Choosing a Venue for a corporate event

Hosting a corporate event can be an exciting prospect for a number of reasons. They are great for networking with other businesses. They offer the perfect opportunity to celebrate a new product or a successful year. Or if you need to let loose after a busy work period, hosting an event is a great way to do it! Choosing the venue is arguably the most important aspect of the event. It can make or break the success of the event. With that in mind, here is what you need to consider when choosing a venue for your next event.

Type of Event Venue

The type of building can dictate the atmosphere/ambience of the party, so it is important that this is thought out carefully. A modern building can often act as a blank canvas which enables you to put your stamp on in terms of theming.  They are often built with the latest trends and technology fads in mind so if this is something required for your event, when already built into the venue can save on set up costs. On the other hand, a historical building can often connote a more formal and sophisticated type of event designed for networking specifically. You would expect the music and food to follow suit with the more proper event venue. For any venue it is important to check on all rules and regulations.  For example, some London venues will not allow strong colour foods such as beetroot or red wine as they have floors to protect.  Or some venues limit the amount of alcohol consumption and/or music after certain hours. So, it is important to ask when looking at the venue what the limitations are!

Your Event Guests

The guests are the life of the party, literally. So, it is important to show to them that you have considered their needs and desires for the event. Have you considered the size of the venue in comparison to the number of guests? Will it be too crowded for them and is their enough space for the requirements for the event. The location is also important. Obviously, the venue has to be accessible by all. But will guests have to travel far? If they do, picking an event with local hotels or rooms to stay over would be an excellent option and shows that you have catered for their needs.

Timing your Event

When looking at hosting an event, one aspect that will aid in the success will be times. By this we mean all aspects of time. The time of the year is crucial in dictating whether the venue can be outside. We doubt, in Winter, that guests would want an outdoor garden party. Take into consideration the weather when booking venues as we are sure that this could impact your choice heavily. Another aspect of time that needs to be considered is the closing time of the venue. Are you allowed to party on until the early hours of the morning? Or do you need to vacate the grounds before midnight? Depending on what you would like, your choice of venue will need to align with your needs. It is common for some venues to host more than one event in one day. It could be a case of you arrive at your event waiting to set up, but you must wait for the previous event to clear up first. With that being said, taking into account how long it would take to set up your event is important. Will you only have a few hours? Or do you have the entire day to make your dream venue a reality?

What the venue can offer

Can your desired venue cater for lighting displays? Lighting really is important when creating an atmosphere in a venue. It can provide a calming ambience or a party delight! Sound systems for playing music is also important. Do the venue provide speakers or do you need to externally hire them? All venues are different so do ask! Something as caterers we always look at in venues is the kitchen space.  Some venues were not designed with a catering kitchen which isn’t an issue as we can always bring in all necessary equipment but this would add to the costs of the event.  If a venue has a fully equipped kitchen this can be a saving on the equipment costs so budget is an important factor.

Let us see how we can help!

We are more than just experienced caterers. At Home Catering’s skills branch far outside of the kitchen. Our comprehensive network means that we know a plethora of event venues. We have been carrying out these services for decades and we know the perfect venue for every type of event. Our typical process includes narrowing down the search to a select few based off your criteria and you can choose your favourite from them. But be careful not to fall in love with a venue that is out of your budget! To see how we can help call us on 01932 862 026 or email us at parties@athomecatering.co.uk.