venue can only accommodate 50-100, it won’t work.
Therefore, guest size is crucial in selecting a venue. Also, anticipate unexpected guests, especially for public occasions. Conduct research to estimate the number of anticipated attendees.
Accounting for potential fluctuations ensures you choose a venue that can comfortably accommodate everyone. Avoid overcrowding or a venue that feels empty due to insufficient attendance.
Knowing the expected guest count helps in organizing logistics, seating arrangements, catering, and overall event planning. It enables you to create a memorable and enjoyable experience for all attendees.
Consider the event’s nature and purpose when determining the guest size and selecting an appropriate venue.
Identify the Type of Audience
You want to make sure that your chosen event place will appeal to your guests, and this will only be possible if you will think about the type of people that will be coming to your event. For example, suppose you’re going to organize an event with Branch Managers, Sales Directors, or even the leaders of corporations. In that case, you want to make sure that it reflects their tastes, likes, and expectations.
Choose a Convenient Location
As an event planner, prioritize guest safety and convenience alongside event execution. Consider guests flying in from different cities, ensuring easy accessibility. Arrange nearby accommodations and transportation services.
Evaluate the proximity of hotels or transient apartments for guest convenience. Also, consider COVID-19 preventive measures and requirements.
These factors play a crucial role in venue selection and contribute to a positive guest experience.
Creating a seamless and hassle-free experience for attendees enhances their overall satisfaction.
Prioritize their well-being and comfort throughout the event planning process.
Accessible venues and nearby accommodations simplify logistics and travel arrangements for guests.
Keep in mind any specific safety protocols or guidelines to ensure a safe environment.
By considering guest needs and convenience, you can create a successful and enjoyable event.
Addressing these factors demonstrates your commitment to guest satisfaction and event excellence.
Put yourself in your guests’ shoes and make their experience as smooth as possible.
Consider their travel requirements and provide necessary assistance and support.
Think About the Weather
Many people say, “expect the unexpected,” and this is true, especially when it comes to event planning and organizing. Many uncontrollable circumstances can affect the preparation and implementation of your event plans and, thus, a vital thing that you must consider. Are you going to have your event around a beach resort? Or perhaps in the garden? Are you planning for a unique venue such as a yacht? If you are, you definitely want to watch the weather forecasts and make sure that you have a backup plan. If, however, you choose to have it in a place where you don’t have good weather, maybe there’s going to be a rain shower, so you have to provide umbrellas for your guests. Hence, you have to have a contingency plan, so you are always ready whenever an emergency occurs.
Know the Background Experience of the Venue
As an event planner, you don’t want to be a “trial-and-error” client of the venue; you want to choose the perfect venue that you are looking for. You want to know about the type of events they have done in the past. You want to see if they used to be doing the kind of event you are planning to do at their venue. Of course, we are not only referring to the catering manager or food and beverage manager, but you also want to speak with the event staff or the people who are actually going to operate and run the event. You may speak with the waiters, bartenders, or admin staff just to get an idea or get a sense of what they have already experienced when it comes to the type of event you are planning to do. After you realize their background and event experiences, you may also look at their website to see their credibility and the customers’ feedback and reviews. After which, you now have the necessary information that can serve as a basis for choosing this venue.
Venue Fees and Inclusion
This may sound very obvious to you, but aside from knowing the venue fees, you also want to find out what is included and not included in those fees. Hence, there are no unexpected surprises, such as additional charges for some services you may need during the event. There are cases that venue fees already include the decoration, set up, sounds, and lights, but there are instances that they require additional charges. Indeed, it would help to ask questions for clarifications beforehand because these details are very important. If possible, it has to be in written form. Hence, you have to ensure that you get all of the information you need before making decisions.
Venue Fees Exclusion and Other Services Offered
After knowing the inclusions of the venue fees, it’s only reasonable to know what other services they offer and what other services you need in your event. Indeed, you will know if their services will match your additional needs or if they have accredited vendors such as catering services, accommodations, and parking that they can offer. Sometimes, they offer freebies and/or discounts if you choose their accredited vendors. On the contrary, there are events place that requires additional charges such as corkage fees if you choose an outside vendor. This information can help you compare one venue to another so that you can choose the best vendor possible.
Security and first Aid Services
Security and First Aid Services are sometimes neglected, but it is actually important, especially in times of emergency. This pertains to controlling any unwanted people or criminals who might be taking advantage of the event to commit theft or any form of crime. It can also affirm the guests that they are secure and don’t have to worry about their safety. First Aid Services is also important, especially when there is a life-and-death situation that has occurred, such as when someone unexpectedly had a stroke attack or had an accident or injury. These factors can ruin the event if not handled properly. Some cities even require these services as part of their protocol in giving permits in conducting an event. Certainly, when choosing an events place, make sure you have an arrangement for this. You can even prioritize those that are offering these services.
Lightings, Decorations, and Ventilation
As you already know, good lighting, decoration, and ventilation are the fundamental factors you must consider when choosing an event venue. It provides not just illumination but also depth and exciting ambiance to the audience. Good ventilation, such as an airconditioned hall, can give your guests a comfortable and “feel-at-home” experience. If you are holding your event outside, such as in the garden, make sure that the surroundings are suitable, clean, and refreshing. There are event venues that have beautiful surroundings, such as awesome trees and attractive flowers that your guest can see around. Most of the event venues offer air-conditioning systems and creative lighting.
Audio and Video Systems
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Sound Systems
It serves as a channel of communication between the host and the audience and creates the mood and sets the aura of the event. You can either excite your audience with happy and upbeat music or relax them with soothing slow music. Hence, your sound system can manipulate the audio elements that your audience can hear, directly affecting their emotions, enjoyment, and satisfaction. In addition, make sure that your Audio/Sounds Team will test sound equipment or soundcheck the event audio systems the day or even a few hours before the start of your event. This will ensure that the right quality of sounds will be heard in the entire venue, whether the audience is sitting in front or at the back of the stage. This is also the time when you can check the quality of your microphone and speaker. Microphone feedback is one of the most common problems in audio systems, so make sure that this potential problem will be identified and provide a solution as soon as possible.
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Video System
It is basically what your audience can see on the screen. This is applicable if you have both live and online audiences, especially if you are holding a large event requiring additional monitors for those audiences located at the back or even at the side of the stage. Due to Covid 19 Pandemic, many people prefer online conferences, seminars, and virtual meetings because it is safer and more convenient for most of them. Hence, your Video System team should ensure that what is happening on the stage can also be seen by all audiences. Indeed, you must check if your choice of events place provides this condition.
Internet/WIFI Connections
As an event planner, you have to ensure that your preferred event’s place has sufficient internet connection signal both for Wi-Fi and Data Connections. You may check if all primary network providers have a strong signal in that area. Modern audiences need to feel connected all the time. Thus, you have to take care of their necessity.
Conduct Ocular Visits
Conducting ocular visits or site inspections plays a significant role in deciding whether the place of the event that you are considering is the best choice or not. This will provide you with the actual scenario of its advantages and disadvantages and its limitations. For example, you can check the areas that might not be included in the photos or videos you have already seen. You can check the comfort/powder rooms, the cleanliness of the venue in general, and orderliness inside and outside of the venue. You can also check the traffic congestions that your guest might be experiencing and other uncertainties.
Indeed, your visit will give you the real definition of what your clients and guests will experience, not to mention the venue staff’s pleasing attitude, courtesy, and hospitality. So now, after discussing all the factors that you have to consider in choosing an events place, you surely realize that it’s not as simple as choosing a beautiful place. There are other important details that you have to think about and consider when deciding which place you are going to hold your event.
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