Points to Consider when Selecting a Venue for your Event
Whether it’s an away day, an award ceremony, or your Christmas party, finding a venue that ‘has-it-all’ can sometimes feel like a daunting task!
There are lots of factors to consider, and your choice of venue can be the difference between an event to remember – or sadly sometimes – forget! Our team have put together a quick-fire guide with some of the key points to consider when selecting a venue for your event.
Where to start…
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away…there was an event brief. Ensure you have written an event brief, as this will inform the whole event planning process – you can give your event brief to potential venues and event planners – this will help to keep you on track for the entire process. Just Google ‘Event Brief Template’ if you need some inspiration…now – onto some key points to think about when selecting a venue.
Location
Choose a well-situated venue – consider where your guests are travelling from and what transport options will be available. Sustainability should also be considered, as we all have organisational targets to reach regarding reducing our carbon footprint. Consider the travel methods needed to get to a venue; for instance – is your venue well served by public transport, (train, bus, and bike)?
Budget
Consider your total event budget and how much of this you wish to dedicate to venue hire as this will be one of your biggest costs. Don’t be shy to ask your venue events coordinator for room hire rates and prices – you can look back and compare services offered vs costs later in the process.
Getting into the thick of it
Let the games begin!! Now you have a strong idea of what you want and need in a venue based on your event brief, it’s time to delve a bit deeper….
Show-round
Create a shortlist of venues that meet most of your criteria – and then get in touch with the venues to book a show-round. Unless you are in a different country to the venue you would like to view – it’s always best to get a feel for the venue in real life, this will also give you a chance to meet the team and ask questions. Of course, if you can’t view in-person, a lot of venues offer a virtual tour – contact us through this form to view the Church House Virtual tour.
Facilities
Does your venue have all the facilities you require? Whether it’s specialist audio-visual equipment, accessibility, break-out rooms, or sustainable catering – look around, and make sure to ask your venue representative if any of the facilities you need aren’t immediately visible.
Audio-visual support
If you will be needing support with music, amplification, or presentations etc, then it’s worth seeking the services of a venue that has its own expert audio-visual team on board – who can really understand your needs and take care of the technical side of things. The award-winning AV Team at Church House are always on hand for our clients – creating stunning lighting effects with crisp audio to match – if you need to ask the team about AV support – get in touch here.
Catering
Delicious food and drink is an essential component to a successful event. Ask your venue about the catering options available – some have in-house caterers, or the option to bring in your own caterer of choice. At Church House, we work with premier British caterers Searcys, who offer a wide range of sustainable and inclusive options to suit many tastes.
If you need help with booking a venue for your next event or would like a show round, get in touch with our team on 020 7390 1590 or e-mail us at sales@churchhouseconf.co.uk.