THINGS TO CONSIDER
How Inclusive Is All
Inclusive
There are so many factors that can
impact the rental cost of the facility you
choose, from catering, equipment
rentals, office services to parking.. You
need to know what is included in the
venue rental offer, and how all inclusive
iLounge Or lando
the initial rental fee really is.
Sourcing your own vendors can save you money, but for
someone who may not know how or who to hire, this can be
an unnecessary burden. The question to consider when
thinking of the all inclusiveness of a venue is - How much am I
willing to do or find on my own?
In House Catering VS. Outsourced
Catering
The most reputable and well seasoned venues tend to either
have in - house catering or a list of preferred caterers they
restrict you to working with. The pros of using an
establishment with In - House catering comes when a venue
waves the pricey venue rental cost and instead offers a food &
beverage minimum, meaning they wave the facility rental if you
buy enough of their catering services. This can be a great
arrangement, however the per person price for these
packages oftentimes came at a premium rate. If a venue allows
outside caterers, you may find wiggle room in pricing if they
are willing to simply provide the food and leave the set -up &
serving to you. When choosing your venue, the difference
between these two choices can be very important because
most venues lean strictly one way or another.
Align the Venue to Your Vision
Whether you want your guests to feel
pampered and sophisticated or educated
and well advised, each event has a vision
and a mission. Aligning your venue to this
vision is the first step in creating perfect
Mills Gallery
backdrop for your event.
Creating this type of alignment is all about finding the underlying
undertones of your mission in a specific location. For example,
hosting a networking event for local business owners at a
popular small business or hosting a football league awards at a
Varsity Club inside of a stadium. The best part is rates are much
lower at unique venues like a new museum, an aquarium, an art
gallery, a public garden or a restaurant. Your attendees will be
drawn by the novelty of the venue, and the attention taken to
bring out your theme.
Consider Your Guests' Experience
From the time your guests receive your invite to the moment
you are bidding them farewell and handing out swag bags,
your venue selection effects your guests. The location you
choose should be easily accessible to them and enhance their
experience in the most seamless way. Consider things like,
where your guests will be traveling from, will there be traffic,
where will they park, when they walk in how easy it for them to
find registration, where do they sit, what do you want them to
see, how many restrooms are there, is it kid friendly? Whatever
you are trying to convey with your event can easily get clouded
by the inconsideration of the overall guest experience.
SEVEN
THE LANDSCAPE OF ANY EVENT!
When planning an event, no matter how big or small, choosing a venue can be the most
daunting yet, the most important decision you will probably make. The venue you
choose will serve as the landscape of your event, so here are a few tips to make sure
you choose the right one!
Be Flexible to Keep Your Budget
Budget does not have to be a scary word if it is coupled with the word -
flexible. Consider holding your first event in the off season or on a weekday
instead of a weekend for better rates. Have 2-3 date options in mind and be
flexible on the date. Try booking a brand new venue in exchange for
promoting the venue in your marketing of the event. Be flexible in how many
guests you want to accommodate. Instead of a 200 person seated dinner
maybe a 75 person passed hor d'oeuvres with an open bar. Being open
minded can give you a lot more options.
Transparency is Key -
Ask Questions!
You don’t want to hire a space for a live concert
party only to discover too late that the venue’s
noise restrictions prevent you from turning up
the music. Make sure to double check the
1010 West Event Space
venue’s list of rules before booking it for an
event, and then ask questions!
Will your event require a dance floor? Will you need a PA system? What
about a speaker's podium or a projector screen? Where can you
display your signage, banners and direction signs, shipping and receiving
services, any restrictions on event information displays and pretty much
anything other questions that come to mind. The venue personnel is not
your enemy. Be clear to them about your needs
Psssst! Here's An Industry Tip:
Send out an RFP (Request For Proposal) to the venues you're interested in.
Include all your requirements (food, beverage, equipment, conference and
room accommodations, etc.) in a concise document request form so the
proposals they send are to the point of your needs. This saves you time when
when examining the proposals they send you.
Overall, have a solid game plan before venue hunting & you will find what
you're looking for!
Interested in hosting an event? Let your friends
at Karisma help you plan!
[email protected] | KarismaEvents.co