Avenue sets the tone for guest experience and engagement; simply put, it can make or break the event.
“It determines your budget, your vendors, your setup — even the flow of the program,” says Michelle Stewart, owner of DYV Events.
Before ever signing contracts, planners ought to have a clear understanding of the scope of their event and their goals for the gathering. To help you select the ideal setting for any event, we got advice from event planners, venue managers and hospitality experts on the most important factors to consider when selecting a venue.
Purpose, People + Parameters
The first step in event planning involves using one’s imagination. How are you picturing your event? How do you want your guests to feel? What are the most important elements of your event — a silent auction fundraiser, a keynote speaker, a live Q&A with the audience? — and what part will the venue play in realizing your vision?
“A strategy meeting has different needs than a gala, which has different needs than a product launch,” Stewart says.
It can be helpful at the outset to identify any must-haves or dealbreakers, says Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau Sales Manager Stasha Irby, so that once venue selection starts, any that aren’t able to meet the event’s needs can quickly be ruled out.
“Do they need breakout rooms? Do they need space for a plated dinner, or just reception-style? Do they want to bring their own A/V? Those things will determine if a venue is even the right fit,” Irby says.
Having an idea of your headcount is another vital early step. Some venues just won’t be able to accommodate large events, and a smaller scale event could benefit from an intimate space instead of the most expansive venue in town.
“Guest count is huge,” says Emily Wren, owner of With Great Love Events in Northwest Arkansas. “So many people fall in love with a venue that’s just too small or way too big. … I’ve seen people book a cavernous convention center for a 60-person dinner — it looked empty and cold. I’ve also seen them book a cute but tiny barn for a 200-person seated gala. Neither works.”
Other top-line factors to consider are dates, and whether there’s any flexibility there, as well as convenience for guests.
“Location matters more than people think. If you pick somewhere that’s a hassle to get to — bad parking, far from hotels, hard for out-of-towners — you’ll have logistical headaches and unhappy attendees,” Wren says.
From there, planners need to consider the basics.
“Capacity, location, accessibility, included services and availability — if you get those wrong, no amount of decorating or catering will save you,” says Suzanne Rhoads, an instructor in the University of Arkansas’ hospitality management program.
Creating an Experience
Capacity is more than just a number. A venue’s capacity can vary depending on how its setup for an event — theater-style seating will hold more people than a classroom-style arrangement, for example — so knowing how you want your attendees to be able to move through the space is paramount.
“I want to know what the actual usable space is, not just what’s listed on the website. Some venues say they fit 300, but that’s standing room with no staging or buffet. Once you add a stage, tables or dance floor, that number can drop fast,” Stewart says.
“And then there’s flow. Where are guests entering? Where does registration happen? Where are the restrooms? How will catering and service staff move around the room? I try to visualize the event from both the guest and the vendor perspectives,” she says.
Wren suggests touring potential venues in person — with a tape measure in hand. Bringing outside vendors along on the tour can also be helpful, to ensure the venue has necessary power capacity.
“You can’t trust online specs. I need to see how many tables will actually fit, how far the A/V cables will need to run, where catering can stage and whether there’s room for storage, or green rooms,” she says.
For inexperienced planners, working out the logistics of the event is often one of the toughest challenges, Rhoads says. If you’re planning to bring in outside catering, A/V or other rentals, you’ll need to know about load-in and load-out logistics and what kind of setup timeframe your venue will allow.
“Can vendors get in easily? Is there a freight elevator? Is there parking for box trucks? These things don’t sound glamorous, but they make or break your setup schedule,” Stewart says.
It’s also up to the planner to arrange their venue in whatever setup they need and decorate their space, and that work must be done within the rental period agreement with the venue.
“People forget to budget for setup and teardown windows. If your decorator needs to come at 6 a.m., but you only booked the space starting at 8 a.m., that’s extra time and extra cost for you,” Irby says.
Red Flags + Common Mistakes
Planners can’t always trust that their vendor or venue is working to find them the best deal. It’s important to be your own advocate and watch out for red flags. Wren says if a vendor isn’t upfront about costs from the start, they’re best avoided.
“No. 1 red flag: If a venue is evasive or vague about what’s included and what’s extra. If they can’t give you clear answers or a detailed estimate early on, that’s a bad sign,” she says.
And information available online isn’t always trustworthy; it’s always best to see a place for yourself.
“Pictures lie. Floorplans lie. Even well-meaning venue reps sometimes gloss over quirks,” Wren says. “You have to walk it yourself.”
Communicating clearly with your venue rep and any vendors is crucial, Irby says.
“Sometimes groups sign a contract based on assumptions, then later they tell us they need breakout rooms, extra setup time or outside catering, and those weren’t included. That creates frustration on both sides,” she says.
In today’s world, technical amenities are also a must for most events. Production companies can fill in equipment and staffing gaps if a venue doesn’t offer in-house services, but if the venue can’t create the desired guest experience, it might not be the right space.
“Some venues have beautiful spaces but terrible acoustics or no built-in infrastructure. If you don’t catch that early, you’ll spend a fortune trying to fix it later,” Wren says.
Most important in venue selection is aligning your expectations to the reality of what the venue is capable of, and what your event is.
“The number one mistake I see,” Rhoads says, “is focusing on aesthetics first and logistics second. They pick the pretty place without asking the hard questions.”
And Irby adds, “If someone wants a luxury experience on a shoestring budget, they’re going to be disappointed. We can often find creative solutions, but we can’t make the Ritz-Carlton appear for $2,000.”
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