Venue Checklist
You’re planning an event, now what? The first step (after finding the right planning partner) is finding the venue. Nailing this down is crucial in being able to move forward in the planning process. Why? Because the venue helps decide the date, restrictions and requirements, budget, capacity, etc. And before you start paying to secure other vendors, promoting your event, selling tickets or booking hotel rooms - you want to be sure you have the right venue, and that it meets all of your needs.
Each event is different, but below is a basic checklist of things you should consider when reviewing any venue. Your needs will vary, and so will this checklist, but this gives you a good starting point. Why do these things matter? Because if you don’t address them in the venue feasibility phase, you could end up paying double, triple, or more to accommodate for venue shortcomings on the back end.
Venue Check list :
DATE - is your desired date available? Or, if you don’t have a desired date, are there dates available that give you enough time to properly plan without being rushed?
Also consider other events around your date. Will you be competing with the biggest event in the city for the same room nights and parking spaces? You’ll never find a date that is completely conflict-free, but consider doing some research to see what other events are happening in the area around the same time and how that might impact your attendees or their experience.
LOCATION - is your venue easily accessible? Is it centrally located in the town? Are you choosing a town that is easily accessible? Is there a major airport close by? And does the city have good transportation options (bus, train, Uber, etc.) or will you have to shuttle people back and forth?
ACCESS - this is two-fold. Review the access from the attendee standpoint, as well as your standpoint. Is the venue easily accessible for people with all abilities? This includes getting in and out, bathroom use, getting to the meeting / event rooms, etc. Additionally, what does the accessibility look like for you? Will you have to come in at 3:00 AM to set up because the space is in-use the day before with no flexibility on load in? And, do you have to load out that night because someone else is coming in the day after you? These factors will significantly change your labor costs, so definitely keep this in mind, depending on your needs.
HOTEL - is your venue near multiple hotel options for your guests? If not, you might need to consider group transportation depending on the nature of your meeting or event. And if there are hotel options, are these in walkable distance to the event venue?
PARKING + TRANSPORTATION - For events where attendees will be driving themselves or where group transportation is needed, are there adequate options for you? Is there plenty of parking for your group? And do they have to pay to park, or can this be included in your venue rental fee? What about shuttle lanes for larger transport busses - what does that look like? Will attendees be able to park or be dropped off close to an entry door, which is close to your event room? Or will they have a long walk from a garage and then through a large convention space? This will be your attendees first experience with your event - and could set the tone in a negative way, if not careful.
AUDIO VISUAL - what does the venue have in-house that you can rent or use? And, what are you able to bring in? Do they have an in-house provider you have to work with? And what about rigging, rentals, equipment, labor, etc. If your conference or event is tech-heavy, or very visual - this MUST be discussed in detail on the front end. And what do power and WiFi capabilities look like to ensure you have enough bandwidth to make this happen?
FOOD + BEVERAGE - do they have an in-house caterer, or do you bring in your own? And what minimum requirements are set? Do they have the set up and infrastructure you are looking for, or will these items need to be brought in? If they have an in-house caterer, getting menus in advance to browse will be helpful to ensure you feel comfortable that they can bring your vision to fruition.
SPACE - does the venue have enough space? This seems like a no-brainer but there are more things to consider than just your guest count. Sure, you need to make sure the people fit…… but what about the stuff? The stage, tech tables, equipment, food and beverage needs, registration, exhibit booths, sponsor signage, swag tables, cocktail receptions, etc. You’d be shocked how quickly you can fill a convention room - so ensuring that you have adequate space for your event is so important.
If you are planning for breakouts, ancillary events, welcome receptions, dinners, etc. you will want to include these in the initial conversation with the venue. Do they have the space to host those in-house? And does that even make sense?
RENTALS + FURNITURE - what rentals, furniture, and décor are included in your venue contract, and do those match with your needs, aesthetic, branding, etc. This expense can grow quickly, so depending on your budget you might need to find a venue that includes most of these items with the use of the space.
RESTRICTIONS + REQUIREMENTS - are there other restrictions associated with the venue that you need to be aware of on the front end? Or requirements? For example, do they have restrictions on the vendors you can work with - or do they require all vendors to pay a fee to work in the facility. Are they a Union venue or are there labor requirements/restrictions in this venue or city? What about restrictions on food or alcohol? Noise ordinance? There are so many details that need to be identified on the front end - so that you don’t find out you’ve paid a deposit on a venue that doesn’t provide what you need.
THE BASICS - this is a catch-all category. Does the venue have the basics? Does it have WiFi or will you need to bring this in? Does it have signage (internal and external) and is it easy to find? Or will you need to invest in signage for directional, parking, access, wayfinding, etc.?
BUDGET - last, but certainly not least, the budget. Does the venue, after reviewing everything else, meet your budget? And, be sure when looking at the cost of the venue, you include the other pieces - food + beverage, rentals, AV, staffing, logistics & labor, etc. All costs need to be considered in order to truly decide if the venue fits in your budget.
Is this list overwhelming? Yes. But it’s more overwhelming to book a venue without any consideration for the above, and then have to “figure it out” when it doesn’t meet the needs or your meeting, conference, or event.
Need help in finding the right place? Drop us a line and let’s chat! Logistics and troubleshooting are our bread and butter!