10 Things to Consider When Choosing your Event Venue

There are numerous choices you must make while planning an event, but selecting the ideal location and venue will have the biggest influence on the success of your event. The venue and location you choose for the event will determine everything from the date of the event, speaker lineups, food choices, and attendees' experiences. It might be one of the top hotels in Hyderabad but if it’s not up to your standards, you will waste your time and money.

Does this seem a little scary? You don't have to experience it. Here are some suggestions for how to proceed, when to make decisions, and what to think about.

When to Begin Looking for a Venue

The earlier the better. Budget, event size, and space needs should all be well understood before you start looking for a site.

A location should be reserved at least eight months in advance to give you time to arrange other crucial elements like hiring excellent speakers, developing an event program and website, launching ticket sales, interacting with attendees, and more.

Things to consider when you are looking for a venue

1.   Location

We are sure you've thought about this already. If the event is local, you might be searching for a location that isn't too far from where the majority of guests live or work. Finding a location close to the airport or the attendees' hotels will be helpful if many attendees are arriving from out of town. Remember to take traffic, transportation, and parking alternatives into account in every situation.

Providing guests with a mobile event app, which is now essentially standard, will help you lessen the likelihood that they will be late. Your participants will arrive at the event with confidence and assurance thanks to having access to maps, driving instructions, and parking and shuttle information. Using maps with locations marked can be quite helpful if the event is located on a beautiful campus or institute. Interactive indoor maps will make it easy for participants to find their way around events with displays, posters, or simultaneous sessions.

2.    Parking

Does the location have a parking lot or valet parking? Dreams are made of a place with a parking lot. If not, check to see if there are any adjacent parking lots that guests can use. If there isn't any parking, there are still a few options for you to consider:

• Make reservations for attendees at neighboring parking lots and either charge admission or collect payment at the time of parking.

• Check out the promotions that Uber and Lyft have for events. You can work out a deal with them to put this up and give the attendees the promo code.

• Does the location have a parking lot or valet parking? Dreams are made of a place with a parking lot. If not, check to see if there are any adjacent parking lots that guests can use. If there isn't any parking, there are still a few options for you to consider:

• Make reservations for attendees at neighboring parking lots and either charge admission or collect payment at the time of parking.

• Check out the promotions that Uber and Lyft have for events. You can work out a deal with them to put this up and give the attendees the promo code.

 3.    Capacity and Minimum

• What is the capacity? There are several reasons why you'll want to know the room capacities of the locations. First off, a room that can hold 250 people comfortably won't fit 500 people (if that's the number of attendees you anticipate for your event). Second, the venue must adhere to fire and safety regulations.

• How much do F&B Minimums cost? If your venue serves food and/or drinks and has a minimum Food and Beverage spending amount (referred to as an F&B minimum), make sure the prior F&B records from the previous events are consistent with the minimum. The venue will consider you a good customer if your estimated F&B expenditure is far higher than what is required. Ask whether they will offer a complimentary service (such as upgraded Wi-Fi or A/V support) if your expenditure exceeds a specific threshold.

• What changes should be made in response to participant feedback? Prior to or during your event, it's critical to be able to make an informed modification for the size of a space or F&B. With the help of a live polling feature on an event app, you can quickly count the attendees or gather immediate feedback.

4.      Contract Flexibility and Force Majeure

Negotiating flexible contract terms with your venue is a smart option given the high level of uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, as your event might be delayed or canceled owing to unanticipated circumstances. Even if they registered, attendees might not be able to attend your event if there is a lockdown order or natural calamity. You might ask if they can add a COVID-related condition to the venue's force majeure clause to prevent you from losing your entire deposit if the venue has one.

5.     Services and Amenities

• Does the location have a kitchen, and is catering available for your event? If this is the case, a venue may frequently forgo the facility fee and merely request a deposit together with the cost of meals for each visitor. You might want to verify their meals in advance if the venue doesn't have a kitchen because they might have a contract with a caterer that you have to employ. For the best attendance experience, choose a location that offers excellent cuisine or permits you to bring in outside food vendors.

• Are there usable tables, chairs, and linens there? If a venue has these supplies on hand, you can use what they have to save a ton of money and time if it fits your theme and atmosphere.

• Does it have a crew to set up and take down? Happy dance if you've discovered a location that offers a setup and cleanup staff! It's not always the case that way. You will need to assemble your own team or recruit volunteers if these services are not offered.

• Does the venue have AV facilities? Some locations allow you to utilize the audio-visual equipment that is already there, while others will require you to carry it with you 

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6.     Layout

Even if choosing a location for your event will happen early in the planning phase, you should still have a general concept of the activities you'll be arranging, the amenities you'll need, and the requirements of both your team and the attendees.

To help you choose, have a detailed floor plan for each location. Then, visit your top choices at least once, noting essential details like the locations of the outlets and any available AV equipment.

7.     Insurance

Certain venues won't even do business with you if you don’t have insurance. This is because there are some venues that need a specific level of responsibility. Typically, you can request this endorsement for your event from your general liability insurance agent. Prior to contacting your agent, it's a good idea to start early with your preparation to have this included and to have all of the necessary wording, address, etc.

8.     Ambiance and Accessibility

Keep a close eye on the interior of the venue's current decor. What message does the interior of the building communicate, and what style is the architecture? If you're hosting a gala, your venue requirements will probably differ from those for an exhibition. You may need to do extra décor to make up for a space that doesn't quite convey the mood you want for your event (upscale, high tech, etc.).

When a structure is described as being accessible, it means that anyone, even those who have special needs, may use all of its features. Understanding your participants' identities and needs will be necessary before you can respond to this question.

You'll probably be aware of if there will be children at your location, but you might not be aware of the presence of people with other special needs. You might be able to get an idea of this by looking back on recent events that your organization has hosted.

9.  Acoustics

Have you ever been to a party or event that was so loud that it was difficult to hear people, straining your hearing, and making you lose your voice all at once? Poor acoustics or the way sound moves through space, are frequently to blame for that. A low ceiling will give the space a pleasant appearance, but if it's crowded, it will make it noisier. On the other hand, a massive warehouse-style venue will produce echoes, or what architects refer to as "reverberation."

Although acoustics won't necessarily influence your decision on a venue, there are certain techniques to improve them, such as using patios outside the arena. In their essay for the American Institute for Architects, Armstrong Ceilings recommends installing acoustical clouds or canopies to enhance a venue's acoustics.

10.   Ability to Change the Event Date

It can be quite beneficial to negotiate with venues by being flexible with the event date. They may be trying to fill any available slots on their calendar. You're more likely to receive a discount if you give two or three possible dates.

How to search for a venue

It might be time-consuming to choose the ideal location for your event. Fortunately, there are a few time-saving shortcuts:

• Inquire about the venues that best meet your needs by getting in touch with the neighborhood's Convention & Visitors Bureau.

• Find nearby events that are comparable to yours and check where they are held by searching event listing websites like 10 times, eventful, etc.

• Use an online tool, such as EventUp, Peerspace, or Unique Venues. They support you in sifting through the various venues to identify the best option for you.

As you can see, selecting the location for your event involves many factors. You will discover the ideal location for your event if you keep the aforementioned in mind as you conduct your investigation.

That said, we at Deccan Serai is one of the best Banquet Halls in Hyderabad that offers excellent parking space and amenities for all the customers. From Free Wi-Fi to pools and an amazing ambience, Deccan Serai is one of the best hotels in Hyderabad. 

 Want to know more? Call us today or visit our website for assistance.