November 1, 2009
Filed under: Event Planning
Just when this year’s gala is over, it’s time to plan the next one—especially with regards to securing a venue. With the basic components of the event and a rough budget in hand, start visiting venues as soon as possible since choosing the right one is one of the biggest factors in creating a great event. At A&BC, we brainstormed a list of questions to bring to our site visits with the goal of gaining a better understanding of all the possibilities and the associated costs. We also developed a spreadsheet to plug in answers and overall ratings after each meeting. These tools kept us organized throughout the process.
Amanda Belton, Catering Sales Manager at the Ritz-Carlton Chicago and member of A&BC’s gala committee, added, “Before selecting a venue, the event planners should have an idea of how many attendees they expect, thoughts about a seated dinner verses reception style, an estimate of the budget, dates for the event and the goals you hope to achieve at the event. It’s very important to have a sense of what you hope to achieve and how.” She continued, “A few other considerations when you develop your budget—remember to include service charges in your expenses and also keep in mind how much décor you might need to bring in yourself. These expenses vary depending on the venue.”
Jim Struthers, Assistant Director of Development at the McCormick Foundation who has more than 20 years of event planning experience, added a few more pointers, “Think of all the spaces you need—where’s your "event office,” your coat check? Is your auction area close to the ballroom? What’s the parking situation for the guests? All of this will affect the event’s flow."
Beyond the numbers and logistics, service is a top priority. Your event planners will be working closely with representatives from the venue and how well you communicate with each other can make or break your event. Jim suggests that event planners gain a clear understanding of your primary contact’s responsibilities from start to finish before you make any decisions.
After selecting a venue that best fits your specific event needs, there’s still more work to be done—namely, the contract. They can be vague, confusing or intimidating, but spending time on this step is crucial. Amanda shared a few tips for reviewing a contract; she suggests that before you sign a contract, “Make sure you know what minimum you are responsible for meeting, whether it is a guest count or food and beverage minimum (if your venue is providing these things). Also make sure you know the payment structure and any other financial obligations. If a particular menu price was negotiated make sure that is included on the contract too.”
In closing, at A&BC we found that calling other event planners is very helpful. If you would like to share your thoughts or get a second opinion before you make venue decisions, email Kristie Willis. If we can’t help we might know who can.