Five questions every first-time event planner should ask a venue
By Jess Mooney, Business Development Manager, IET Venues
“We’ve all been there…” Except, this time, the point is that you haven’t. Quite literally. How do you know what to do? What to ask? What to say? When experience hasn’t had the time to become your aide yet and practice hasn’t had the chance to make perfect. This is all new and, you would be forgiven for thinking, scary? Overwhelming? Bewildering? Take your pick.
But fear not. While, yes, that first time can feel terrifying, once you’ve found your feet, event planning is one of the most exciting, exhilarating and rewarding tasks out there. So, how can you get on solid ground a little faster? Here are five essential questions to ask that will set you up for success.
The budget
As IET Venue’s Business Development Manager, and someone who has worked in events venues for over half a decade now, the first thing I would tell all first-time planners to ask about is venue inclusions and additional costs. Sometimes, what you think is included and what is included are two very different things, and you don’t want the shock of an unexpected cost later down the line derailing all your careful plans, not to mention your equally well-planned budget.
So, ask, what’s included in room hire? Is it just the room itself, or are some elements of catering and audio-visual (AV) included too? If not, does the venue offer any packages you could utilise to get these included? Bear in mind, some costs may not be obvious, for example, cloakroom attendants, security, out-of-hours access, set-up and de-rigging of production support, and consumables like power and WiFi. But all these things need to be considered in your planning, so, ask the venue for a clear list of additional costs to establish exactly where you stand from the beginning (without any nasty surprises).
Once you know this, you can then determine if there’s anything you need to outsource. If so, check if the venue can outsource it for you – even if it can’t, it’s likely they’ll have connections or, at the very least, recommendations for the best suppliers of these things.
The small print
I’ll admit, it’s hardly the sexiest part of event planning, but the second thing I would tell first-time planners to ask is, ‘can I have a copy of the terms and conditions (T&Cs)?’ Actually reading and reviewing the T&Cs, and asking questions about elements you’re not clear on, is crucial.
Do not (I repeat, do not) confirm with a venue until you’re sure you can adhere to its terms. It might be on deposits, further payments, cancellations or insurances – whatever it is, discovering mid-way through the planning process that you can’t meet this condition puts your entire event at risk and could lead to you paying for products and services which you can no longer actually use. It’s much better to lose an hour of your time reading T&Cs, than lose a massive chunk of your budget for nothing (not to mention a massive chunk of your confidence).
The dealbreakers
Now, from conditions to restrictions (I know, I couldn’t make event planning sound more glamorous if I tried); knowing what the venue can and can’t accommodate, as well as its limitations, from the get-go is essential.
If you’re looking to include a live band in your event, for example, then a venue with noise restrictions might not work for you. Likewise, if you’re looking to take over a venue with your branding, then a venue which doesn’t offer blank-canvas spaces might be less than ideal. Similarly, if you’re looking to host an intimate event for 10, a venue with higher minimum guest requirements, or minimum spending requirements, is an immediate no-go. So… ask. Doing so not only saves you precious time (as you can quickly rule out venues that can’t meet your criteria), it also puts you in control, empowering you to plan with confidence as you know your parameters.
The numbers
Speaking of which, while you now know the venue’s parameters, the venue also needs to know your parameters – and by that, I mean capacities. People, equipment, special features, anything and everything that impacts the set-up you would like, or the set-up the venue could offer, for your event.
Admittedly, this one is less of a question and more of a ‘crucial info to impart’, but, you see, understanding numbers helps the venue to provide you with the most comprehensive support. It means it can review the different elements of your event and give you tailored and personalised advice on what will and won’t work, and also suggest set-ups which might best meet your needs.
The reality
Last, but certainly not least, ask about accessibility. For example, while you may feel the venue is perfect for you in every other sense, if limited public transport or parking means it’s difficult for people to get to your event, then all your hard work will be for nothing.
Similarly, if your event will run late into the night, do you need to make sure there are accommodation options available nearby? Also, if you need to bring props, equipment, catering etc, does the venue have lifts? A loading bay? Double doors? While it might sound like I’m being picky, it would be awful if you couldn’t make your vision a reality because you, literally, couldn’t get it through the door. At the same time, consider, how does the venue aid people with disabilities? What support does it have available? Does this meet your requirements?
I know, in the wider context of your vision, these might feel like minor practical concerns but, accessibility is the foundation on which your whole event rests – everything else we’ve talked about becomes unimportant if people can’t get to your event in the first place, or access it once they do.
Final thoughts
Remember, event planning is a two-way street and you’re not alone – the venue is your partner in this, there to help, guide and support you, so, utilise its expertise. Asking the right questions – like the ones highlighted in this article - is a great starting point for getting the right info and then, before you know it, you’ll be progressing from event planning newbie to event planning pro in less time than it takes to read the T&Cs.
Ready to start planning? Reach out to IET Venues now:
