When you are tasked with planning a special occasion, one of the first few things you need to look for is the perfect venue. This may sound like an easy task since you already have a date to book. But in reality, you might end up putting your budget to waste if you’re not careful when choosing your event location.
A venue sets the tone and mood of the event. It can be the reason your event is a huge success or a major flop. Aside from building your budget, there are other things to consider when planning your event. Whether you’re planning a wedding, a birthday bash, an anniversary, or a corporate event, it pays to steer clear from making the following choices:
Choosing a venue based solely on the photos
The photos you see on the venue’s website and social media pages may look divine, but they should never be your only reason for booking the venue. Remember that photos can be deceiving. The company may have picture-perfect images, but this can all be a marketing stunt. Make sure that you go to the venue yourself before booking.
Postponing the taste test
If your desired venue also caters food, then make sure that you actually taste the food first. It doesn’t matter if you’ve eaten a couple of times there before. What you may have eaten in the past may not be the very food you’ll be serving for your guests. Make sure that you set up a food tasting session as soon as possible. Never postpone the food tasting to make sure that you get the food all sorted out before the big day.
Booking a venue first before planning the event’s theme
Most events have their themes. If you book a venue first before you even have an event theme in mind, you’ll end up with a venue that will not sit well on the theme. Let’s say that you’re planning an intimate wedding and you want your party venue somewhere in Tunbridge Wells. Make sure that you take into consideration not only the number of guests. Make sure that the venue is the perfect match for your themed wedding.
Not thinking about your guests’ parking
All of your guests may be thrilled to attend your party and are willing to spend some of their precious time. They may also be investing in their attire and gifts. So make sure to take care of your attendees. This does not only refer to you serving good food and entertainment. Make sure that the venue also has good parking space for you and your guests.
Failure to have the first-hand experience at the venue
You may already have your top three venues of your choice and are only trying to figure out which one to pick. But if you simply rely on photos, online reviews, and your friends’ recommendations, you may be disappointed on the big day itself.
If you can, make it a point to have a first-hand experience by visiting the venue and posing as a regular customer. Don’t tell the staff just yet of your plans and observe the place, ambience, food, and staff. This will help you gauge the real deal and see if everything matches your wants and expectations.
No matter what type of event you are going to host, the venue will always be a big part of its success. This is why you should make an effort to find the best place to host the occasion. Make sure that you don’t make the same costly mistakes to make the most out of your event.