Important Steps on How to Book an Event Venue
When you work in the event industry, venue booking is usually one of the most crucial components to making your event a success. You may be asking what venue booking is? It’s when you hire a venue exclusively for a specific period of time. When it comes to navigating the different types of venues for events, we wanted to put together some steps on how to book a space to make your life a little easier.
Choosing a Venue for an Event
1. Decide the Venue Style
First and foremost, you are going to want to decide on the style of the venue. Are you looking for an indoor event venue or an outdoor event venue? A grand banquet hall or something more intimate? Here are some tips for choosing an event venue. You should be basing these decisions off of the type of event you are having, Whether you are booking venue for corporate event of a bar & bat mitzvah party. and the feeling you want to evoke from your guests. Having a checklist of wants and needs can help drastically when deciding.
2. Create a Budget
Next, you will want to create a budget for yourself. You will want to make a master list of all the different components of your event, and then break down your budget according to these different factors. This master list should include the venue, catering services, décor, furniture, A/V equipment, staffing and so forth.
3. Capacity and Facilities
You will also want to make sure you consider the capacity of the venue and the facilities that come along with it. How many guests are you hoping will attend? Once you decide on this, then you need to plan the facilities accordingly. Are there enough restrooms at the venue? What does parking look like? Is there public transportation to the venue? What facilities are included in an event venue is important to consider when choosing the space.
4. Define Goals and Target Audience
You will also want to define your goals for the event and define your target audience so you can ensure this event is a success. What are you trying to accomplish overall with this event and does the venue feed into that goal? Also, does the venue support your target audience? If you are targeting a younger age demographic versus an older age demographic, different things will matter with the layout and different venue amenities.
5. Plan Activities
Next, you will want to plan activities that cater to your target audience. Will they be mingling with each other or seated at tables? Is this a networking event or more of an event for entertainment? You can then plan out the activities you want throughout the night and make sure the venue is a good fit for them.
6. A/V Equipment
A/V equipment is another thing you will want to take time understanding when it comes to the venue. Making sure you have everything you need to make the event run smoothly is important. This is when you can work closely with the venue to ensure they have certain capabilities such as a stage and lighting, microphones, a projector, a sound board and so forth, whatever you may need for presentations or performances.
7. Staffing Needs
Finally, you will want to consider staffing needs and the venue can accommodate. Will you need a valet service and is this possible at the venue? Are you going to provide a coat check and is there an area for that? Are you going to hire a catering team and will they have a kitchen space? Figuring out the staffing needs for your event, will help you decide the venue that’s a right fit.
If you find yourself looking for event rentals in Los Angeles, we hope you give us a call at Piovra Group. We are experts when it comes to booking venues for events and have many connections in the Los Angeles and Orange County area. We look forward to helping you plan your next event.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Can you help us with our target audience?
A: Of course. Once we discuss the goals and objectives for your event, we can define an audience and build the event out from there.
Q: If I’m not sure what A/V equipment I need, can the venue help me with that?
A: Yes. You can always discuss your wants and needs and they can coordinate the equipment for you with their internal team.
Q: How do I know what a realistic budget is?
A: That’s where an event planner comes in handy. We can work with you and the venue to reach a budget that’s comfortable.