If you search Google to find a performance or event venue near you, you will most likely get a million results for wedding venues. But, what about venues for bridal showers, class reunions, birthday parties, meetings, bridal showers or any other social gathering? No matter what type of event you are planning, the venue or space you choose is a vital part to the success. Here are a few practical things to consider when booking an event venue:
Space
Do you know how many guest are coming? I think that is one of the most important details to figure out before you contact an event venue. Make a quick guest list on a piece of paper, or better yet - make a guest list in Microsoft Excel so that you can keep it for future events. Or, you could event use it to make address labels for your invites and thank you’s.
Once you have that guest list, make sure your venue can accommodate. If you will have 50 guests, find a venue that can hold about 75. I don’t suggest finding one that hold 200 for 50 guests, because you will have too much room to fill
with tables or decorations. You could also consider an event venue like
Bricker-Price Block in Earlham, Iowa that has a space that can easily be split in half. Our space can hold up to 140 seated guests, but you can save some money and only rent half the space for about 80 people. At Bricker-Price Block, we have accommodated guest anywhere from 20 to 75 guests on just one side of our building.
Price
That brings me to my next point. According to WeddingWire.com, most couples spend between $2,700 and $10,500 for their wedding venue. There are actually several ways to pinch pennies when it comes to a venue for any type of event.
First, you should consider what day of the week you have your social get-together. Typically, Saturday nights are the most popular and the highest cost.
Second, if you are only using half of the rental space, try to negotiate to only have to pay half of the rental fee. At Bricker-Price Block, you will only pay for the space you need. We rent out half of our space for half of the price more often that we rent out the entire space. Lastly, consider finding a space that doesn’t require a lot of decorating. Book a venue like an old church with large stained glass windows, an eclectic store with vintage pieces or a historic building like Bricker-Price Block that feature original hardwood floors and 8-foot windows that provide a ton of natural light. There are several other factors to consider when booking an event venue. Stay tuned to my next blog posts where I’ll discuss other aspects to consider like accommodations and accessibility.