“Location. Location. Location”

Selecting the “where” for an event is as big of a task as the guest count. It is the defining characteristic of the mood you are looking to create. I was once tasked with creating an event in the desert of Las Vegas, and although that is as blank of a slate as you can imagine there still was inherent expectations going into that on what a guest would feel when they arrive.

Here are some questions I find people frequently don’t ask themselves.

Do I know the style of entertaining I wish to provide and can the space feasibly seat or function comfortably in that style?

What pictures am I drawn to? Can the location I am selecting and time of year feasibly allow me to hit my target image?

What is happening in the City on this date? A large music festival or city-wide marathon with street closures can completely throw off room rates and guest experience.

What level of privacy do I wish to have? How does the venue manage multiple events or other guests on property during my private event?

Will the budget I have work within this venue or will it deplete my ability to have other things that are just as important to me? Budget is something you know you must consider, and yet it will surprise you how often people overlook it when signing initial contracts.

Have you stopped to listen? Listen to the street noise? Listen to the staff and how kind they are to people? Listened to the venue manager and how great they are at turning around answers? It matters. The little things matter.

What construction are they expecting during your planning experience? A better way to ask this is “what improvements are you planning to make on the property this next year”?

The space should inspire you. The space should allow your rigging, power, and entertainment dreams to come true. It is the center of your guest experience and the location of the memory you can keep returning to.

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