10 things you need to consider when choosing a venue for your event

When you organize an event, you have to make a great many decisions. Choosing the right venue will have a huge impact on the success of your event. The date, the catering, and a pleasant experience for visitors… all of this is partly shaped by the venue you choose. 

When should you start looking for a venue?

The sooner, the better. Once you have a good understanding of the following 3 things, you can start searching for a venue: your budget, the estimated size of the event, and your venue requirements.

Book the venue at least 4-6 months in advance so that you have enough time to plan the other important things, such as catering, the website, the event app, and ticket sales.

What should you consider when choosing a venue for your event?

1. Location

For a local event, you should look for a venue within a reasonable distance of most attendees' homes or workplaces. If many attendees will be traveling from other countries, a venue near the airport or their hotels will be an advantage. In any case, remember to consider transportation and parking options.

Would you like to eliminate late arrivals among your attendees? Provide them with a mobile event app, which is now the established standard. With GPS maps, driving directions, and information about parking / shuttle services, you make the journey easier for attendees. If the event is held on a large site, it will be important to place directional signs around the area. 

2. Parking

Does the venue have a parking lot or garage? A venue with parking is always a great choice... If it does not, are there parking lots nearby that attendees can access? If no parking is available, it is not entirely ideal, but you have a few alternatives:

• You can reserve a nearby parking lot for your attendees and either include the cost in the ticket price or reimburse attendees for parking directly.
• Look into discounts that Hopin or Taxify can offer. You can negotiate with them about distributing promotional codes to your attendees.

3. Venue capacity

• What is the capacity of the venue? You will need to know the capacity of the venue for several reasons. First, 500 people cannot comfortably fit into a room with a capacity of 250. And second, there are fire and safety regulations that every venue must comply with.
• How much food and drink will you need? If you offer food or drinks at your event, you will need to estimate consumption well, so that some attendees do not end up without food or a drink. One solution is to set an exact number of drinks for each attendee, with any additional drinks paid for by the attendee. A cashless system can help you with this - each visitor receives a card with credit, and once the credit runs out, they can top it up with more.

4. Services and facilities

• Does the venue you have chosen have a kitchen available and can it cater your event? If so, the venue should not charge you a fee for providing the space and should only charge a deposit and the cost of food per attendee. Venues without kitchen facilities may have a partnership with a catering provider that you are required to use. 
• Do you have tables, chairs, and tablecloths you can use? If the venue can provide them, you can save a lot of money and effort, assuming they match your vision and the theme of the event.
• Does the venue have staff who will set up and clean the space? If you have found a venue that provides setup and cleaning, rejoice! That is not always a given. If these services are not available, you will have to put together your own event team or find volunteers.

5. Venue floor plan

When choosing a venue, you should also pay attention to the floor plan in relation to the individual activities and the flow of people at your event. 

When narrowing down your choice, also request an illustrated floor plan of each venue and walk through your chosen spaces at least once, paying attention to important things such as power outlets, where the points of sale are located, and where attendee registration for the event is or could be placed.

The layout and floor plan will significantly affect several aspects of your event:

• Visitor flow - Think about the flow of visitors at your event. Which areas will have high traffic during the event? Registration? The doors to the hall? Keep this in mind when choosing a venue, and be aware that the placement of tables and decorations will significantly affect it.

6. Event theme

Pay special attention to the existing interior. What is the architectural style and what does the building's interior convey? If you are organizing a gala evening, you will probably need a different venue than you would for a trade show. The less the atmosphere matches the desired feel of your event, the more decorating you will have to do to achieve the atmosphere you want.

7. Insurance

Some venues and halls will not work with you if you do not have insurance. There are venues that require a certain deposit and also require additional insurance for your event. Event insurance is usually not very demanding, but it should not be forgotten.

8. Accessibility

If you expect that your event may be attended by people who will need wheelchair access, you should keep this in mind when choosing a venue. This means you need to know your attendees well.  

9. Acoustics

Have you ever attended an event where it was so noisy that it was hard to hear the others, or even the speaker themselves? This is caused by poor acoustics. 

A space with a low ceiling looks cozy, but it will be noisier when full. The alternative is large spaces with high ceilings, which will result in a certain amount of echo. That is why we recommend visiting the venue while a similar event is taking place. 

10. Price and date flexibility

Being flexible about the date of your event can be a great way to negotiate. Venue owners may have open dates in their calendar that they want to fill. By offering 2-3 possible dates, you have a better chance of getting lower prices.

As you can see, there is a lot to take into account when choosing the most suitable venue for your event. The sooner you settle on a date and the venue where you will hold the event, the sooner you can turn your attention to other things such as ticket sales, advertising, the event program, on-site registration, and so on.