Tips for Selecting Your Party Venue – Part 2

Continuing our series Tips for Selecting Your Party Venue – after you have spent time on the first two tips you should be down to your venue of choice (yay). Now it’s time to visit the venue and think about the nitty gritty details – both the fun ones and the dull ones.

Tip #3 – Visit the Venue

Never choose a venue on promotional material alone visit the venue visit and consider these four factors:

1. Event Space

See the space where your party will take place, from the reception area, through to the function suite, bathrooms and other facilities. Make sure there is enough room for guests to be comfortable, and for other equipment you may have like a dance floor, stage, AV equipment and room décor. (Christmas trees take up more space than you think!)

2. Service and Quality

Think about how you were treated on your visit – would you want your guests to be
treated in the same way? Were staff professional, polite and helpful? Take the time to look around the whole venue in detail; look at the chairs, the tables, bathrooms facilities and general appearance of the venue. How they take care of the space even when there is not an event can be very telling.

3. External Suppliers

If you are bringing in other suppliers to help create your party, make sure your venue
will allow this. For example, if you want to use draping or specialist lighting, you may well need permission from the venue to do this. Be sure to ask if there are additional charges for bringing in these outside suppliers.

4. Catering Policy

If you want to use an external caterer, ask your venue what their policy is and whom they have worked with in the past. Some locations will not allow outside caterers and some allow it at the cost of a galley fee.

If you are using their catering services make sure you try their food. Don’t choose a venue based on their menu selection alone – ask for a tasting of the menu you want for your event.

Tip #4 – Don’t forget the Details
Factors to consider:

1. Extra Facilities                                                                                                                                   

Depending on the guests you are inviting, you will need to consider the facilities they offer. Is there acceptable disabled access to the venue? Do they operate a child friendly policy? Is there adequate parking?

2. Regulations   

Check with your venue about any fire safety regulations they may have that will impact whether you can use candlelight or haze effects in the room. As what other people have done with the space and ask for pictures if possible.

3. Table Linens

If you are bringing in linens and chair covers, will the venue set this up for you? If so, what do they charge per piece? Are you happy for them to set-up for you or would you prefer someone on your team to handle it? Be sure to communicate the plan to your venue contact so they will know who is managing these details.

4. Rentals

Make sure you get a list of what is included with the venue. Many venues only rent the space and leave the details to you – enter Lonsdale Event Rentals.

If other amenities are included in your rentals ask to see them. Check the condition and quality of the pieces your guests will experience like plates, glassware and cutlery. If your budget allows, you may want to upgrade to more formal rental pieces like out Gold
Band Plates, Acqua cutlery or Crystal glassware.

We hope our Tips for Selecting Your Party Venue make your event amazing!

Have a suggestion on other party planning topics we can offer tips on?           

We would love to hear from you -comment on the blog and let us know how we can help.

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