Choosing a Venue

I think choosing the right venue for an event is one of the most important factors of having a great event. There are a few things to think of when scouting venues. After holding more than three dozen venues over the last year, I believe I have learned a thing or two and I’d like to share them.

1. Physical Location - Will most of your guests/visitors be in the area already? If you plan on holding your event, be it a Happy Hour or Networking Event, at 6PM on a weekday ask yourself where most of the participants will be when they get off work.
2. Parking - Make sure to inform your guests of any parking information. Will there be valet parking? If so, how much will it cost? Is there a parking garage? Parking meters?
3. Size - When I began planning events I would err on the side of a larger venue, just in case more people showed up than I was expecting. After attending other events I realized that the more cozy things are the better. If there is too much open space between people they will be more reluctant to start talking.
4. Type of Venue - For a happy hour, it’s obvious that there should be alcohol of some sort. Wine bars make excellent venues for business events. Social groups do well at coffee shops (with a meeting area). I think matching the overall feel of a place has a lot more to do with a place than the amenities.

Finding the perfect venue can be difficult at times - especially if you live in a smaller city or town as your options are not that great.