6 Considerations to Remember When Selecting the Venue for Your Event
In this blog post, we’re taking a closer look at a few considerations we like to keep in mind when helping our clients select the perfect venue for their events. Aesthetics matter, but there’s so much more that goes into choosing a venue and transforming it into the perfect place to celebrate. As such, we always recommend taking your time and doing thorough research before committing. Use this blog post as a checklist to ensure you get the little details right for both you and your guests when selecting your event venue!
Guest Location. Where are your guests traveling from? If you have guests visiting from out of town, you may want to choose a venue that is a reasonable distance away from the nearest airport and hotel accommodations. If you have enough out-of-town guests, you might want to add a bus for transporting your guests from the hotel to the venue and back. Or, if you are planning to have several other events surrounding your main event, you might even consider hosting it all at a hotel.
Parking Facilities. Each venue has its own unique parking accommodations. Is it a gravel parking lot or a garage? Is it free or paid parking? Is there valet parking? Will you cover the cost of valet or ask your guests to pay for it? There is nothing wrong with any of these choices, but you should be sure to communicate the parking arrangements to your guests so they can prepare accordingly.
Onsite Accommodations. Sometimes, more secluded areas are the perfect setting to host a party. We have hosted numerous parties on farms and in parks with great success. Our best advice is to get an idea of whether you’ll need to build the venue from scratch or if the venue has built-in amenities. You can’t always assume that bathrooms, prep kitchens, dance floors, tents, and even electricity will be readily available! In many cases, we essentially build a mini city for the duration of an event and the expenses often outweigh the cost savings of renting the venue.
Food Options. Many venues do not include on-site food preparation, and you will need to hire an outside caterer. Be sure to have a walk-through with the caterer to determine what additional needs they will require to execute your event. If they do include an onsite caterer, such as a hotel, or catering hall, determine if they can accommodate the dietary needs of you and your guests.
Seasonal Weather. When comparing venues, it’s worth having the season of your event in mind. As a common example, it’s easy to forget that we’re in peak hurricane season right now, but that’s something to have firmly in mind for late summer and early fall gatherings. Make sure you have a back-up plan for inclement weather.
Theme. Does your party have a theme? Consider leaning into it with a creative venue selection. A few of our favorite examples of fitting venue selections include Camden Yards for a baseball-themed event and The Fillmore Silver Spring for a Late Night Television-themed event.
Create the Perfect Event Venue with Innovative Party Planners
Innovative Party Planners is your resource for event design and planning in Maryland, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania and Virginia. To learn more about our event planning services and how we can help make your corporate event one of a kind, contact us by clicking here or call (410) 998 9999.